I recently opened iTunes on Windows to make a backup and noticed Apple finally removed the backup functionality for USB-connected iPhones. Unfortunately, just like iTunes, the new Apple Devices application (in the Windows Store) doesn't allow you to change the backup destination.
As of June 2025, Apple stores all backups at:
I tried
So then I used the handy Symbolic11 (on GitHub), a small 2MB portable application that worked instantly, but again, only for symlinks and not hard links. But, mklink and symlinks should still work, but the GUI makes it a little easier.
Instructions
After installing the app, you'll be greeted with this window:
From now on, when using Apple Devices, it will send all backups to your NAS, with no local storage eaten up. Further, if you had any old iTunes-created backups in the NAS folder you selected in #6 above, now the Apple Devices app can manage them as if they were local backups. Luckily, Apple Devices remains compatible with iTunes backups.
This is a guide both for me in the future whenever I reinstall Windows (lol) but also if anyone else was trying to make that iTunes backup today and realized, whoops, I need to set up the symlinks again.
As of June 2025, Apple stores all backups at:
Code:
%USERPROFILE%/Apple/MobileSync/BackupI tried
mklink & hard links with CMD, but it kept giving an error, "Local volumes are required to complete the operation". I believe hard links won't work.So then I used the handy Symbolic11 (on GitHub), a small 2MB portable application that worked instantly, but again, only for symlinks and not hard links. But, mklink and symlinks should still work, but the GUI makes it a little easier.
Instructions
After installing the app, you'll be greeted with this window:
- First, ensure the Apple Devices app is closed.
- Next, delete the folder "Backup" in the MobileSync directory above—we will re-create that using this app. However, if you already made a backup using the new app—copy that somewhere else first before deleting the Backup folder.
- Now return to the Symbolic11 app. Note Step 1 in the image above: select Symbolic link. You may turn on the "Guide" (the question mark at the top right) to get the simple English text like I have.
- Then select Folder in Step 2.
- Then select the MobileSync folder in Step 3—not Backup. There should be no Backup folder, as we deleted that earlier.
- Then select your NAS destination folder here in Step 4.
- Name it precisely "Backup". This name is the folder-symlink name and it is what Apple Devices expects here.
- Click "Create Link" and voila, you're done. If you already made a backup with Apple Devices, you can paste it back to this newly created folder (which is really on your NAS).
From now on, when using Apple Devices, it will send all backups to your NAS, with no local storage eaten up. Further, if you had any old iTunes-created backups in the NAS folder you selected in #6 above, now the Apple Devices app can manage them as if they were local backups. Luckily, Apple Devices remains compatible with iTunes backups.
This is a guide both for me in the future whenever I reinstall Windows (lol) but also if anyone else was trying to make that iTunes backup today and realized, whoops, I need to set up the symlinks again.