Backup & restore

A full backup includes the supported journal and app data, including date assessments and their history, observations, Connections, episode memberships, photos, Major Events, tracking lists, appointments, saved reports, experiments and custom fields. It is the restorable copy for complete recovery; structured transfer serves a different purpose.

Manual backup

Tap Back Up Now in More > Data > Backup & Restore, then save the file somewhere safe. Original HealthKit samples stay in Apple Health. Device-local Connections visibility, iCloud Sync choices, outward sharing permissions and pending delivery state are not granted or copied by a backup. Exit Demo Mode before backup, restore or structured transfer; these controls operate on your real journal.

Automatic backups

When iCloud Sync is on, Tended turns on Automatic Backups for you. Tended backs up daily to iCloud Drive in the background or when you open the app. Backup file copying and old-backup cleanup are handled in the background so the app stays responsive. Tended keeps the last 7 backups and removes older ones automatically. You’ll find them in Files › iCloud Drive › Tended › Backups. Your iCloud Sync choice stays on this device and is not changed by a backup file.

If iCloud Drive gets stuck

If Tended says it cannot write to its iCloud Drive folder, first check Settings › your Apple Account › iCloud › Drive. Make sure Sync this iPhone is on and Tended is allowed to use iCloud Drive. If everything is on but backups still fail, turn Sync this iPhone off and back on, then reopen Tended. Your journal sync uses private CloudKit records; backups and scheduled report PDFs use iCloud Drive and appear in Files › iCloud Drive › Tended.

Restoring a backup

Before restoring, turn off iCloud Sync and restart Tended. Restore stays unavailable while sync is on or waiting for a restart. Choose Restore from Backup, review the file and confirm. The restore checks declared record counts and references before replacing supported data. If required records are missing, the backup is rejected and your current data stays unchanged. If replacement fails, a recovery backup is kept. Check the restored records before deciding how to handle older iCloud data. Existing device sync and sharing choices remain; the file cannot grant new sharing permissions. Restored report schedules require an inclusion review before delivery resumes.

Photos in backups

Photos attached to entries and Major Events are included in the backup. If a photo is still downloading from iCloud when you back up, it may be skipped — Tended will warn you if this happens. For the most complete backup, make sure your device has downloaded all photos before backing up.

Importing from other apps

You can also import data from Bearable, Daylio, or any CSV file via More › Data › Import Data. Tended detects the format automatically and maps the columns for you.

Create a backup file

Prepare a backup file and choose where to keep it.

A backup is separate from iCloud sync. The guide finishes when the file is prepared; you still need to save a copy from the share sheet.

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Create a backup file: steps

1. Review backup options In Backup & Restore, review whether you want to include reports. Leave Restore alone when creating a new backup.
2. Choose where to keep it Choose a folder you can find again. After the file is prepared, use the share sheet to save it there and check that the copy is present.
3. Create the file Choose Back Up Now and wait for preparation to finish. Read any message about skipped content, then save the file from the share sheet.

Create a backup file: troubleshooting

If creation fails, read the error and try again when ready. If you cancel the share sheet, the prepared-file message does not mean you saved a copy elsewhere.