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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →You can store an iPhone’s local Mac backup on an external drive, but Finder does not offer a destination picker. The workaround is to move the standard MobileSync/Backup folder to the drive and place a symbolic link at its original location. Finder then continues to use its usual path, which macOS redirects to the external drive. This is a filesystem workaround, not an Apple-documented Finder setting.
Choose between an external-drive backup and iCloud
| Option | Best fit | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Finder backup redirected to an external drive | You want a local computer backup without keeping the backup data on the Mac’s internal drive. | Requires a symbolic link, writable external storage, and the drive to be mounted for backups and restores. Apple documents Finder backups, but not this redirection method. |
| iCloud backup | You want Apple’s cloud-based backup workflow rather than changing the Mac’s local backup path. | It is a separate method and depends on your iCloud setup and available storage. Apple’s iCloud backup instructions explain the cloud workflow. |
Make a baseline backup before changing folders
First create a known-good backup in Finder. On macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, Apple’s iPhone backup instructions use Finder. On macOS Mojave or earlier, use iTunes instead.
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- Connect the iPhone to the Mac. Approve accessory access if prompted.
- Open Finder and select the iPhone in the sidebar. If asked, approve the Trust prompts on the Mac and iPhone.
- In Finder’s General view, click Back Up Now and wait for the backup to finish.
- If you need to preserve Health and Activity data, select Encrypt local backup before starting the backup. Store the password securely: Apple warns, “You can’t recover your backup without this password.”
Prepare a writable external drive
Use a directly connected drive with enough free space for the existing backup and future backups. The amount required varies, so check the space available on the Mac and the drive rather than relying on a universal size estimate.
In Finder, select the drive and choose File > Get Info to review its format, available space, and Sharing & Permissions. You need write access. Apple’s external-drive saving guidance notes that NTFS drives may be readable on a Mac but not writable. Apple lists APFS and Mac OS Extended as Mac formats, and ExFAT and FAT as Windows-compatible formats. These are general file-saving checks; Apple does not specify a universally required format for this symbolic-link method.
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Move the backup folder and create the symbolic link
The Mac’s standard backup directory is ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/, according to Apple’s backup-location guide. A third-party external-drive how-to describes redirecting that path by moving the existing Backup folder to the external drive and creating a symbolic link named Backup in the original MobileSync folder.
- Connect the external drive and make sure it is mounted in Finder. Find the
MobileSyncfolder at~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/. The tilde represents your Mac user’s home folder. - Move the existing
Backupfolder to a clearly named folder on the external drive. Do not delete the original backup data while moving it. - Create a symbolic link named
Backupin the originalMobileSynclocation that points to the moved folder on the external drive. The exact target path depends on the drive’s volume name and the folder you chose; do not reuse another person’s example path unchanged. - Keep the original folder or another known-good backup until you have completed and verified a fresh backup through the link.
This procedure changes filesystem paths, so take care to link to the actual destination. Finder continues using its usual backup path; the link redirects it. If the external drive is disconnected, renamed, or not mounted, Finder may fail to back up or may not reach the intended destination.
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Run a new backup and verify its destination
- Connect and mount the external drive before starting the backup.
- In Finder, select the iPhone and click Back Up Now. Wait for the process to complete.
- Check Finder’s device view for the successful backup date and time. Apple documents this completion indicator.
- Open the destination folder on the external drive and confirm that backup data is present and has been updated. This destination check is part of the workaround, not a Finder destination-setting feature.
Restore from the external-drive backup
Keep the external drive connected and mounted so the redirected backup is available to the Mac. Apple’s Finder restore workflow is to select the iPhone, open General, choose Restore Backup, and select the backup. If it is encrypted, enter the backup password. A restore depends on the drive and backup being accessible; the available guidance does not establish compatibility for every external-drive format or setup.
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Troubleshoot a backup that will not save
- Finder reports a saving or space problem: Check available capacity on the external drive and confirm it is writable in Get Info.
- The drive appears but Finder cannot write to it: Check its file system and Sharing & Permissions. NTFS may be read-only on macOS without additional support.
- The backup fails after moving the folder: Confirm the drive is mounted, its volume name has not changed, and the symbolic link points to the moved
Backupfolder. - The new backup is not on the external drive: Do not assume the redirect worked just because Finder completed a backup. Inspect the external destination and retain the known-good copy until the new backup is verified.
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