Archive iOS & iPadOS backups using iTunes or Finder

iTunes or Finder can back up your data from all your iOS devices; iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. By default, iTunes and Finder only keep one backup per iOS device. This is an incremental backup meaning only data that has changed is backed up. So when you sync your device “again”, the backup file is actually overwritten by the new content, and old data is deleted.

But for safekeeping, you may want to archive your old backups to keep those older iPhone, iPad or iPod touch backups, just in case you want or need to recover something.

Related articles

• No More iTunes. How to use Finder in macOS Catalina to Sync and Restore iPhone
• Unable to Sync iPhone or iPad with macOS Catalina? Check these tips
• Create a macOS Catalina USB installer
• How To Back Up iPhone to an External Drive Using iTunes and Terminal

How to Archive an iOS or iPadOS Backup of iPhone, iPod, or iPad

Note: These steps are similar whether you use iTunes or Finder. For iTunes, make sure that you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer. For Finder, update your macOS to its latest version which includes support for backing up your devices using the Finder app.

1. Connect your iOS device to your computer
2. Navigate to iTunes > Preferences (for Windows: Choose Edit > Preferences)
3. Select Devices
4. In the Device Backups list, find the device backup you want to archive
5. Control-click or right-click on that backup and choose Archive from the options: Delete, Archive, and Show in Finder
6. Once archived, your backup shows the date and time of the backup
7. The next time you sync your device, iTunes creates a brand new backup file and does not overwrite your archived backup

If you want to restore your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch from an archived backup (your old backups), please read this article to learn how.

How to find a specific iDevice backup

1. Open iTunes
2. Choose Preferences (for Windows: Choose Edit > Preferences)
3. Click Devices
4. Control-click or right-click the backup that you want and choose Show in Finder

To locate your device backups, see this article Where iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch backups are stored on Mac or Windows

How to delete iOS and iPadOS backups

Manage your iPadOS and iOS backups that you store in iCloud

SK( Managing Editor )

Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.

In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.