[Solved] I Can't Find My iPhone Backup Location on Mac

When it comes to iPhone/iPad, most people will use iCloud to back up their data. However, if you do not want to pay for the extra iCloud storage, you can also use your Macbook to backup the data from your iPhone/iPad. This is also a great way to create a secondary backup for your data. This way, even if you forget your iCloud credentials, you can still get back the data.

But, creating an iPhone backup on a Macbook is a slightly different process. While there are different methods to do this job, each way has its own pros and cons. So, in this guide, we’re going to list out different ways to backup your iPhone on a macOS. We’ll also discuss where you can find the iPhone backup location Mac so that it becomes easier to retrieve the files in the future.

So, without any further ado, let’s start with the guide.

• Part 1: How to Backup iPhone Data on Mac
• Part 2: Where is the iPhone Backup Location on Mac?

Part 1: How to Backup iPhone Data on Mac

First and foremost, let’s check out different ways to backup your iPhone on a Mac.

1.1 Copy Data from iPhone to Mac

The traditional and probably the most convenient way to create a backup for your files is to transfer data by connecting the iPhone to Mac. You can connect the two devices using a USB and copy files from your iPhone to the PC without any hassle. In this case, you even have the liberty to choose a custom iPhone backup location on Mac.

This method would be extremely suitable if you only want to backup limited data (a few images or videos). Here’s the step-by-step procedure to transfer files from an iPhone to Mac via USB transfer.

Step 1 - Grab a USB lightning cable and connect your iPhone to the Mac. In case you have the latest Macbook with a USB-C port, you may need an adapter to connect the iPhone.

Step 2 - After the two devices are successfully connected, enter the screen code on your iPhone and tap “Trust” to establish a connection for file transfer between the two devices.

Step 3 - Now, click the “Finder” icon on your Macbook and select the “iPhone’s” icon from the left menu bar.

Step 4 - If you’re connecting the iPhone for the first time, you’ll have to click “Trust” on the Macbook as well.

Step 5 - On your iPhone, you’ll need a dedicated “File Sharing” app that’s designed to transfer files from an iPhone to macOS. You can find such apps on Apple’s App Store.

Step 6 - Click the “Files” button on your Macbook and choose the app you want to use for file transfer.

Step 7 - Now, open another “Finder” window on your Macbook and go to the location where you want to paste the files.

Step 8 - Select the files from your iPhone and drag them to the destination folder.

That’s it; the selected files will be copied to your Macbook, and you’ll be able to transfer them back whenever you want. While USB file transfer is a convenient way to create a quick backup, it’s not the best solution for backup all the files. Also, USB file transfer for Mac is not as straightforward as one may think.

You can’t simply copy files and paste them on the Macbook’s desktop. So, if you’re planning to back up a large amount of data, it would be better to choose one of the other solutions.

1.2 Use iTunes Backup

You can also use your iTunes account to backup your iPhone on Mac. In this case, all you need is your iTunes account, and you’ll be able to backup all your files easily. Once the backup is created, it’ll become easier to find iTunes iPhone backup location Mac as well.

Follow these steps to use iTunes for backing up iPhone on Macbook.

Step 1 - Connect your iPhone to the Macbook and open iTunes.

Step 2 - In the top-left corner, tap the “iPhone” icon.

Step 3 - Tap on “Backup Up Now” to initiate the backup process.

Step 4 - Once the backup is successfully created, you’ll be able to see it under the “Latest Backups” tab. Also, make sure to eject the iPhone after the data is backed up completely.

1.3 Use iCloud Backup

While we’re at it, let’s also discuss how you can back up the iPhone data using your iCloud account. In this case, the backup will be stored in the cloud. This also means that you might need to buy extra iCloud storage if you have a large amount of data to backup.

Let’s take a look at the steps of using the iCloud account to backup your iPhone.

Step 1 - Connect your iPhone to the Macbook using a USB cable.

Step 2 - Go to the Finder app and select your “iPhone” from the side menu bar.

Step 3 - Navigate to the “General” tab.

Step 4 - Now, click “Backup Your Most Important Data on Your iPhone to iCloud” and tap “Back Up Now”.

Step 5 - Wait for the backup process to complete and check its status under “Latest Backups”.

Are There Any Drawbacks of iCloud/iTunes Backup

Despite being Apple’s official way to backup data on an iPhone, both iTunes and iCloud have one major drawback. Unfortunately, these two methods will back up the entire data. The user doesn’t have the option to select specific files they want to include in the backup. So, if you only want to backup a limited portion of the data on your iPhone, using iTunes/iCloud may not be the best option. In this situation, it would be better to rely on a third-party backup tool to create a selective backup.

1.4 Use a Third-Party Application to Backup iPhone Data

Finally, you can also use a third-party application to back up your iPhone. We recommend using Dr.Fone - Phone Backup (iOS). It’s a dedicated iOS backup tool that’s specifically tailored to backup your iPhone to a PC.

Unlike the traditional backup methods, Dr.Fone will give you the liberty of choosing files that you want to include in the backup. This means that you won’t have to waste several hours to back up the entire data while simply selecting the file types you want to save.

The best part is that Phone Backup is a free feature in Dr.Fone, which means you won’t have to pay any additional charges to use the feature. You can even choose a dedicated iPhone backup file location on Mac to save all the backups inside a specific folder.

Here are a few features that make Dr.Fone - Phone Backup (iOS) a better option than iCloud/iTunes backup.

• Works with all iOS versions, including the latest iOS 14.
• Supports Selective Backup
• Restore the backups on a different iPhone without losing the existing data
• Backup data from iPhone with one click
• No data loss while backing up data

Follow these steps to backup data using Dr.Fone - Phone Backup (iOS).

Step 1 - Download and install Dr.Fone- Phone Backup on your PC. Once the software is successfully installed, launch it and click “Phone Backup”.

Step 2 - Connect your iPhone to the PC using a USB cable. After Dr.Fone recognizes the connected device, click “Backup” to continue with the process.

Step 3 - Now, select the “File Types” you want to include in the backup and click “Backup”.

Step 4 - Dr.Fone- Phone Backup (iOS) will start backing up your iPhone files. This process usually takes a couple of minutes and depends on the size of the selected files.

Step 5 - Once the backup completes, click “View Backup History” to check your backups.

Similarly, you can also use Dr.Fone - Phone Backup (Android) to backup data from an Android device to a PC.

Part 2: Where is the iPhone Backup Location on Mac?

So, that’s how you can backup your iPhone on Mac using different methods. Of course, if you choose a third-party software or regular USB transfer, you can choose the target location to save the backups. But, in the other two cases, here’s how you can access the iPhone backup location on Mac.

Step 1 - Open iTunes on your Macbook and tap on “Preferences”.

Step 2 - Now, click “Devices” and select the specific iPhone.

Step 3 - Right-click the backup that you want to check and select “Show in Finder”.

That’s it; you’ll be prompted to the destination folder where the selected backup is stored.

Conclusion

Backing up data from an iPhone will be helpful in several situations. Whether you are planning to switch to a new iPhone or install the latest iOS version, creating a backup for your data will protect you from potential data loss. Creating an iPhone backup on your Mac will also allow you to create multiple backups for complete data protection. So, follow the above-mentioned tricks to backup your iPhone and find the iPhone backup location on Mac later on.