> ## Knowledge Base Index
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> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
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# My iPad broke! Are my files backed up?

Whether your scripts survive a broken or lost iPad depends entirely on **where they were stored**. Files in Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or iCloud Drive are safe — just sign in on a new device. Files stored **On My iPad** are only recoverable if iCloud Backup was on before the device broke. Find your storage type below.

|| 📝 NOTE: The single best protection against this scenario is to sync your files through **Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive**. All three keep your files safe off-device *and* preserve version history. See [How to sync files across devices with Cloud Storage](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-to-sync-files-across-devices-with-cloud-storage-rj94v/) to set this up before something goes wrong.

##### Files stored on Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive → safe

These files live with the cloud provider, not on your iPad. To get them back:

1. Set up your new iPad (or grab a working one).
2. Install Scriptation and [activate your Industry Pro subscription](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/i-purchased-industry-pro-how-do-i-activate-it-on-all-of-my-devices-10s0ghc/).
3. Re-link Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive — see the connection guides for [Dropbox](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-sync-with-dropbox-cloud-storage-18wk2i8/), [Google Drive](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-sync-with-google-drive-cloud-storage-1mhph57/), or [OneDrive](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-sync-with-onedrive-cloud-storage-wnei1s/).

Your files appear in Scriptation just as they did on the old device.

##### Files stored in iCloud Drive → safe (if iCloud Drive was on)

iCloud Drive syncs through your Apple ID. As long as iCloud Drive was enabled on the broken device, your files are still in iCloud:

1. Sign in to your new device with the same Apple ID.
2. Install Scriptation and [activate your Industry Pro subscription](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/i-purchased-industry-pro-how-do-i-activate-it-on-all-of-my-devices-10s0ghc/).
3. Make sure iCloud Drive is enabled in iOS Settings → your name → iCloud.

Your iCloud-stored Scriptation files reappear once the device finishes syncing. See [How do I sync with iCloud cloud storage?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-sync-with-icloud-cloud-storage-diyrsv/) for setup details.

| ✅ TIP: iCloud connects automatically through your Apple ID — there's no separate sign-in step inside Scriptation.

##### Files stored On My iPad / On My iPhone → depends on iCloud Backup

Files saved **On My iPad** or **On My iPhone** lived only on that specific device. There's no automatic cloud copy. Whether you can recover them depends on one thing: **was iCloud Backup turned on before the device broke?**

* **iCloud Backup was ON**: You can restore the most recent backup to a new device, which brings your On My iPad / iPhone files with it. See [How to restore your device from iCloud backup](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-to-restore-your-device-from-icloud-backup-xajlx5/) for the full process. Note: the restored files will be from the moment of the last backup, so any work done after that point is not included.
* **iCloud Backup was OFF**: Unfortunately, On My iPad / iPhone files are not recoverable. There's no cloud copy to restore from. The device itself was their only storage.

||| ⚠️ HEADS UP: Restoring from iCloud backup **erases everything on the new device** before restoring. Only use this path for a fresh / replacement device — not for a working one with files you want to keep.

##### Why Scriptation doesn't have its own backup

For both [data privacy](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/is-my-personal-data-private-within-scriptation-1paq93x/) and [file security](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/are-my-files-secure-with-scriptation-18bkkwz/) reasons, **Scriptation does not store backups of any user files**. Your scripts stay yours — they only live in the storage location you chose (your device, iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive). That's why a cloud sync setup matters: it's your safety net.

##### After you've recovered — set up better protection

If you've just been through a device-broken scare, the best follow-up is to make sure it doesn't happen the same way again:

1. **Move your files to Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive** — see [How to move or copy local iPad files to the cloud](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/moving-or-copying-local-ipad-files-to-the-cloud-1i061ug/).
2. **Turn on iCloud Backup** in iOS Settings → your name → iCloud → iCloud Backup, as belt-and-suspenders insurance for On My iPad files.

##### Need help?

If you've worked through the path above for your storage type and your files still aren't back, use the **Send us an email** button at the bottom of this page. Please include your device model, your old and new device's OS version, your Scriptation version, and where your files were stored.

# What's Next

[How to restore your device from iCloud backup](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-to-restore-your-device-from-icloud-backup-xajlx5/)
[How to sync files across devices with Cloud Storage](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-to-sync-files-across-devices-with-cloud-storage-rj94v/)
[How do I sync with iCloud cloud storage?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-sync-with-icloud-cloud-storage-diyrsv/)