To back up your iPhone to an external hard drive, you need to connect your iPhone to a computer, open iTunes, select the iPhone icon, choose the backup location as the external hard drive, and click on the “Backup Now” button.
Jannik Lindner
In today’s digital age, our smartphones have become the hub of our lives, storing countless photos, videos, contacts, and important data. One of the biggest concerns for iPhone users is the fear of losing this precious information, especially in the event of a device malfunction or accidental damage. While Apple provides its own cloud-based backup solution, there are times when you may prefer a more secure and tangible approach. In this blog post, we will explore the process of backing up your iPhone to an external hard drive, offering you peace of mind and control over your valuable data. Whether you are looking to free up storage space on your device or want a physical backup to rely on, read on to discover how to safely and efficiently back up your iPhone to an external hard drive.
In order to complete the task, make sure you have an external hard drive, a USB-to-Lightning cable (or USB-C-to-Lightning for newer iPhones), and a computer with iTunes installed. These items are essential for the process.
Before connecting your external hard drive to the computer, ensure it is properly formatted and has ample storage capacity for your backup. A compatible format and sufficient space are required for a successful backup.
After backing up your iPhone to iTunes, a Backup folder is created. On Mac, it’s found at ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup; on Windows, it’s at Users(username)AppDataRoamingApple ComputerMobileSyncBackup.
To ensure no data loss, take an additional step to safeguard your files by copying and pasting the Backup folder onto your external hard drive—an added measure of protection against potential mishaps.
After connecting your iPhone to your computer using a USB-to-Lightning cable, launch iTunes. If iTunes does not open automatically, you can manually open it to begin syncing your iPhone with your computer.
By redirecting iTunes backup to your external hard drive, you can ensure that the backup is saved there instead of the default Backup folder. On Mac, use Terminal: ln -s /Volumes/[External Hard Drive Name]/Backup ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup. On Windows, use Command Prompt: mklink /J “%APPDATA%Apple ComputerMobileSyncBackup” “[External Drive Letter]:Backup”.
Navigate to iTunes, locate your iPhone, and click “Back Up Now.” This action will initiate an iPhone backup process, securely saving your data onto an external hard drive.
In conclusion, backing up your iPhone to an external hard drive is an effective and convenient way to ensure the safety and security of your data. By following the step-by-step guide outlined in this article, you can easily set up automatic backups and prevent the risk of losing valuable information. The advantages of using an external hard drive are numerous, including increased storage capacity, easy portability, and protection against data loss due to device failure or accidental damage. By taking the time to regularly back up your iPhone, you can have peace of mind knowing that your important files and memories are safeguarded and easily accessible whenever needed. So, don’t wait any longer – start backing up your iPhone to an external hard drive today!
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