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Backed up
- Thread starter nzvlnr
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The path to the backups should be ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync.
You will not find your text messages there in a readable form. Apple intends that you use the backups solely to perform a complete restore onto an iOS device.
Well, I say "complete". Apple's use of the word "backup" here isn't what you might treat it as - it doesn't include your iOS install (so you can't use it to downgrade back to whatever version you were using before), nor does it include your actual apps (so they need to be present separately in your iTunes library when you attempt to restore). The backups more or less only cover your "personal" data.
If all you want to know is whether a backup was performed, load up iTunes, goto the iTunes menu up the top left of your screen, and enter Preferences. The Devices tab will list out your backup collection.
If you actually want to pick out individual bits of data from the backups themselves (eg your text messages), that's when you'd need to install a third-party program specifically for the task.
You will not find your text messages there in a readable form. Apple intends that you use the backups solely to perform a complete restore onto an iOS device.
Well, I say "complete". Apple's use of the word "backup" here isn't what you might treat it as - it doesn't include your iOS install (so you can't use it to downgrade back to whatever version you were using before), nor does it include your actual apps (so they need to be present separately in your iTunes library when you attempt to restore). The backups more or less only cover your "personal" data.
If all you want to know is whether a backup was performed, load up iTunes, goto the iTunes menu up the top left of your screen, and enter Preferences. The Devices tab will list out your backup collection.
If you actually want to pick out individual bits of data from the backups themselves (eg your text messages), that's when you'd need to install a third-party program specifically for the task.
OK, so my backup was deleted...it is still in my recycle bin so I can move it out....but if there is nothing in itunes.....there is nothing I can do then from a historical text msg retrieval perspective?
Well, if you put the backup back where it was, iTunes should pick up on it again.
Do be sure to disable automatic device syncing (again, check that Devices tab in iTunes preferences) first. With it enabled (as it is by default), iTunes will delete your last automatic backup as soon as you reconnect your device (entirely negating the point of making backups in the first place - don't ask me why, it's Apple's logic).
Backups you trigger manually should not be subject to this issue, and should stick around until you manually remove them. You'll probably want to make a manual backup of your phone's current state before you overwrite it with an older backed up state.
Or, as mentioned, you could use a third-party "not made by Apple") program to allow you to read the text messages in the backup through your computer. Read around before installing software you don't trust, but to get started, do some web searches for "iphone backup extractor" or somesuch.
Do be sure to disable automatic device syncing (again, check that Devices tab in iTunes preferences) first. With it enabled (as it is by default), iTunes will delete your last automatic backup as soon as you reconnect your device (entirely negating the point of making backups in the first place - don't ask me why, it's Apple's logic).
Backups you trigger manually should not be subject to this issue, and should stick around until you manually remove them. You'll probably want to make a manual backup of your phone's current state before you overwrite it with an older backed up state.
Or, as mentioned, you could use a third-party "not made by Apple") program to allow you to read the text messages in the backup through your computer. Read around before installing software you don't trust, but to get started, do some web searches for "iphone backup extractor" or somesuch.