Locate and manage backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Find where your Mac or PC stores iPhone and iPad backups. Then delete or archive a backup in the Finder or Apple Devices app.

Locate backups stored on your Mac

Locate backups stored on your PC

Manage your backups

Locate backups stored on your Mac

  1. From the Go menu in the Finder menu bar, choose Go to Folder.

  2. Paste or type ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/ in the text field, then press Return.

Locate backups stored on your PC

  1. Press the Windows key + R.

  2. Type %USERPROFILE%\Apple\MobileSync\Backup, then press Enter.

  3. If the folder doesn't open, type %AppData%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup instead.

Manage your backups

After you delete a backup, you can't recover it. If you want to keep a backup, archive it so that later backups don't replace it.

  1. Open the Finder or the Apple Devices app.

  2. Connect your device to your computer with a USB cable.

  3. If your device isn't selected, click it.

  4. If prompted, tap Trust on your device and enter your passcode.

  5. Click the General tab, then click Manage Backups.

  6. Right-click the backup that you want.

  7. Choose Delete, Archive, or Show In Finder.

    The Device backups dialog in the Finder with a backup selected and its shortcut menu open.

  8. After you finish, click OK.

If your device doesn't appear, see Fix a device that doesn't appear.

On a PC, the third option is Show in Explorer.

Learn more

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