I'm creating iPhone backups with the Apple Devices app on Windows and need to store several phone backups on an external drive because my system drive doesn't have enough space. I found a device backup folder named 00008110-000C5D2E02C1401E under C:UsersusernameAppleMobileSyncBackup. If I move that folder to the external drive and later copy it back to the Backup folder, will Apple Devices recognize it? I'd also like to keep future backups on the external drive and want to know whether using symbolic links is necessary, or whether switching to iTunes would be more reliable for creating and restoring these backups.
2 Answers
If you want the backups to stay on the external drive for future use, you generally can’t just move the folder and expect Apple Devices to follow it. The usual approach is to move the entire Backup directory to the external drive and create a directory junction or symbolic link at C:UsersusernameAppleMobileSyncBackup that points to the new location. Apple Devices can then continue using the normal path while the files actually live on the external drive. Make sure the drive is connected and has the same drive letter whenever you create or restore a backup.
The Apple Devices app is the current Windows app for managing iPhone backups, so there’s no particular need to switch to iTunes just for this. iTunes uses a similar backup concept, but changing apps won’t solve the storage-location issue. Use the Apple Devices app and redirect its Backup folder with a junction or symbolic link. Before moving anything, make a separate copy and verify that the backup appears and can be restored.
Since you’re planning to reset the phones and may need these backups soon, test at least one backup by having Apple Devices recognize it before wiping anything. Keep the external drive connected during both backup creation and restoration.
For occasional archiving, copying the backup folder back to the original path should allow the app to detect it, but the folder structure and backup contents need to remain unchanged. A link is more convenient when you plan to create multiple backups there regularly.