How to properly backup your iPhone before installing iOS 26.

Before you install iOS 26 on your iPhone, follow this procedure to backup your device:

1. Update all your apps to the latest version in the App Store.

2. Force quit all your apps in the app switcher.

3. Restart your iPhone to remove any software gremlins running in the background.

4. On bootup, backup your iPhone to iCloud.

5. Install the most current version of iOS 18 on your device. This is in case iOS 26 becomes a problem for you and you need to revert back to iOS 18.

6. Once the latest version of iOS 18 is installed on your device, repeat steps 1 thru 4, and then finally install the iOS 26 public beta.

There is no 100% failsafe solution, but this method has always worked for me and gave me a reliable backup to go back to, even though I never needed it.