Find backups stored on your Mac or PC
To avoid ruining any of your backup files, here's what you should know:
- The Finder and iTunes save backups to a Backup folder. The location of the Backup folder varies by operating system. Though you can copy the Backup folder, you should never move it to a different folder, external drive, or network drive.
- Don't edit, relocate, rename, or extract content from your backup files, because these actions might ruin the files. For example, to restore from a relocated backup file, you need to move it back or the file won't work. Backups serve as a safe copy of your entire device. So while you might be able to view or access a backup file's contents, the contents usually aren't stored in a format that you can read.
Search for the backup folder on your Mac
With the aid of a laptop (PC or Mac) project files (movie projects in the iMovie app) can be shared from one iPad to another iPad so that group members can collaborate on their projects. Shared project files will include all images, video clips, and audio files. As of Mac OS X Lion (10.7), the Library folder in your home folder is hidden by default. That doesn’t mean you can’t get to it. It’s hidden so you don’t accidentally delete settings.
To find a list of your backups:
- Click the magnifier icon in the menu bar.
- Type or copy and paste this: ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
- Press Return.
To find a specific backup:
- On a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, open the Finder. On a Mac with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier, or on a PC, open iTunes. Click your device.
- In the Finder, under the General tab, click Manage Backups to see a list of your backups. From here, you can right-click on the backup that you want, then choose Show in Finder, or you can select Delete or Archive. In iTunes, choose Preferences, then click Devices. From here, you can right-click on the backup that you want, then choose Show in Finder, or you can select Delete or Archive.
- Click OK when you're finished.
Search for the backup folder on Windows 7, 8, or 10
- Find the Search bar:
- In Windows 7, click Start.
- In Windows 8, click the magnifying glass in the upper-right corner.
- In Windows 10, click the Search bar next to the Start button.
- In the Search bar, enter %appdata%. If you don’t see your backups, enter %USERPROFILE%.
- Press Return.
- Double-click these folders: 'Apple' or 'Apple Computer' > MobileSync > Backup.
Delete or copy backups on your Mac or PC
Don't edit, relocate, rename, or extract content from your backup files, because these actions might ruin the files. Use the following sections to make copies of your backups or delete backups that you no longer need.
Copy backups to another location
If you need copies of your backups, you can find the Backup folder and copy the entire folder (not just part of it) to another place, like an external drive or network-storage location.
When you use Time Machine, it automatically copies your Backup folder when you back up the Home folder on your Mac.
Delete backups
- On a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, open the Finder. On a Mac with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier, or on a PC, open iTunes. Click your device.
- In the Finder, under the General tab, click Manage Backups to see a list of your backups. From here, you can right-click on the backup that you want, then select Delete or Archive. In iTunes, choose Preferences, then click Devices. From here, you can right-click on the backup that you want, then choose Delete or Archive. Click OK when you're finished.
- Click Delete Backup, then confirm.
Locate and manage backups stored in iCloud
If you use iCloud Backup, you won't find a list of your backups on iCloud.com. Here's how to find your iCloud backups on your iOS or iPadOS device, Mac, or PC.
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:
- Using iOS 11 or later and iPadOS, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups.
- Using iOS 10.3, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud. Tap the graph that shows your iCloud usage, then tap Manage Storage.
Tap a backup to see more details about it, choose which information to back up, or delete the backup.
You can choose which content to back up only from the Settings menu of the device that stores that content. For example, while you can view your iPad backup from your iPhone, you can choose which iPad content to back up only from the Settings menu of your iPad.
On a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15 or later:
- Choose Apple () menu > System Preferences.
- Click Apple ID.
- Click iCloud.
- Click Manage.
- Select Backups.
On a Mac with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier:
- Choose Apple () menu > System Preferences.
- Click iCloud.
- Click Manage.
- Select Backups.
On your PC:
- Open iCloud for Windows
- Click Storage.
- Select Backup.
Learn more about how to delete or manage iCloud backups from your Mac or PC.
Learn more
- Learn the difference between iCloud and iTunes backups.
- Follow steps to back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
- Learn about encrypted backups in iTunes.
Here's what you need
- Update your iPhone or iPod touch to the latest version of iOS, iPad to the latest version of iPadOS, or Mac to the latest version of macOS. On a PC, make sure that you have the latest version of iTunes for Windows.
- Subscribe to Apple Music or iTunes Match.
- Sign in to all of your devices with the same Apple ID that you use with Apple Music or iTunes Match.
- Connect your devices to the Internet over a Wi-Fi or cellular network. On a Mac or PC, you can also connect to the Internet using Ethernet.
Apple Music availability varies by country and region. Learn what's available in your country or region.
Turn on Sync Library
With the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, Sync Library is turned on by default. If you turned off Sync Library, you can turn it back on. Just follow the steps below for your device.
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
- Go to Settings > Music.
- Turn on Sync Library. If you don't subscribe to Apple Music or iTunes Match, you won’t see an option to turn on Sync Library.
If Sync Library is updating or turned off, you'll see a message at the top of the Library tab in the Apple Music app.
On your Mac
- Open the Apple Music app.
- From the menu bar at the top of your screen, choose Music > Preferences.
- Go to the General tab and select Sync Library to turn it on. If you don't subscribe to Apple Music or iTunes Match, you won’t see an option to turn on Sync Library.
- Click OK.
If you have a large music library, it might take some time to upload and sync your music library across all of your devices.
On your PC with iTunes for Windows
In iTunes for Windows, iCloud Music Library isn't turned on by default. To turn on iCloud Music Library:
- Open iTunes.
- From the menu bar at the top of your screen, choose Edit > Preferences.
- Go to the General tab and select iCloud Music Library to turn it on. If you don't subscribe to Apple Music or iTunes Match, you won’t see an option to turn on iCloud Music Library.
- Click OK.
If you have a large music library, it might take some time to upload and sync your music library across all of your devices.
On other devices
Access Library On Mac
If you subscribe to Apple Music, you can also access your music library — without having to turn on Sync Library — on other devices that support the Apple Music app and on music.apple.com.
If you don't subscribe to Apple Music
- If you only want to sync your existing music library across all of your devices, and not any music from the Apple Music catalog, you can subscribe to iTunes Match on your computer. iTunes Match lets you access your music library on any Apple device or a PC with iTunes for Windows.
- If you buy music from the iTunes Store, you can redownload your past music purchases on your Apple device or a PC with iTunes for Windows.
- You can also manually sync music from your computer to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Need help?
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- If you sign out of your Apple ID or cancel your Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription, you won’t be able to access and sync your music library on all of your devices. The original song files will remain on the device that they were uploaded from.
- Apple Music isn't a back up service. Make sure to back up your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC, so that you have a copy of your music and other information in case your device is ever replaced, lost, or damaged.
- You can have up to 100,000 songs in your music library. Songs that you buy from the iTunes Store don't count against this limit.
- If a song is grayed out, incorrect music plays, or you can’t access your music library, learn what to do.
Learn more
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- Learn how to join Apple Music.
- Learn about the icons that you might see next to songs when you turn on Sync Library.
- If Sync Library is turned on, a song that you delete from one device is deleted everywhere.
- Learn what to do if songs in your music library are grayed out.