I made a backup copy of my iphone on one computer, and I need to transfer it to another. What to do? how to transfer on Windows?

Before iPhone users sooner or later the question arises of where backups are stored. And it will be better if you find out about this in advance than when, after reinstalling the OS, all your contacts, photos and notes disappear. Information on an iPhone can cost more even than the device itself. Therefore, it is worth taking seriously the topic under discussion.

iPhone sync and backups

In order to protect yourself from data loss, you need to make a backup copy of your iPhone before starting synchronization.
It includes:

• address book (all contacts) and call history;
• calendars, reminders, notes, messages (iMessage, SMS, and MMS);
• photos taken by this device (downloaded from other media are not included here);
• data various programs(this includes game walkthroughs, documents,
• movies in third-party software (non-converted for iPhone);
• data Safari browser.

A backup copy is created in order to save data in the event of:

• phone breakdown;
• accidental deletion of data;
• software failure;
• cloud service failure.

Choose a copy location

There are two possible options save your iPhone backup. You can store it:

• with using iTunes(computer is used);
• via iCloud (in the cloud, on Apple servers).

You have to choose one. A copy can be stored in one of these places, there is no way to duplicate them.

This process will be different in new and old iTunes.
In older iTunes, you need to do the following steps:

1. connect the device to the computer;
2. find it in the column on the left, where the selection of sections is located;
3. in the device window that opens, go down to the "Backup" item;
4. decide on the choice of the copy execution path (iCloud, or a classic copy on a computer);
5. wait for the copy process to complete.

In iTunes 11, this process is automated, but if you suddenly turned off this feature, then you need to do some manipulations.
In the new iTunes (version 11) you need:

• connect the device to the computer;
• find a device based on its name;
• Start Backup by clicking on Back Up Now.

Where to store copies on your computer

The storage path will depend on operating system your computer.

For Windows XP it looks like this:

Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\.

For Vista or Windows 7:

Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\.
For Mac OS: \Users\Username\Libraries\Application Support\MobileSync\Backup.

The item "Username" must be changed to the name that suits you. Owners of computers on Mac OS may have problems finding the Libraries folder. It has been hidden since version 10.7 (Lion). To get into it, you need to own the command line or:

• Open Finder and click on the "Transition" tab at the top.

• when you click on Alt key, the "Libraries" folder will appear in the menu, you need to go to it.
• further actions follow the instructions above.

Other backup locations

In addition to the places described above, copies can be found in iTunes and the cloud service. A significant disadvantage of these places is limited functionality. The backup copy can only be deleted, no other manipulations with it are possible. You need to find it in iTunes by opening the program itself and going to the settings.

In the window that opens, go to the "Devices" tab

The window shows all the backups available on the computer and the date they were created.

You can remove them. Other actions are not available. You will not be able to copy or transfer them in this way.
Another place to store cloud service Apple iCloud. From the moment you turn it on Reserve copy, this process will happen automatically every day. For this, three conditions must be met:

• Internet connections;
• connection to a power source;
• screen lock.

The function to restore data from a backup is available during the first start of the phone. He always asks about it, and can do it after entering his login and password.

How to restore iphone backup

The sync process creates a backup on iPhone. It can later be used to restore content. Data can be easily transferred to different devices. Encrypted backups (in iOS 4) migrate passwords along with the copy to new hardware.
Whatever experiments you do with your iPhone, remember that before any interference with it, you need to make a backup. This function will help to save all the necessary information in case of a phone change, or a mistake is made when taking steps to improve it.

iTunes is a must-have companion for any owner of an iOS device. The utility helps not only to exchange content between a PC and a mobile device, but also makes it possible to update or restore an "apple" gadget, buy and download new applications and media files, create a ringtone, etc. However, perhaps the most important option of the program is to perform a backup, because today we store so much important and valuable information in our mobile assistants that it will be extremely pitiful to lose it if it is lost / stolen or simply when the device breaks down.

This article will show you how to back up data in iTunes and where iTunes stores backups.

Creating a backup in iTunes is a very simple procedure and even a novice user can handle it. To perform a backup, follow these instructions:

Ready! It remains only to wait until the program saves the created duplicate on the PC. You can verify that the iTunes backup was successful by opening the "Edit" section of the program, then "Settings" and going to the "Devices" tab - the generated copy and the number of its creation will be displayed here.

As you understand, the backup needs to be repeated regularly. At the same time, please note that only the last up-to-date duplicate will be stored on the computer - when creating a new backup, the old data is deleted automatically.

Where are iTunes backup files stored?

So, we figured out how to make a backup, but you probably have a logical question - where exactly does the program save the backed up information and whether it can be viewed. Well, let's figure it out.

The directory in which the utility locates the copied instance of data depends on which PC you are working with.

If you own a Mac, the storage location can be accessed as follows:

In the event that you are using a Windows computer to find the storage location of the backed up information:

How to view files and restore from an iTunes backup?

Now about how the backup saved in iTunes looks like. It is a folder whose name contains 40 characters. This folder hides a bunch of other folders. None of the folders can be renamed, also on the official page Apple support It is strongly not recommended to transfer the folder with the backup information anywhere. After all, something can be inadvertently damaged - accidentally delete some important file, and if the duplicate is damaged, when restoring data, you will most likely encounter an error.

However, most likely, when you see this pile of folders, you will have a question not how to transfer them somewhere, but how to restore any information from a copy that looks so strange. Well, that is, everything is clear with iCloud - if you made a backup in the cloud, you just open the iCloud.com website, log in using your Apple ID and see all the backed up data, neatly arranged into understandable sections - "Contacts", "Photo" etc.

With iTunes, everything is somewhat different - you can’t see the data here, but, in fact, this should not worry the user too much. After all, this will not prevent data from being restored from iTunes to a new iOS device. When transferring content, the user will need to select the “Restore via iTunes” option and connect the device to the PC during the initial setup of the new gadget – all work will be done automatically.

But what if you need to partially extract the backed up content in order to later transfer it, for example, to an Android device. This is where you have to sweat. Each type of information has its own mechanisms. For example, how to copy contacts, you can see.

By the way, a complete list of information stored by duplicate data in iTunes can be found in this article.

What to do if iTunes backups refuse to be created?

Unfortunately, sometimes when performing a backup, you may come across an error: "iTunes was unable to create a backup." There can be many reasons for it - from the banal wear of the synchronization cable to conflicts with virus software.

First of all, if the backup procedure fails, it is recommended to take the following measures to eliminate the error:

If none of the recommendations help and you still can't backup, read this article or contact Apple Support.

Let's summarize

Well, now you know how to duplicate data in iTunes, and you also know where the program stores folders with copies made. Unfortunately, it is impossible to view the information in them directly, but this is not important for restoring content. If you made a backup through iTunes, you can always pull information out of the copy using special programs and get it in the end in the proper form.

I don’t know about you, but for me, the contents of the memory of my iPhone 5s are much more expensive than the device itself. If you bought it once, you can buy it a second and third time, but if it is possible to restore the accumulated information over the years, then it is not easy to do so.

How to transfer iTunes backups to another drive in Windows 7, 8 and 10

1. Close iTunes.
2. Copy or move the C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\ folder to another drive (substitute your username). Just in case, copy the folder somewhere else.
   

   

   In my virtual machine Windows 10 in Parallels Desktop, it is located at: C:\Users\le7andr\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\

3. Run the command line (command line handler) "cmd.exe" with administrator rights ("Start" -> "Search programs and files" -> "cmd" ->
   

   

   

4. Enter the command: MKLINK / D "from" "to"

   Example:
   mklink /d "C:\Users\Alexander Varakin\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\" D:\iTunes\Backup

   Replace "Alexander Varakin" with your username. If the path contains spaces (here, Apple Computer), it must be enclosed in quotation marks (""). To avoid manually typing the path, drag the desired folder to the command prompt window. Press Enter.

   

5. Command execution example.
   

   

6. 
   

   

How to Transfer iTunes Backups to Another Drive in Windows XP

1. Close iTunes.
2. Copy or move the C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\ folder to another drive (substitute your username). Just in case, it is better to copy the folder somewhere else.
3. Delete the "Backup" folder on the system drive (where the backups were moved from).
4. Download Junction from the link, unzip, for example, to the root of drive "C".
5. Run the command line "cmd.exe" with administrator rights ("Start" -> "Search programs and files" -> "cmd" -> Right-click on the context menu on the file "cmd.exe" and select "Run as administrator" "). The name of the command prompt window must be "Administrator: C: / Windows / System32 / cmd.exe".
6. At the command prompt, enter the command: C:\Path_to_Junction\junction.exe "from" "to" -s,
   • "from" - the previous location of the "Backup" folder on the system drive;
   • "where" - a new path to the folder with backups.

   Example: C:\Junction\junction.exe "C:\Users\Alexander Varakin\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\" D:\iTunes\Backup -s

7. Launch iTunes and check for backups in the program settings on the "Devices" tab.

How to Transfer iTunes Backups to Another Drive in Mac OS X

For Mac computers with a backup function using the Time Machine built into OS X or third-party iBackup and ChronoSync, the issue of keeping backups is not so acute, but still useful to someone.

On the Mac computers on OS X, the procedure is slightly simpler:

Transferred backups will be available in iTunes until the next operating system reinstall, after which the symlinks will need to be recreated.

As you can see, it is not difficult to find a backup a copy of iTunes on a Windows or Mac computer. It is not difficult to move "heavy" backups to another disk (partition or external drive) and associate them with iTunes using symbolic links.

If you have any questions or additions, write in the comments - we will discuss.

Every time you sync your iPhone with iTunes, you automatically create a backup copy of the device, from which you can later restore the lost information. However, it is not uncommon for backups to be deleted, for example, after reinstalling Windows. In order not to lose data collected over a long time, you need to be able to copy backup files to removable media or to a cloud service.

The backup that iTunes makes stores a lot of data: from the contact list to the bookmarks of the Safari browser. Nobody wants to lose such important data, so now we'll see where to find backup files on various operating systems.

Where is iPhone backup stored on Mac OS X

To locate and copy the backup files of your devices to go to ~//Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/

Where is iPhone Backup Stored in Windows XP

To locate and copy the backup files of your devices in Windows XP, go to \Documents and Settings\(username)\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\

Where is iPhone backup stored in Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 10

To locate and copy the backup files of your devices in Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 10 go to \Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\

Note: if the folder is not displayed, go to Control Panel → Folders settings → View and activate the option Show hidden files, folders and drives. For Windows 7 and Windows 8, for convenience, the Control Panel must be converted to classic view by clicking View → small icons. In Windows 10, folder options are most easily accessed by searching the system for " Change search options for files and folders».

How to Quickly Detect iPhone Backup Files in Windows 7/8/10

Step 1. Go to the search bar. In Windows 7: click on the Start menu; in Windows 8: click on the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner; in Windows 10: click on the search bar next to the start menu

Step 2. Enter the following command in the search bar:

Step 3. Press the " Input»

Step 4. From the folder that opens, go to the directory Apple Computer → MobileSync → backup.

Remember that only one backup is available for each device, and if you try to create another one, it will replace the previous one. All data, of course, will be lost. Try not to lose your backup files by copying them when reinstalling the operating system to removable media or a cloud service such as Dropbox.

If you have made a backup on old version iOS, you will not be able to transfer data to a device running new versions of the Apple mobile operating system. However, there is a simple solution to this problem - the program allows you to manage old backups, as well as extract or view all saved data.

Usually, you don't have to know about the accurate location of iTunes backup files because iTunes will show them for you automatically. But what if you purchase a new computer and want to transfer the backup files from the old PC to the new one, you have to know the location of the backup files so that you can have a copy for them. This article will show the following several parts:

Part 1: The location of your iPhone backup files

1: The location of your iTunes backup files

If you are a Windows user, you can find your iPhone backup files under the path just as below according to your operating system:

Note: In order to show the hidden folder, you should enable “show hidden files” firstly. Just open an arbitrary folder, go to “Tools->Folder Options->View”, and then enable “Show hidden files, folders and drives”.

For XP: C:\Documents and Settings\ (username)\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\

For Vista:

For Windows 7: C:\Users\ (username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\

For Windows 8, 8.1: C:\Users\ (username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\

For Windows 10: C:\Users\ (username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\

(The “C:” means the system drive of your computer.)

You can open an arbitrary folder and input the path above into the address bar and then tap the Enter key, to access the target path quickly.

If you are a Mac user, you should go to " ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/” and view all your iPhone backup files there.

2. Location for iCloud backup files

As to iCloud backup files, since they are all saved in the remote storage, you cannot find iCloud backup files on computer but can still view them very easy.

To Mac users, you have to go to “System Preferences” under Apple menu, and go to “iCloud” and click “Manage” Menu.

To Windows users, just click Start| All Programs| iCloud | iCloud and then choose “Manage”, if you are using Windows 8, you can find the relevant title in the Start Window.

Besides, you can also view the backup data directly on your iPhone. Just go into Settings->iCloud and then choose “Storage & Backup”.

Part 2: Change the storage path of iTunes backup files

Since you know where your backup files are, you must wonder how to change the default storage path and save your backup files in other places so that you can save more space for your system drive. This is not really complex. Here are the steps:

For Windows XP:

• 1) Close your iTunes. And you have to download the junction utility from the Internet.
• 2) Extract the junction utility, and copy “junction.exe” to your username folder.
• 3) Go to the path which saved your iTunes backup files, copy all the backup files to other places.
• 4) Click Start, click Run and input "cmd" into the text box, then tap the Enter key.
• 5) Now the command prompt will pop up, now you have to create an NTFS junction point. Input below commander and tap Enter key:
  Junction “C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup” “(the new storage path you want)”
• 6) Now back up your iPhone file with iTunes once, and go to the new storage path to check whether the new backup file is saved there.

For Windows Vista/7/8:

• 1) Go to the location of the iTunes backup files, and copy all the files into the new backup storage path you want.
• 2) Both tap Windows and R, and input “cmd” into the popping-up textbox, and then click Ok.
• 3) Now command prompt will pop up. Input the commander just as below and tap Enter key:
  mklink /j “C:\Users\username\App Data\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup” “(the new storage path you want)”
• 4) Backup your iPhone file with iTunes, and go to the new storage path to check whether new backup file is saved there.

For MacOS X:

• 1) Exit iTunes, and go to the iTunes backup location and copy all backups to the new storage folder.
• 2) Launch Terminal and enter the command prompt. Input the commander just as follows:
  ln -s /Volumes/External/Backup/ ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/Backup
• 3) Back up your iPhone file with iTunes, and go to new storage path to check whether the new backup data is saved there.

Part 3: How to delete iTunes backup files

Although backup files can give you a chance to get your important data back after deleting them by accident, too many backup files may also waste the storage space. In this case, you may need to delete some files which are already out of date and make room for the new backup files. As to iCloud backup files, deleting the useless backup files in time is also very important. As we know, your iCloud storage is limited and precious, so you have to delete some out-of-data backup files or you may not have enough space to back up your iPhone anymore.

Since you have known where your iTunes backup files are, deleting them can be very easy. Just go into the storage folder of iTunes backup files, and choose what you want and delete them directly. As to deleting backup files in iCloud server, you can just finish the task on your iPhone: Just go “Settings”->”iCloud”->”Storage& Backup”->”Manage Storage”, and then select the backup you want to delete, and then tap “Delete Backup”.

Part 4: How to recover iPhone data without any backup files

Deleting backup files is really easy, but if you just deleted certain important backup which contains your precious personal files by mistake, and you just want to use it to restore your iPhone, it can really be a great disaster. Just in case, you have to know how to retrieve the lost data without backup files as well. Actually, there are some methods to get the deleted data back without backup files, and the easiest way is to choose a well designed tool to help you.

Is such an iPhone recovery tool. It can help you recover the deleted data such as contacts, SMS text messages, music, pictures, videos and so on from an iTunes or iCloud backup files, or even from iPhone directly:

• 1) Just download iMyfone D-Back and install it on the computer, then connect your iPhone to the computer as well using the USB cable.
• 2) Switch the software into " Recover from iOS Device” mode, and after your iPhone has been detected, click “ start” and the software will find out all deleted data on your iPhone.
• 3) You can view all the lost data now, just select all you want, and click “Recover”, all your lost important data will be back later.