Are you constantly battling the “Storage Almost Full” notification on your Mac? If you own an iPhone or iPad, those iOS backups might be the hidden culprit eating up your precious disk space. The good news? There are various ways to back up your iOS devices to an external hard drive, saving you gigabytes of storage and hours of frustration.
In this blog post, I’ll walk you through two methods to back up your iOS devices to an external drive:
No matter which method you choose, you’ll free up valuable space on your Mac while keeping your backups safe. But why should you change your iOS backup location in the first place? Let’s dive into that next.
Why Change Your iOS Backup Location?
The average iPhone backup can range from 5GB to over 200GB, depending on your device’s capacity and content. When your Mac is running low on storage, these backups become a serious problem:
- Mac storage limitations: Most MacBooks come with fixed storage that can’t be upgraded.
- SSD longevity concerns: Constantly writing large backup files to your internal SSD shortens its lifespan.
- Performance issues: A nearly-full Mac runs significantly slower.
- Multiple device headaches: If you’re backing up several iPhones or iPads, the space requirements multiply quickly.
Moving your backups to an external drive solves all these problems at once, freeing up critical space on your main drive while keeping your valuable data safely backed up.
How Much Space Are iOS Backups Using on Your Mac?
Wondering how much space has been taken up by backups? Here’s how to find out.
By default, macOS stores iOS backups in this location:
~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/To check how much space these backups are consuming:
- Open Finder
- Press
Cmd+Shift+Gto open the “Go to Folder” dialog - Enter
~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/ - Right-click on the “Backup” folder and select “Get Info”
- Look at the “Size” information to see how much space is being used
Many Mac users are shocked to discover that iOS backups can occupy 50GB or more of their internal drive!
Methods to Change the iOS Backup Location
The Hard Way: Manual Symbolic Link Method
If you’re comfortable with Terminal commands, you can use this manual method to create a symbolic link. Keep in mind that this approach requires some familiarity with the macOS Terminal and a basic understanding of command-line operations.
For this guide, we’ll use /Volumes/ExternalDrive/iOSBackups as our example backup location. You should replace this with your actual external drive path in all the commands below.
If you’re starting fresh (no existing backups you want to keep):
First, open Terminal from Applications > Utilities. Then create a new backup folder on your external drive by using command below (replace /Volumes/ExternalDrive/iOSBackups with your actual backup location).
mkdir -p /Volumes/ExternalDrive/iOSBackupsAfter that, delete the original backup folder with the command:
rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/BackupNow create a symbolic link by entering (replace /Volumes/ExternalDrive/iOSBackups with your actual backup location):
ln -s /Volumes/ExternalDrive/iOSBackups ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/BackupLastly, connect your iOS device, open Finder, select your device from the sidebar, and click “Back Up Now” to test your new backup location.
If you have existing backups you want to preserve:
First, open Terminal from Applications > Utilities. Then create a new backup folder on your external drive by typing (replace /Volumes/ExternalDrive/iOSBackups with your actual backup location):
mkdir -p /Volumes/ExternalDrive/iOSBackupsAfter that, move all the existing backups to the new location with below command (replace /Volumes/ExternalDrive/iOSBackups with your actual backup location):
* This may take some time for large backups
mv ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/Backup/* /Volumes/ExternalDrive/iOSBackups/Once done, delete the original backup folder with the command:
rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/BackupNow create a symbolic link by entering (replace /Volumes/ExternalDrive/iOSBackups with your actual backup location):
ln -s /Volumes/ExternalDrive/iOSBackups ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/BackupLastly, connect your iOS device, open Finder, select your device from the sidebar, and click “Back Up Now” to test your new backup location.
While this method is free, it comes with several drawbacks:
- No easy way to switch back to the default location.
- Requires basic understanding of command-line operations.
- Risk of data loss if commands are entered incorrectly.
The Easy Way: Using FlexiBackup
As someone who juggles multiple Apple devices, I’ve always struggled with limited internal storage. That’s why I created FlexiBackup, a simple yet powerful app that lets you redirect your iOS backups to external drives with just a few clicks. No technical knowledge is required, and no Terminal commands to memorize.
How it works:
FlexiBackup is built for people who aren’t tech-savvy. It takes care of all the heavy lifting behind the scenes, making backing up to external hard drive just a few clicks away.
- Connect your iOS device to your Mac.
- Open FlexiBackup and choose your backup location.
- Back up using Finder as usual.
Check out this quick video to see how easy it is to back up your iOS device to an external hard drive with FlexiBackup!
FlexiBackup handles the entire location switching process for you, with no need for Terminal commands or technical knowledge.
FlexiBackup vs. Manual Symbolic Link
| Feature | FlexiBackup | Manual Symbolic Link |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | Simple point-and-click interface | Requires Terminal command knowledge |
| Time required | Under 1 minute | 10-20 minutes (plus research time) |
| Risk | No risk | Risk of data loss |
| Cost | $5.99 one-time purchase (30-day money back guarantee) | Free |
When considering the value of your time and data security, FlexiBackup offers significant advantages over the manual approach, especially for non-technical users.
Best Practices for iOS Backup Management
No matter which method you choose, follow these best practices and choose the correct hard drive for optimal results:
iOS Backup Best Practices
- Set a regular backup schedule (weekly for most users, daily for business users).
- Ensure a good connection to your external hard drive when performing backups.
- Store the external hard drive in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and magnetic fields.
Recommended External Hard Drives
For reliability, choose SSDs over traditional hard drives. They’re faster and more durable, especially important for backups. Some great options include:
Conclusion
Changing your iOS backup location is one of the smartest moves you can make to free up space on your Mac and improve its performance. While the manual method works for tech-savvy users, FlexiBackup offers a safer, faster solution that anyone can use with confidence.
Ready to reclaim your Mac’s storage and streamline your iOS backup process? Download FlexiBackup today and experience the difference for yourself.