• iPhone backup path. Where does iTunes save your backup: Find your saved data. How to change the storage location of imported files

    Backup on a PC has already been mentioned more than once, for example, in the last article. Cause transferring an iPad backup to another drive, is that there is simply not enough space on the main hard drive and there is a need to transfer data to another HDD. Backing up iOS devices eats up quite a lot of free space and naturally there is a desire to transfer copies. iCloud, designed for these purposes, is not held in high esteem by everyone. So, today I will talk about transferring an iPad backup to another drive (including an external HDD) using the Windows 7/Vista, Windows XP and Mac Os operating systems as an example. This manual is suitable for transferring iPhone and iPod backups.

    Instructions for transferring a backup copy for Mac OS

    Let's say you have two hard drives in your laptop - SSD and HDD. It makes no sense to place a backup copy on an SSD drive. In this case, we set ourselves the task of transferring the backup copy to another disk.

    1. Remove unnecessary backups. iTunes - Settings - Devices

    2. Make sure backups are deleted. The Mac OS operating system has the following directory containing backup copies of iOS devices:

    /Users/[Username]/Libraries/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/

    Important Note: if you cannot find this directory through the built-in Finder tool, then install the free file manager MuCommander (or similar software).

    View of the folder contents before deletion:

    View of the folder contents after deletion:

    As you can see in the example, there is 1 extra folder - this way you can get rid of old backups, which can be safely deleted, following the rule: 1 backup = 1 folder.

    3. Create a new folder on your hard drive (HDD) called “ «.

    4. Move the folder (or several folders corresponding to the number of backups) containing the backup to the folder on another disk (HDD).

    Delete the folder " ", located on the SSD disk.

    The directory looks like this:

    /Volumes/SSD/Users/UserName/Library/Application\Support/MobileSync/Backup

    Ln -s /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/Users/UserName/Backup /Volumes/ SSD/Users/UserName/Library/Application\Support/MobileSync

    What does this command mean:

    ln -s- command to create a symbolic link

    /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/Users/vitaliy/Backup - directory for storing backups.

    /Volumes/SSD/Users/vitaliy/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync — the directory where the symbolic link is located, pointing to the folder on another disk (HDD).

    As a result of executing the command in Terminal you will get the following: in the folder Mobile Sync a semblance of a shortcut will appear on the SSD disk, linking to a folder in the HDD.

    Now run iTunes, then backup and as a result iPad backup will be saved on another drive.

    Instructions for transferring a backup copy to Windows Vista and Windows 7

    For the Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems, symbolic links are created using OS tools. The first two points are similar to the method for Mac OS described above.

    1. Again identify unnecessary backups and delete them in the application settings iTunes and from Conductor on your hard drive. Backup storage directory in Windows 7:

    \Users\[Username]\AppData\Roaming\AppleComputer\MobileSync\Backup\

    This directory is hidden because it belongs to system folders. You can use the Total Commander file manager by turning on the display of hidden and system files in the settings, or go to Control Panel - Folder Options and uncheck the "Hide system files and folders" box.

    2. Suppose you want transfer iPad backup to Local Drive D. In this case, create a folder on this hard drive iTunes(the folder name and path are arbitrary) and transfer the entire folder with backups from drive C to the created folder iTunes on drive D.

    3. Click Start and enter cmd in the search bar. Applications to launch the command line will appear on the top line - cmd. Launch it by right-clicking and select Run as administrator.

    4. Now enter the command to create a symbolic link correctly:

    What does this line mean:

    mklink- command to create a symbolic link

    /D- specify the directory for the symbolic link

    NewPath- directory where backup copies are located on drive D.

    Example of command execution:

    Ready! It remains to make sure that the iPad backup is saved to drive D.

    Instructions for transferring an iPad backup to Windows XP

    These instructions apply to both Windows XP and other Windows family systems. Windows XP is awarded in an additional way due to the lack of a command on this OS mklink, so we will use the utility junction. You can download it from this link.

    Using the junction utility is similar to the method of transferring a backup copy of iOS devices to Windows 7.

    1. Download the program and unzip it. Place it in any convenient folder on your PC hard drive. Let's assume at the root of the system disk: C:\Junction

    2. Follow steps 1, 2, 3 of the above instructions for Windows 7 and Vista.

    3. At the cmd prompt, run the following command:

    C:\Junction\junction.exe SymbolicLinkName NewPath

    Using these methods you can transfer created iPhone, iPod and iPad backups to an external hard drive if desired. If you accidentally deleted or renamed a symbolic link, then iTunes during the next process backup iOS devices will again create a folder for storing backups and continue saving the backup copy in its original location. Backups in the previously used directory will not be deleted. To return to your previous backup settings, remove the symbolic link and return the folder to its original place.

    By default, music, TV shows, movies, podcasts and other files that appear in iTunes library , are stored here:

    user folder/Music/iTunes

    You can change where iTunes media files are stored.

    How to change the storage location of imported files

      Select the iTunes menu >

      Click Change and choose a new location for the files.

      From now on, new songs and other items you import will be stored in this new location. The songs you imported previously will remain in their original places.

      To return to storing imported files in the iTunes folder, choose iTunes > Preferences, click Add-ons, then click Reset.

    How to collect files in the iTunes folder

    Depending on how the objects were imported In iTunes, some library items may be stored in other places (for example, in a different folder or on a different hard drive).

    You can collect all the files in your library in an iTunes folder, for example, to make it easier to transfer your library to a new computer.

      Choose File > Library > Organize Library.

      Select Collect Files.

      The files remain in their original location, and copies are placed in the iTunes folder.

      To create folders (Music, Movies, TV Shows, Podcasts, Audiobooks, etc.) inside the iTunes folder and organize the imported media into their appropriate folders, click Reorganize Files in iTunes Media Folder.

    Adding files to your library without adding them to the iTunes folder

    When you , iTunes places a copy of the file in the iTunes folder. The original file remains where it was stored.

    You can change this setting to add files to your iTunes library without adding them to your iTunes folder. This may be necessary, for example, if you prefer to store video files on an external drive, but want to view them in iTunes.

      Choose iTunes menu > Preferences and click Add-ons.

      Uncheck "Copy to iTunes Media folder when adding to library."

    The next time you drag a file into your Library or choose File > Add to Library, the item will appear in iTunes, but the file itself will not be copied or moved.

    Tip: You can temporarily reverse this setting by holding down the Option key while dragging files into the iTunes window.

    Finding the Location of iTunes Files

    Do one of the following:

      Finding the folder where the file is stored Select the item in iTunes and choose File > Properties. The file path appears at the bottom of the Browse tab (next to the Where item).

      Show a file in Finder Select the item in iTunes and choose File > Show in Finder.

    If a song no longer appears in iTunes

    If a song previously appeared in iTunes but no longer appears, the file may iTunes Library moved from the iTunes folder or the song was moved from the iTunes folder. How to Show Songs in the iTunes Window Again

      Locate the "iTunes" folder in Finder and drag the folder into the iTunes window. You will see the songs in your library again. If it includes an iTunes Library file, you'll also see playlists, song ratings, and other information you've created.

      If this doesn't help, it's likely your songs are located somewhere else on your hard drive. In Finder, choose File > Find and search by song title or artist. Or search the keyword "MP4" to find files downloaded from the iTunes Store, or search the keyword "MP3" to find files encoded in MP3 format. Drag songs (or folders of songs) into the iTunes window to add songs back to iTunes.

    Important: For best results, do not move the iTunes folder or folders within it.

    Store valuable documents in the system disk ( This is usually drive C:) is not safe. Many people know this from their own bitter experience, since the system disk quickly lives out its life, often gets damaged, and suffers the most from virus attacks, which is especially not a supernatural phenomenon in the Windows OS family ( unfortunately or fortunately, I am not a MAC OS user). But in any case, it is better to keep everything valuable on an external drive, or at least on another partition. Fortunately, operating systems allow you to change the location of system folders by specifying a new path in their properties.

    It is also advisable to keep your iTunes files in a different drive ( section), so that you don’t have to throw them back and forth every time when you rearrange the operating system, or don’t tear your hair out when the system drive fails. We are talking not only about downloaded applications and games, music, movies, books, etc., but you also need to take into account backup copies of devices, which, depending on their number and the volume of the content itself, can be from 10 to 50 GB and more. This manual will also be useful for those who want to transfer data to another computer.

    TRANSFER YOUR ITUNES MEDIA LIBRARY

    MEDIA LIBRARY stores downloaded applications, music, movies, your videos, ringtones and books. By default, the files are located at:
    c:\Users\(USER NAME)\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media - (USER NAME) the name of your account folder.

    If you have already changed the location of the My Music folder by specifying a different address in the tab Location, in the property of this folder, then all files will be saved there. But this must be done before installing iTunes, or you will have to manually also change the address in the field iTunes media folder location by going to the menu Edit => Settings, in the tab Additional. If you check the box Copy to iTunes media folder when adding to media library, then the program will copy all music files to this folder, otherwise by default, it will simply play them from the original location.

    Better let's start from the beginning and do it in order. Let's say you have a new iTunes installed, after reinstalling the system, or changing your computer. Or you yourself decided to move the iTunes folder from the above address to another drive. In all cases, if you immediately launch iTunes, it will create a new, empty library file.

    The iTunes root folder contains library files and various folders, which also contains the iTunes Media folder where your applications, downloaded movies, books, ringtones, or maybe music are located. For example, you moved the iTunes folder itself to another drive and a new address, for example: D:\Itunes.

    1. Launch iTunes as follows. We press and hold the SHIFT key on the keyboard and double-click on the iTunes shortcut on the desktop, and instead of launching the program as usual, a window will appear asking you to select the path to the media library or create a new one.

    2. Click on the button Select media library, and in the window Open iTunes Library select the iTunes folder and find the iTunes Library.itl file in it. iTunes will think a little, check the files and open with all your data. Just, just in case, check in the settings whether the media library address is specified correctly.

    This is how everything is done in 2 steps, easy and simple. I think you can do all this in a similar way in MAC OS.

    TRANSFER OF BACKUP COPIES OF DEVICES

    iTunes automatically backs up your devices every time you sync, just in case. This gives you the opportunity to restore the software system if the device crashes or data is lost. With the release of iOS5, a copy of the data is created in the iClouds cloud storage. But it's always a good idea to keep copies on your computer. This is especially necessary if you do a jalebreak or like to delve into the internals of the system. For example, when the system was not officially supported Multitasking Gestures, it was possible to enable it without jalebreak, slightly changing the configuration file that is in the backup copy, and then restore this copy.

    The backup files are located at:
    c:\Users\(USERNAME)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\backup

    And they always weigh quite a bit. There is no way to change the path to the backup folder in the iTunes program itself, but it can be done. To do this you need to use SYMBOLIC LINKS (JUNCTION). This feature allows you to create a virtual drive or folder that is physically located in another drive or folder. That is, we will create a virtual backup folder where the contents will be located in another location, for example in D:\Itunes\backup . It's not hard to do. But the possibilities of symbolic links themselves are many. You can find out about it on the website and.

    Before starting the transfer, create a new folder ( For example d:\Itunes\backup), where you want the backup files to be located and copy the contents of the backup folder there ( after which we delete the folder itself).

    1. Go in and download a small file by clicking DOWNLOAD JUNCTION at the bottom of the page.

    2. Unpack junction.exe from the Junction.zip archive file into a folder at:
    c:\Users\(USERNAME)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync .

    3. Click on the combination of buttons to open the EXECUTE window. Insert the line below into the OPEN field, changing it to suit you ( don't forget to change also (USERNAME) to your account folder name).

    c:\Users\(USERNAME)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\Mobile\Sync\junction.exe backup d:\Itunes\backup

    The first attribute is virtual folder name, and the second attribute is the address where the folder refers to.

    Click the OK button and check whether the backup virtual folder has been created, which, if you did everything correctly, should be located as indicated below:
    c:\Users\(USERNAME)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\ backup

    To check, you can copy any file to this folder and make sure that it is physically located on another drive.

    That's it. From now on, iTunes will store backups in the d:\Itunes\backup folder, without knowing it. All this may seem complicated to you, but believe me, it will take no more than 5 minutes. The transfer idea may also seem unnecessary and pointless to you, but someday it can save you nerve cells and wasted time.

    Sync iPhone and iPad without iTunes

    Problems syncing iTunes with iPad or iPhone.

    With a large number of files on the iPad or iPhone, at the time of synchronization, namely when the backup is being saved, iTunes gives an error and refuses to sync.

    Cause of iTunes synchronization error.

    The problem is caused by insufficient free space on the hard drive, in particular on the system partition “C”. You have to delete or move various files from the system drive to free up space. But what to do if you have nothing more to transfer, but there is still not enough space and the error persists. There is a solution. You can move your Backup iTunes backup to another partition. Read our instructions on how to do this.

    Alternative solution!

    The solution is to stop using iTunes as your main program to transfer files from your computer to your iPad or iPhone. Our specialists will help you with installation, configuration and training of this program. Call ‹ 495 › 22 66 298 and leave a request for a specialist visit to your home. Departure is carried out throughout Moscow within an hour after completing the application.

    Setting up an iPhone or iPad from RUB 400.

    Instructions for solving the problem.

    The first steps are the same for all operating systems. First, you need to go to iTunes settings and delete all backups of your iPad or iPhone there. It's done like this. You launch iTunes, find the “Settings” tab at the top, go to the “Devices” section. Select unnecessary backups and click “Delete backup”.

    Settings. Transferring a Backup to a Mac OS computer.

    Next, we need to check the Backup folder itself, which is located at “/Users/[your user name]/Libraries/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/”. We need to make sure that there are no copies left in it that we don’t need. If there are any left, then we delete unnecessary folders with copies. The folder with the latest backup can be identified by the date and time it was created. Then we cut out the “Backup” folder and paste it into the desired partition on the hard drive. There should be no Backup packs left along the old path. Now we need to tell iTunes where our Backup folder is. Create a symbolic link through the Terminal. Select “Programs”, then “Utilities”, “Terminal”. Next, enter the command: “ln -s /Volumes/Macintosh_new disk/here is the path to the folder/Backup/Volumes/old hard drive or partition/Users/your user name/Library/Application Support/MobileSync” (the underscore “_” symbolizes a space ).

    . Transferring a Backup copy to a computer running Windows 7.

    The Backup folder in Windows 7 is located at “\Users\your username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\”. We also check for unnecessary backups in this folder and delete them. Next, create a Backup folder on another partition and transfer into it everything that was in the Backup folder on the system drive. Now we need to create a symbolic link. We go to the “Start” menu, “Accessories”, “Command Prompt” and right-click on it “Run as administrator”. In the window that opens, enter the following: mklink /d_"C:\Users\your user name\AppData\Roaming\Application Support\MobileSync\Backup"_d:\name or path to the new folder (quotes are needed before "C:\ and after \ Backup" because the path contains spaces in the folder names, _ underscore is a space). This completes the transfer. Trying to synchronize iPad or iPhone.

    IPhone or iPad does not require any special knowledge. Apple engineers have made this process as simple and accessible as possible for ordinary users. But what if you needed to move a backup from one computer to another? Or get some specific data from a backup in iTunes? Or download the entire iCloud backup to your computer? This guide will help you with any of these and many other non-standard tasks related to iPhone backups.

    Where is iPhone backup stored?

    Let's start moving from simple to complex operations. Let's say you need to copy an iPhone or iPad backup made using iTunes. For example, in order to save it on external media or in cloud storage. This can be useful if the backup contains truly important information and you want to make sure it doesn't get lost. Even if your computer breaks down.

    Finding a backup is very easy, but it is located in different places on different operating systems.

    • On macOS: in ~//Libraries/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/.
    • On Windows XP: in the \Documents and Settings\(username)\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\ folder.
    • On Windows 7/8/10: in the \Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\ folder.

    On computers running Windows 7/8/10, the iTunes backup folder is hidden. Initially you will need to make it visible. To do this, go to " Control Panel» → « Folder Options» → « View" and check the box " Show hidden files, folders and drives».

    Note that on new versions of Microsoft OS you can go to the backup folder even easier. Just click " Start" and enter the command " %appdata%/Apple Computer/MobileSync/Backup"(without quotes). The result of the request will be the opening of a folder with iTunes backups saved on the computer.

    How to determine which device is which copy?

    We managed to determine the location of the iPhone and iPad backups, but how can we now figure out which folder should be copied? The folder with backups will greet you with a similar window if you have backed up several iOS devices in iTunes.

    Luckily, finding the folder you need is easy. To do this, go to one of the backup folders and find the file in it Info.plist. Open it with a text editor such as WordPad and search for Product Name. Under the found line it will be written which of your mobile devices this copy belongs to.

    How to properly transfer a backup to another drive

    Finding and copying a backup folder from one drive to another is not enough to transfer it correctly. In order for the backup to be detected in iTunes after the transfer, you need to create symbolic links.

    For Windows

    Step 1: Close iTunes.

    Step 2: Copy the folder \Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\ to another drive, for example, to a folder \Backup\Backup.

    Step 3: Remove the backup folder from the drive you were moving from. Important! Be sure to make sure that the entire folder has been copied to avoid accidental data loss.

    Step 4: Run Command Prompt as an administrator. To do this, go to the menu " Start", enter the search query " Command line", right-click on the utility shortcut and click " Run as administrator».

    Step 5: At the command prompt, enter the following command:

    MKLINK /D “old path to the backup folder” “new path”.

    MKLINK /D “C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\” “D:\Backup\Backup”,

    • C:\ – drive letter where backups were previously stored.
    • D:\ – drive letter to which you want to transfer backups.
    • Username - your username.
    • \Backup\Backup - the folder to which the backup was copied in step 2.

    Let's give an even more clear example. If your Windows username is “Vasily Petrov” and you are transferring backups from drive C to drive E, then you need to enter the following command:

    MKLINK /D “C:\Users\Vasily Petrov\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\” “E:\Backup\Backup”.

    Step 6. If everything is done correctly, the result of the operation will be a message indicating the successful creation of symbolic links.

    Ready! You have moved backups from one drive to another. You can verify this by launching iTunes and going to the “ Edit» → « Settings» → « Devices" In the list " Device backups"A list of all your backups will be available.

    For Mac

    Step 1: Quit iTunes. To do this, right-click on the iTunes icon in the panel Dock and select " Complete».

    Step 2. Go to the folder /Library/Application Support/MobileSync/.

    Step 3: Copy the folder Backup to another drive, then delete the original backup folder. We again warn you that you need to wait until the copying is completed, otherwise you may lose important data.

    Step 4: Run " Terminal" The easiest way to do this is by searching Spotlight.

    Step 5. In the " terminal» enter the command:

    ln -s /Volumes/new_folder/Backup /Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/,

    where “new_folder” is the folder to which you previously moved the backups.

    Ready! You can check the success of the operation by launching iTunes and looking for backup copies on the “Devices” tab.

    Activating iTunes backups on a computer with a reinstalled system or on a new computer is carried out in a similar way. In order for iTunes to see the backups of your devices, after installing it on a new system, you will need to enter one of the above commands.

    How to extract data from iPhone and iPad backups

    Quite often, iPhone and iPad users need to extract some specific information or files from an old and sometimes current backup copy of an iOS device. The iTools utility, well known to many owners of Apple equipment, helps solve this problem.

    Step 1: Download the latest version of iTools from official website programs. Please note that the utility is completely free.

    Step 2. Unpack the archive with the utility and run iTools.exe. There is no need to connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer.

    Step 3: Go to the tab Tools».

    Step 4: Select a Tool iTunes Backup Manager.

    Step 5: Double-click on the backup from which you want to extract the files.

    Step 6. Select the information you want to download from the backup, click " Export" and specify the folder to save the files.

    iTools allows you to extract a variety of information from iPhone and iPad backups, from contacts and text messages to documents from applications and photos. Most data is downloaded the traditional way, but there are a couple of exceptions.

    First, data from applications. You can find them using iTools, but you will have to tinker. The fact is that the utility does not show a list with a clear listing of application names. Because of this, you won’t be able to quickly find the application you need, but the main thing is that it is possible. To start the search you will need to go to the folder var → mobile → Applications, in which you can methodically search for applications from which you need data.

    We recommend focusing on names that, although not specific, contain information about the application. Viber messenger attachments, for example, can be found in the folder com.viber → Attachments.

    And secondly, it is not so easy to download a contact book and a collection of text messages. There are no problems with their detection; they are located in the “ Shared Directories"under their own names, but with further use there is. In the backup, contacts and SMS are stored in the “.sqlitedb” format, which cannot be launched by any standard utilities. Therefore, you will need to use a special converter.

    Step 1: Download the free program SQLite Browser.

    Step 2. Install and run the program.

    Step 3: Click Ctrl + O and select the contact book file in the format .sqlitedb.

    Note: You must select “All files” as the file type.

    Step 4: Go to the tab Execute SQL" and paste the following command into the form:

    select ABPerson.prefix,ABPerson.suffix, ABPerson.first,ABPerson.middle,ABPerson.last, ABMultiValue.value, ABPerson.note, ABPerson.nickname, ABPerson.organization, ABPerson.department, ABPerson.jobtitle, ABPerson.birthday from ABPerson ,ABMultiValue where ABMultiValue.record_id=ABPerson.ROWID

    Step 5: Click the button Start.

    Step 6. Click on the save button and select " Export to CSV».

    Immediately after this, your contact book (or text messages) will appear in the specified folder in a format that is easy to use for later use.

    How to download a backup from iCloud

    Step 1. Download and install Wondershare Dr.Fone for iOS utility from official website programs. The application, alas, is paid, like any other tool with a similar set of functions.

    Step 2. Launch Wondershare Dr.Fone and go to menu Recover from iCloud Backup File.

    Step 3. Enter the username and password of your Apple ID account.

    Step 4: Wait for the list of backups to appear.


     Step 5. Select the required backup and click Download.

    Step 6: Check the boxes next to the backup data you need to download.

    Step 7. Wait until the processing process is completed and a list of data downloaded from iCloud appears in the program window. Select the required files and click Recover.

    Step 8. In the window that opens, select Recover to Computer and specify the folder where the files will be saved.

    If you have no desire to spend money on special utilities, then there is only one way out, very obvious. Back up your iPhone or iPad to iTunes, follow full reset mobile device and during the initial setup, select a copy from iCloud as a backup for recovery. Thanks to this solution, your iPhone or iPad will have the exact iCloud backup you need. Next, you should make a copy of the gadget in iTunes and access it using the method we described earlier. Of course, not the most convenient method to use, but nevertheless, it works.


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