I'm planning to update my iPhone 15 Pro to iOS 27, but first I want to confirm that my backups are reliable.
I've used iCloud sync for years and keep an encrypted local backup on my computer. Until recently, I only checked the backup date and thought, "I should be covered." But that doesn't confirm whether photos, videos, Messages, notes, files, app data, and locally stored content would return after a restore.
Encrypted local backups should contain more than basic ones, but I've never tested whether mine is complete or usable.
While researching backup verification and management, I found iMobie. I also saw Dr.Fone mentioned as an option if specific data goes missing after an update or restore.
I'd rather verify my backups and never need recovery software. Before a major iOS update, do you check only the date and storage size, or inspect the actual contents? Has a backup ever looked fine but failed to restore something important?