How To Backup iPhone to External Hard Drive | Mac | EASY 4 Steps | Apple iPad 2023

How to Backup iPhone to External Hard Drive on a Mac in 4 Easy Steps

Hello, everyone! I’m Ostenako, and today I’m going to show you a quick and easy way to back up your iPhone to an external hard drive using your Mac. If you’ve run out of space on your computer, this method will save you. Let’s dive into the four simple steps.

Step 1: Prepare Your External Hard Drive

1. Connect Your External Hard Drive:

   • Plug your external hard drive into your Mac.

2. Create Folders:

   • Open Finder, navigate to your external drive, and create a new folder. I named mine “iOS Backup” for clarity.

   • Inside this folder, create another folder named “Backup” (make sure to capitalize the “B” for consistency).

Step 2: Locate Your iPhone Backup Folder on Your Mac

1. Open Finder:

   • In Finder, click on "Go" in the menu bar and select “Go to Folder.”

2. Enter the Path:

   • Type /Users/yourusername/Library/Application Support/MobileSync and press Enter. (Replace “yourusername” with your actual username).

3. Delete the Old Backup Folder:

   • Inside the MobileSync folder, you will see a folder named “Backup.” Move this folder to the trash. If you want to keep any existing backups, copy them to the Backup folder you created on your external drive before deleting.

Step 3: Create a Symlink Using Terminal

1. Open Terminal:

   • Use Spotlight (Cmd + Space) to open Terminal.

2. Create the Symlink:

   • In Terminal, type the following command but do not press Enter yet: ln -s (note the space after s).

   • Drag the “Backup” folder from your external drive into the Terminal window. This will add the path to the command.

   • Now, go back to Finder, and drag the MobileSync folder into the Terminal window to add its path. Your command should look something like this:

     bash

     Copy code

     ln -s /Volumes/YourExternalDrive/iOS\ Backup/Backup /Users/yourusername/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/Backup

     • Press Enter to create the symlink.

Step 4: Verify and Backup Your iPhone

1. Verify the Symlink:

   • Go back to the MobileSync folder. You should see the “Backup” folder with a shortcut icon, indicating it’s now linked to your external drive.

2. Backup Your iPhone:

   • Open Apple Music (or iTunes) and connect your iPhone.

   • Go to the device summary page and click on “Back Up Now.”

   • Your backup will now be saved to your external hard drive.

That’s it! By following these steps, you’ve successfully redirected your iPhone backups to your external hard drive, freeing up valuable space on your Mac.

Conclusion

Backing up your iPhone to an external hard drive is a straightforward process that can save you from storage issues. I hope you found this guide helpful. If you did, please like this video, subscribe to my channel, and leave a comment if you have any questions or need further assistance. Until next time!

https://youtu.be/6fWyoJzCahY