Where is the backup setting?
Backup is never a first-screen entry on any system we measured, and the name usually tells you whether restoring is part of the same screen. We read the settings tree of all 43 systems in the catalogue and recorded where each one keeps it.
What each system calls it
8 of the 43 operating systems in our catalogue have this setting, and between them they use five different labels for it:
| Name on screen | Systems |
|---|---|
| Backup & restore | 2 |
| Backup and reset | 2 |
| Backup | 2 |
| Backup and Restore | 1 |
| iCloud Backup | 1 |
The most common is Backup & restore, on 2 of the 8. If that is not the word on your screen, the table above is the rest of the vocabulary to try.
Where it lives on each system
These are the shortest paths from the first settings screen on the newest release of each system. 6 of the 8 are within two taps; the rest sit deeper, and the table shows how much deeper.
| System | Path | Taps |
|---|---|---|
| ChromeOS 151 | About ChromeOS › Backup & restore | 2 |
| HarmonyOS 6.0 | System & updates › Backup & restore | 2 |
| HyperOS 4.0 | Additional settings › Backup and reset | 2 |
| OxygenOS 16 | System settings › Backup and reset | 2 |
| Wear OS 7 | System › Backup | 2 |
| Windows 7 SP1 | System and Security › Backup and Restore | 2 |
| iOS 6 6.1 | iCloud › Storage & Backup › iCloud Backup | 3 |
| One UI 9 | Warranty and care › Run diagnostics › Backup | 3 |
Each system name above opens the real menu in the simulator, so you can walk the path before you touch your own device.
Why the names came out this way
Backup & restore and Backup and reset are both honest about the fact that these operations belong together — you back up because one day you will restore, or because you are about to wipe. A bare Backup usually means the restore path lives in the setup assistant instead.
It is worth pairing this screen with the reset one: the two are the before and after of the same afternoon.
Find it on your own device
If your system is not in the table, or the label on your screen is different again, there are three ways through it:
- Search every system at once for a setting by name — it looks inside all 43 trees, not just the one you are holding.
- Open your own system in the settings simulator and click to the screen without changing anything real.
- Follow the step-by-step guide to resetting a device, or see where that setting lives on every system.
Related settings in the same part of the menu:
All of it comes from the same catalogue: 43 systems, 135 versions, published as an open dataset.
Try it yourself, on the real menusOpen any of 43 operating systems in your browser and walk the Settings tree exactly as it appears on the device. No download, no account.Frequently asked questions
Where is the backup setting on most systems?
On 6 of the 8 systems that have it, within two taps of the first settings screen. The most common label is “Backup & restore”, used by 2 of them. The table above gives the exact path for each system.
Why can I not find it by searching my settings?
Because settings search matches the label your system uses, and there are five different labels in use for this one setting. Searching for the word your previous device used is the single most common reason a setting appears to be missing.
How many systems have this setting at all?
8 of the 43 operating systems we catalogue. The rest either have no hardware for it or fold the behaviour into something else, which is why a feature that feels universal often is not.