Where Is iPhone backup stored on Mac

You’ve probably backed up your devices multiple times, but have you ever wondered where are iPhone or iPad backup stored on Mac or computer? While you do not need to find these files to delete your backups or restore your iOS device, it is still useful to know where they are stored. So, if you want to locate your iPhone or iPad backup, let’s move!

Where are iPhone backups stored on Mac?

All your iPhone or iPad backups are stored in one designated location on your Mac. Here’s how you can access it:

  1. Open Finder and hit Command+Shift+G on the keyboard or magnifier icon in the menu bar
  2. In the text input field, copy and paste this:
    ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
    Where Is iPhone backup stored on Mac
  3. Hit Return and the directory will open, as shown below:
    Where Is iPhone backup stored on Mac

Find a Specific iPhone Backup Location in macOS

  1. Connect your iPhone or iPad using a cable
  2. Open Finder and click on your device on the left pane of the window.
    Where Is iPhone backup stored on Mac
  3. Click on Manage Backups to see a list of all your backups.
    Where Is iPhone backup stored on Mac
  4. To find the location of a specific backup, right-click on it and then select Show in Finder.
    Where Is iPhone backup stored on Mac
  5. On the next screen, you will see the folder containing backup files.
    Where Is iPhone backup stored on Mac

Locate a Particular iPhone Backup in macOS

  1. Content your device with the Mac
  2. Open iTunes, click Preferences, and then select Devices
  3. From here, you can right-click on the backup that you want, then choose Show in Finder.
  4. Click OK once you are done

Where are iPhone backups stored on Windows PC?

Different versions of Windows save iPhone and iPad backups in different locations, irrespective of which iTunes version you are using.

On Windows 10 or Windows 8 system, iPhone or iPad backup location would be:

\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

On your computer running Windows 7 and Windows Vista you can locate the backup at the following path:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\

On your Windows XP machine, the backup would be at:

C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

Alternatevely,

You can also follow the below steps to access iPhone backup on Windows PC :

Find the Search bar:

  • On Windows 10, the Search bar is beside the Start button
  • On Windows 8, click on the search icon (magnifying glass) in the top-right corner
  • On Windows 7 and earlier, click the Start button

In the Search bar, enter: %appdata% OR if you downloaded iTunes from the Microsoft Store, enter: %USERPROFILE%

Hit Return and then navigate to the folders “Apple” or “Apple Computer” MobileSyncBackup.

Note: Windows usually treats the Application Data and AppData directories and their contents (including iPhone backup) as “Hidden” files. Therefore, to see the documents, you need to enable “Show Hidden Files” within Windows Explorer.

Summing Up

While there may be several reasons to locate backups on your computer, it is advisable not to meddle with these files in any way. Do not try to move, rename, or edit them, as this may corrupt your backups and cause data loss.

Lastly, did you know you can also extract text messages from your iPhone backup? If you’re looking for any other information about iPhone backups, please let us know in the comments below.

You may also like to read:

Where are iPhone backups stored? This page will show you iPhone backup file location on Mac and PC respectively. In addition, you can also specify iPhone backup location via a handy freeware.

Where Is iPhone backup stored on Mac
By @Demi Last Updated March 11, 2022

To protect all the data on your iPhone, you can backup it to your Mac or PC via iTunes or backup it with iCloud. After the backup is created, you may want to find iPhone backup files in following situations:

◉ Check if the backup files are intact. ◉ Delete some backup files that are no longer needed to get more free space on your Mac or PC. ◉ Copy backup files to another location. (However, Apple doesn't recommend moving backup files. To restore from a relocated backup file, you need to move it back or the file won't work.)

If you have no idea where iPhone backups are stored, please read on. No matter you have created iPhone backups via iTunes or iCloud, you can follow the instructions below to find the backup files on Mac or Windows PC.

Where are iPhone backups stored on Mac?

If you're using a Mac, you can follow the instructions below to find your iTunes backup and iCloud backup.

Where are iTunes backups stored on Mac?

iTunes backups are stored in ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/ on macOS. You can click the magnifying glass in the menu bar and type the path to locate iTunes backups on Mac. In macOS 10.15, Finder creates iPhone backups, instead of iTunes. However, the backups are saved in the same location.

Optionally, you can also follow the steps to find a  specific iTunes backup. Just open iTunes. Click iTunes in the menu bar, and then choose Preferences > Choose Devices > Control-click the backup that you want, and then choose Show in Finder.

Tip: How to find iTunes backups automatically iPhone Backup Extractor helps you find iTunes backup automatically and open it with a click. You can download and install iPhone Backup Extractor > Preference from its pull-down menu > Backups > Click the default folder link to open it.

Where are iCloud backups stored on Mac?

There won’t be a list of your backups on iCloud.com. Learn how to find your iCloud backups on Mac or PC as follows.

On your Mac computer, choose Apple menu > System Preferences > Click iCloud > Manage > Backups.

Where are iPhone backups stored on Windows PC?

The steps to locate iPhone backups on Windows PC are slightly different from those on Mac. Follow the instructions below to find where are iPhone backups stored on Windows.

Locate iTunes backups on Windows PC

All of the iTunes backups are stored in \Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\ on Windows 10, 8, 7, or Vista. 

To find a specific iTunes backup, you can go to the Search bar from the Start menu (Windows 7) or next to the Start button (Windows 10). then input %appdata% or %USERPROFILE% and press Enter. You can find iTunes backup by openning the folder Apple/Apple Computer > MobileSync > Backup in order.

Locate iCloud backups on Windows PC

There won’t be a list of your backups on iCloud.com. Learn how to find your iCloud backups on Mac or PC as follows.

1. Open iCloud for Windows and click Storage.

2. In the next window, select Backup.

Bonus: Easily create and locate iPhone backup on Windows PC

If you want to specify iPhone backup file location by yourself, you may pick AOMEI MBackupper. It is compatible with iPhone 4 to the latest iPhone 13. It offers you the easiest way to backup your iPhone photos, music, videos, contacts, and messages. Other than backing up to the local folder on your PC, you are allowed to select an external drive as backup location, such as external HDD or USB flash drive.

 Main features and advantages of AOMEI MBackupper 👍 Custom and incremental backup. With AOMEI MBackupper, you're free to preview and choose to backup the wanted files from iPhone to computer. The incremental backup service only backs up iPhone files that have been changed since the last backup. 👍 Simple and fast backup process. With three steps, you can finish backing up iPhone. With the stable USB connection between your iPhone and computer, the backup process can be finished within a few seconds. 👍 Free to locate and browse backups. AOMEI MBackupper also provides you with a convenient way to locate and browse backups.

Click the button below to download AOMEI MBackupper to your Windows PC and start to backup your iPhone with ease.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to computer with USB > Launch AOMEI MBackupper and click Custom Backup on its homepage.

Step 2. Click each icon to preview and choose the wanted files you'd like to backup > Click OK to confirm.

Step 3. Choose a destination to save the backup files > Click Start Backup to begin and the task will be completed in seconds.

Therefore, the iPhone backups can be easily located. You can also go to the Backup Management screen of AOMEI MBackupper to browse, restore, or delete the backup.

Besides selectively backing up your iPhone data, you can also let AOMEI MBackupper create a full iPhone backup by utilizing its Full Backup function, which is extremely useful to avoid data loss when it comes to switching to new iPhone or factory resetting iPhone for troubleshooting.

Summary

Where are iPhone backups stored on your Mac or PC? This page has given you a complete answer. If you plan to backup your iPhone to a custom location, you may try AOMEI MBackupper. It also enables you to transfer photos from iPhone to iPhone. Go for it now and discover more!