How to Backup iPhone to Computer: Top 5 Methods

Your iPhone is a precious piece of equipment. But sometimes, the files and memories it holds can be even more valuable. Therefore it is essential to ensure the safety of your phone's content. The best way to do it is to back up the files when you have the chance. So, how to back up iPhone to Mac?

If you are looking for a method to back up your iPhone files, there are several ways. Each one has its pros and cons. For instance, some backup methods pose little to no risk of your data falling into the hands of cybercriminals. But the process is slow.

Meanwhile, some backup methods are fast but risky. Considering all that, some of the best ways for an iPhone full backup to Mac are discussed in this blog.

Part 1: How to Backup iPhone to Computer: Top 5 Methods

If you are wondering how to backup iPhone to Macbook, five methods come to mind. These include iTunes, iCloud, external hard drives, Finder, and AirDroid. They are some of the best tools for the job due to their reliability and ease of use.

iTunes

The Apple-exclusive iTunes is a wonderful app for music. But you can also use it to manage your iPhone on your Mac. Here's a step-by-step account on how to backup iPhone to iTunes on Mac-

Step 1: Open iTunes on your MacBook (MacOS earlier than Catalina)

Step 2: Create a USB connection between your iPhone and MacBook

Step 3: Follow the onscreen prompts for the device passcode or Trust This Computer

Step 4: Find and Select your iPhone on the Mac from the 'Device' option in iTunes. You can find the button at the top left of the window.

Step 5: Choose 'Back Up Now.'

Step 6:  Click Edit< Preferences <Devices to View the backup.

Verdict

Old-time iPhone users are most familiar with iTunes. So, compared to other methods, it might be more convenient for them to use iTunes as a way to back up their important files.

Finder

If you are using a MacOS Catalina, you cannot use iTunes. Instead, you have to use Finder. It's the default file manager for Macintosh operating systems after iTunes got discontinued. Here's how you can use Finder to back up your iPhone to your Mac-

Step 1: Go to Applications and Open a Finder window on your Macbook.

Step 2: Create a USB connection between your iPhone and Mac. As usual, you might be asked for the device passcode or Trust This Computer.

Step 3: From Finder's sidebar, select your iPhone.

Step 4: Navigate to the top of the Finder window and click 'General'.

Step 5: Now click "Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac"

Step 6: Select 'Back Up Now' to start the process.

Verdict

Finder is the next best thing for iPhone backup after iTunes. Some might find it more sophisticated and easy to use than iTunes. After all, the primary purpose of iTunes was to manage music files. In comparison, Finder is a more professional file manager.

External Hard Drive

If you are wondering 'how to manually backup iPhone Mac,' an external hard drive is an excellent option.  An external hard drive can store huge amounts of data. So, those who are short on Apple storage space can benefit from this method. Here are the steps-

Step 1: Connect the external hard drive to your Macbook and open it.

Step 2: Create a MobileSync folder on the hard drive

Step 3:Select the previous Mac iPhone backup on your Mac from Finder/iTunes. For this you have to first select Preferences, then Devices.

Step 4: Move the entire Backup folder from Mac to MobileSync

Step 5: Open Terminal on your Macbook. You can find it under Utilities in the Applications section.

Step 6: Create a symbolic link between the folder and the default backup location on your computer. You have to enter a command in the Terminal for this. It tells your iTunes or Finder to not save your iPhone backup to your Mac but to the external hard drive. 

Step 7:Now, simply create a connection between your iPhone and your Mac with a USB cable.

Step 8: Open iTunes or Finder, select your iPhone, and click Back Up Now. Your files will be backed up to your external hard drive.

Verdict

If you are dealing with a lot of files and media, External Hard Drive is the smarter choice for backup. You don't need to worry about running out of storage space. Nor do you have to deal with a slow-running Macbook.

iCloud

iCloud lets you store your data in Apple's cloud. You can then access it from any of your Apple devices. If you had already chosen automatic backup to iCloud, the iPhone will back up every day. Given that it's powered, connected to Wi-Fi, and locked. Otherwise, you have to manually back it up using the following steps-

Step 1: Ensure your iPhone's connection to a Wi-Fi network

Step 2: Go to Settings. Now, tap your name at the top of the screen.

Step 3: From the commencing window, select iCloud

Step 4:  keep scrolling down to find 'iCloud Backup' and tap on it. Toggle the switch to turn it on.

Step 5:  Select Back Up Now and wait for the process to complete. Later, you can find the last backup documented under Back Up Now.

Verdict

Cloud storage is always a safer alternative than physical storage. All your files are up in the cloud. This means you can still retrieve them even if your iPhone, Macbook, or External Hard Drive is lost or broken.

AirDroid

If you are thinking about how to backup your iPhone to Mac in the best possible manner, the answer's AirDroid Personal. AirDroid wins over all the other methods for its user-friendliness and incredible speed. Plus, you can access your backup files much easier if you are using the service.

Apart from file transfer, AirDroid lets you do many other things. For instance, you can share files with close devices without using the internet. Also, AirDroid is an effective app for sharing your media files in real-time with your friends, family, or co-workers.

And most importantly you can use the app to back up your iPhone's photos, videos, music, and more to your Mac without iTunes, Finder, or iCloud. Wondering how you can use AirDroid to back up your files? Well, just follow these steps:

Step 1: Search and install AirDroid on your iPhone from the App Store.

Step 2: Open a web browser on your Mac and visit web.airdroid.com. Or, you can download and install the app's desktop client from airdroid.com.

Step 3: Create an AirDroid account and log in to it on both your iPhone and the Macbook.

Step 4: On your Mac, select your iPhone device listed under My Devices (desktop app) or File Transfer (web browser).

Step 5:  A window representing your iPhone will open on the Mac's AirDroid. From here, select all the files on your phone you want to back up to the computer.

Step 6: Click Download or drag them to a Mac folder.

Verdict 

If security, remote access, and sharing are your primary concern, then AirDroid is your best choice for iPhone backup to Macbook. Apart from file transfer, AirDroid offers many other functionalities for its users.

Part 2: Where Are iPhone Backups Stored on Mac?

Usually, the iPhone backup location Mac is the Backup folder, unless you define otherwise. You can find these iPhone backup files on Mac using iTunes or Finder. Follow the steps, below to do it. Also, if you are wondering 'how to delete iPhone backup on Mac,' they are these same steps-

For Macbooks that have iTunes -

Step 1: Open iTunes

Step 2: Select Preferences

Step 3: Click on Devices

Step 4: You will now see all the backups. Click on them to delete or archive them.

To access your Backup files using Finder-

Step 1: Open Finder and select your iPhone for the sidebar

Step 2: From the next window, select the General Tab.

Step 3: You will now see the list of all the backups. You can right-click on these to take any action, such as deleting or accessing them.

Conclusion

If you were searching for how to backup iPhone to Mac, the above discussion was helpful hopefully. The importance of backing up your data cannot be stressed enough. However, slow speed, complicated processes, and difficulty in access might have prevented you from doing it up until now.

Therefore, AirDroid is the method of choice for many professionals. You can perform iPhone backups within no time and share them across multiple platforms however you want. Feel free to try other third-party apps too. But beware of data theft and privacy breaches as cyber-attacks have become rampant these days.