How to back up MobileMe data

If your MobileMe account is about to expire, or if you simply want to back up your MobileMe data, you can use the following tips for backing up. Note: Some services mentioned below require an active MobileMe membership, such as accessing your iDisk or using Backup, so you'd want to use them while your membership is still active.

Backing up your MobileMe data in Mac OS X

MobileMe Mail:

To back up your mail messages, you will first need to download your mail using an email application. Enter your MobileMe information in MobileMe Preferences (in System Preferences), then open the Mail application on your Mac.

MobileMe Contacts:

If you are syncing contacts with a Mac or Windows-based PC, you already should have a copy of your contacts (see the sections below for more information on how to back up your contacts on a Mac or PC). 

MobileMe Calendars:

If you are syncing calendars between a Mac and PC, you already should have a copy of your calendars (see the sections below for more information on how to back up your calendars). 

Your published calendars should be available in iCal even if your membership has expired.

MobileMe iDisk:

You can manually connect to your iDisk and copy the files you want from your iDisk to your computer to back them up. If you are using iDisk Sync, you can turn it off to create a disk image of your iDisk. Some folders on your iDisk (Backup, Web, Library, and Software) are not synced via iDisk Syncing, so you should back up those files manually. For more information on backing up files stored on your iDisk, please see this article.

MobileMe Gallery:

Any pictures you have published to MobileMe should be available in iPhoto or Aperture. If they are not in iPhoto or Aperture, you can sync your pictures and add them to your iPhoto or Aperture libraries. 

Applications in Mac OS X:

If you use Mac OS X 10.5 or later, you can easily back up all of your important data using Time Machine. However, if you want to back up application-specific data in Mac OS X, follow the steps below:

• Address Book : From the File menu, choose Export > Address Book Archive to back up your entire Address Book database.  
• iCal: If you want to back up your iCal calendars, see this article.
• Mail: See this article.
• iPhoto: You can back up iPhoto files directly from within iPhoto, or by using Backup 3.1.2 or later.
• Aperture: See this article.
• iWeb: Any websites you have published with iWeb should still be available within iWeb. iWeb stores everything in a Domain file, normally located in the ~/Library/Application Support/iWeb folder (although it can be moved). If you no longer have this file, you can view your currently published pages and manually recreate them within iWeb, but there is no way to import published pages back into iWeb. You can manually back up the Domain file, or use Backup to back it up.
• Backup: If you have been backing up data to your iDisk, make sure you copy the entire folder to your hard drive, or use Backup to perform a full backup to a different location.
• Safari: See this article. 

Backing up your MobileMe data in Microsoft Windows

For information about backing up your data that you use with MobileMe, visit Microsoft's Use Windows to back up your computer page to get started.

• MobileMe Mail: To back up your mail messages, you will first need to download your mail using an email application. In Windows, download your MobileMe mail messages using a Windows-compatible email program.
• MobileMe Contacts: If you are syncing contacts to a Windows-based PC, you already should have a copy of your contacts on your computer. 
• MobileMe Calendars: If you are syncing contacts to a Windows-based PC, you already should have a copy of your calendars on your computer.
• MobileMe iDisk: You can manually connect to your iDisk and copy the files you want from your iDisk to your computer to back them up. For more information on backing up files stored on your iDisk, please see this article.

Moving data to or syncing with another computer

You can use MobileMe to easily sync a lot of your personal data to a new or different computer, including contacts, calendar, bookmarks between Macs and PCs, and also keychains, Mail settings, Dashboard widgets and more from Mac to Mac. (This requires an active MobileMe membership). Syncing should not be considered backing up, but it can be used to move data to another computer or keep two computers in sync. You'll need to enter your MobileMe member name and password in MobileMe preferences or Control Panel on the other computer.