Where are iPhone backups stored?

[ncsmith4]

So, Im planning to upgrade to 3.0 beta 2 tomorrow, but I want to keep a 2.2.1 backup (just in case). Where would I find the backup file to make a copy of it and save it in a safe spot?

[mavis]

You'll find your backup(s) here: ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup ... If you have more than one iDevice, just do a backup in iTunes and then check the timestamps on the folders to find the one most recently modified. ;)

[rmpstudio]

You'll find your backup(s) here: ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup ... If you have more than one iDevice, just do a backup in iTunes and then check the timestamps on the folders to find the one most recently modified. ;)

I had the same question as the OP but i don't have a folder named "MobileSync". I also don't have MobileMe if that is what you need in order to have such a folder.

So,.. where does iTunes store the backups for the iPhone?

[sammich]

I had the same question as the OP but i don't have a folder named "MobileSync". I also don't have MobileMe if that is what you need in order to have such a folder.

So,.. where does iTunes store the backups for the iPhone?

You need to look in your home folder. Full path should be

/Users/username/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup

Unless you've never setup backing up...

[rmpstudio]

You need to look in your home folder. Full path should be

/Users/username/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/

I'm an idiot. I realized that as soon as i posted the reply. Sorry :)

[hillbdesign]

I found the folder but there does not seem to be a clickable file to select to restore from.

Here is my deal specifically. My phone was slowing down, so i restored it and chose the wrong backup. I option+clicked the restore button to point it to the backup that was made today, but when i go to the Moblie Sync/backup folder there are no clickable files to select.

Please help

[SirDude]

right click on your phone in itunes and then select restore to a backup.
in the window that opens choose the update that you want from the drop down menue and you should be all set.

[bedifferent]

right click on your phone in itunes and then select restore to a backup.
in the window that opens choose the update that you want from the drop down menue and you should be all set.

Oddly I've been backing up my iPhone daily, but iTunes 9.2 is only showing 4 backups, and they're older. I've looked into the mobilesync/backup folder and there is a lot of information there but iTunes doesn't seem to recognize any 4.0 backups!

[NWI73]

To archive my backup, would I just copy the entire backup folder or would I copy all of the files within?

If I choose to take that archived backup and use it on my phone at a later time would I just paste all those files back into the backup folder or would I delete the backup files which itunes created and paste in my archived files?

[stevenlangley1]

With the release of lion and the lack of a Library folder anymore, does anyone know where the iPhone backups are kept now?

[himynameis]

Lion does have a home library, it just doesn't have it accessible by default.
To access it, hold option on your keyboard and click "Go" on the menu bar while in the Finder application. If you have option held, it will show Library, and if you let go it disappears again.

[kylebshr]

Oddly I've been backing up my iPhone daily, but iTunes 9.2 is only showing 4 backups, and they're older. I've looked into the mobilesync/backup folder and there is a lot of information there but iTunes doesn't seem to recognize any 4.0 backups!

If you back up regularly, iTunes won't keep every single backup when they're close to each other (time wise), it just saves the most recent and if it was a long time since the last one it won't overwrite the old one.

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If you back up regularly, iTunes won't keep every single backup when they're close to each other (time wise), it just saves the most recent and if it was a long time since the last one it won't overwrite the old one.

Lol sorry to answer a year old question, I didn't look at the date :)

[alexiarudolf]

So, Im planning to upgrade to 3.0 beta 2 tomorrow, but I want to keep a 2.2.1 backup (just in case). Where would I find the backup file to make a copy of it and save it in a safe spot?

The iPhone backup files are created by iTunes as it is the application we use to create iPhone, iPad and iPod backups on our computer (Mac or Windows).

On Mac computer, you can find the backup here:

/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup

On Windows Computer, you can find it here:

C:\Documents and Settings\YOUR_USER_NAME\Application Data\Apple Computer\SyncServices\Local

The file "data.syncdb" appears to be the one.

Unless you did not changed the location of backup for your iPhone in the iTunes, the backup can be found here. It is possible that the backup is not available there, i.e. some how it is deleted or iTunes fails to create the backup. in those situation you should select the professional iphone backup application. You can read more about professional iPhone backup application over here, http://www.iphonebackup.org.uk. Also i suggest you to keep taking incremental backup time to time so that the backup process takes only few minutes every time you backup.

[Thetonyk123]

most of the people above are right but with ios 5 it can be stored in the icloud!

[MMullan]

time line-
fall 2010 had my 4 stolen
Feb 2011 - purchased a 3g online
Today- received an old 4 from someone

When I went to sync it to my contacts and what have you, the phone restored to my old 4's settings from 2010. Awesome! Because while I had my 3g, I reduced most of the applications and personalized settings that I had on the 4 to save phone life. Not to mention all of the dragging and dropping of apps.

But I lost all of my MMS from my 3g. So obviously I have 2 iPhone folders on my mac- is there an easy way to 'drag n drop' my MMS's over to this current phone? I don't want to have to go through the riga-ma-ro of restoring the 4 to the 3g settings and re-doing all the apps organization and such.

Thanks for any help

[ivanzidek]

Time Machine should have backed up any old copies of your iPhone backup, as it was backed up in the past. You can look there for older copies, if you have TM, of course. ;)

[HåkanPowers]

I recently changed jobs and made a backup of my iPhone before I left. Now I have a new iPhone and a new iTunes installation on my new PC.

Is there anything I need to be aware of in order to properly restore the backup to the new phone? Do I need to first activate the phone with an empty iTunes or should I first copy the backup from the USB disk to the computer?

[usitwisely]

most of the people above are right but with ios 5 it can be stored in the icloud!

can you help me out with the address for finding them in icloud pls....

[gwiz4you]

right click on your phone in itunes and then select restore to a backup.
in the window that opens choose the update that you want from the drop down menue and you should be all set.

when i do what you have suggested it only bring up one back up which is named unknown and not the name of my iphone i dont care about any thing that might of been backed up except my pictures and videos and cant find them at all im in complete panic as they are evidence in a court case plz plz help me find the back up. could it of deleted it when it randomly backed up this unknown back up ?

[peterparera]

So, Im planning to upgrade to 3.0 beta 2 tomorrow, but I want to keep a 2.2.1 backup (just in case). Where would I find the backup file to make a copy of it and save it in a safe spot?

If you are creating backup through iTunes then the file location will be --

On Mac computer, you can find the backup here:

/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup

On Windows Computer, you can find it here:

C:\Documents and Settings\YOUR_USER_NAME\Application Data\Apple Computer\SyncServices\Local

but if you are using any third party iPhone backup software (http://www.iphonebackupsoftware.org) to create backup then you can customize the location by yourself. it is user defined location. Easily you can find.

:D

[Bossone]

On Mac computer, you can find the backup here:

/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup



Ok I feel real stupid here. Under my user (has the house icon) don't' see the file you are looking for. No Library.

Now if I go to my hard drive, I see Library/Application Support, but no mobile sync. I check iTunes and it says I have a back up.

What am I doing wrong?

[pennyhoward]

I had the same problem So I researched for sometime and I finally learned where were the backups. As we seek in every way on the device name as displayed in iTunes, you have no chance to find. The backups are stored here:
~ / Library / Application Support / MobileSync / Backup ("~/" Means as usual the user's folder).
More reviews about Backup iPhone to Computer, try to refer these tutorials:
For PC: How to transfer or backup iPhone contents to Windows (http://www.iphone-mac.com/how-to-transfer-or-backup-iphone-contents-to-pc.html)
For Mac: How to transfer contents from iPhone to Mac OS (http://www.iphone-mac.com/how-to-transfer-contents-from-iphone-to-mac.html)
Hope them help you a lots.

[Marrry]

Hey professionals!
Today I back-uped successfully my jailbroken iPhone4 ios 4.3, then I updated it to iOS 5 and jailbroke with redsn0w.
When I want to restore my data.. it won't show on itunes. I cannot see any backups but at my computer I definitely have them! I tryed to move files from Backup to Apple ComputerMobileSyncBackup, restart computer but still won't work.
Tried to extract SMS and my pictures with iphonebackupextractor but it doesn't work with jailbroken phones.
I use - iPhone 4, модель MC603ZP, прошивка iOS 5.0.1, модем 04.11.08, Windows7, iTunes 10.5
I'm begging You for help!!
what to do? how to make it right?

[microx7991]

In Loin the iTunes backups are stored here:

/Users/username/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup

(Just go to finder, click on "Go" from the status bar and select "go to folder" and paste the above location, remember to replace username with your username)

[the.orange.tuba]

When I tried to restore a backup to my iPhone 4s it lists only one backup for my 4s yet I have made multiple backups. My old 3G phone listed multiple backups with different date stamps from which I could choose to restore.

Is there a way that I can have multiple backups with different dates for my 4s like I had for my 3G? I like to have more than just one backup, just in case it is corrupted or there is a problem. I guess there was a change in iTunes that has caused the backups to be done differently or is there an option I need to change?

Thanks.

[-aggie-]

When I tried to restore a backup to my iPhone 4s it lists only one backup for my 4s yet I have made multiple backups. My old 3G phone listed multiple backups with different date stamps from which I could choose to restore.

Is there a way that I can have multiple backups with different dates for my 4s like I had for my 3G? I like to have more than just one backup, just in case it is corrupted or there is a problem. I guess there was a change in iTunes that has caused the backups to be done differently or is there an option I need to change?

Thanks.

Yes, they (stupidly, IMO) changed the way backups are done. If you want to be able to go back to an old backup, you need to save it somewhere (like in a backup folder). Otherwise, the backup is overwritten.

[SenseiPhone]

When I tried to restore a backup to my iPhone 4s it lists only one backup for my 4s yet I have made multiple backups. My old 3G phone listed multiple backups with different date stamps from which I could choose to restore.

Is there a way that I can have multiple backups with different dates for my 4s like I had for my 3G? I like to have more than just one backup, just in case it is corrupted or there is a problem. I guess there was a change in iTunes that has caused the backups to be done differently or is there an option I need to change?

Thanks.

It does have multiple backups according to backup dates. Check on iPhone backup locations (http://senseiphone.com/iphone-backup-location-files-05203655/) and see if you got several folders with timestamps in the end.

[TM WAZZA]

I've got multiple backups from the past (some 2 months ago, some last year) that I found by following the steps above to locate where the backup locations are. But iTunes does not recognize them. There is no option of "restore from backups". What gives?