A significant number of iPhone users run Windows 10 operating system on their computers. Most of these users use the official iTunes software to backup iPhone to Windows 10 PC.
With default settings, iTunes saves data backed up from iPhone on the same drive where Windows 10 is installed. The actual location of the backup folder is:
If iTunes is installed from Store:
Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple \MobileSync\Backup
If iTunes is installed outside the Store:
Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple \MobileSync\Backup
The problem with this default location is that it’s located on the drive where Windows 10 is installed. If you have installed Windows 10 on a relatively small SSD that doesn’t have enough free space to back up your iPhone, you might want to back up your iPhone to an external hard drive.
The current version of iTunes for Windows OS doesn’t offer an option to change the default back up location. So, how to back up iPhone to an external hard drive?
We will have to use the symbolic link feature present in the Windows operating system to change the default back up location of the iPhone in Windows 10. It requires executing a command from the elevated Command Prompt.
Backup iPhone to an external hard drive in Windows 10 using iTunes
So, here is how to back up the iPhone to the external hard drive using iTunes in Windows 10.
Step 1: Connect your external hard drive to your Windows 10 PC and make sure that it’s showing up in This PC. If it’s not showing up, please go through our external drive not showing up in File Explorer guide.
Step 2: Navigate to This PC and open the root of the external hard drive by double-clicking on its drive icon.
Step 3: At the root of the external hard drive, create a new folder called MobileSync. For instance, if the drive letter of your external hard drive is “D,” then the path to the MobileSync folder would be D:\MobileSync.
Step 4: Next, navigate to one of the following locations:
If iTunes is installed from Windows 10 Store:
C:\Users\UserName\Apple\MobileSync
For the classic desktop version of iTunes:
C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync
Step 5: Cut (don’t copy) the Backup folder from that location and paste it to the new MobileSync folder that you created at the root of the external hard drive. So, the path to the Backup folder would be:
D:\MobileSync\Backup
Where “D” is the drive letter.
Step 6: Run the Command Prompt as administrator. To do so, type CMD in the search, right-click on Command Prompt in the search results, and then click Run as administrator option.
Click Yes button when you get the User Account Control screen.
Step 7: Finally, execute the following command:
If iTunes is installed from the Store:
MkLink /J “C:\Users\UserName\Apple\MobileSync\Backup” “D:\MobileSync\Backup”
If iTunes is installed outside the Store (using the setup file):
MkLink /J “C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup” “D:\MobileSync\Backup”
In the above commands, “C” is the drive letter of Windows 10 drive, UserName is your actual user name on your PC, and “D” is the drive letter of the external hard drive (new location) which you would like to use to back up your iPhone.
You may now connect iPhone to your PC, launch iTunes and create a backup
billah says
Instructions were very helpful.
Thank you
mark says
So I’ve followed the above, created the file path as noted re started itunes and hit back up and its backing up to the original C drive back up folder!
Jean-Michel says
Merci beaucoup from France.
Thank you so much. It was very helpful and same me a lot of time and effort to free space on my first drive.
Rob says
For anyone getting the “Cannot create file when that file already exists”. Close ITunes, rename the target file, try again. It should work.
stefan says
Awesome help! Thanks a lot!!!
Karlene Johnson says
Hello.
Same error as someone else that posted. Please advise how to fix?
C:\WINDOWS\system32>MkLink /J “C:\Users\Karle\Apple\MobileSync\Backup” “F:\MobileSync\Backup”
Cannot create a file when that file already exists.
Alf says
Hi, Keep getting this error, what ‘s wrong?
C:\Windows\system32>MkLink /J “C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup” “E:\User\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup”
Cannot create a file when that file already exists.
Sandra says
I did this, and it worked. But now that drive is full, and I need to move it over to a larger one.. Do I first cut/paste my backup from the old drive to the new one? What script to I need to write after that? Hope anyone can help.. I’m awful with computer stuff.
KAO says
Perfect solution! Thanks a bunch
AWF says
Thanks for the help in freeing up space on my computer.
Danielle says
I keep getting:
System cannot find the path specified.
Help?
Ed says
Best explanation on the Web
Thank you
Ed
phillip says
iTunes backup failed. Said the backup file was corrupt and should be deleted. Is not listed in iTunes device????
Jeff says
This will not work in Powershell, only CMD
erg says
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> MkLink /J “C:\Users\ergo\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup” “D:\MobileSync\Backup”
MkLink : The term ‘MkLink’ is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. Check
the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.
At line:1 char:1
+ MkLink /J “C:\Users\ergo\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Ba …
+ ~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : ObjectNotFound: (MkLink:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>
Don Dy says
Great!!! Perfectly working.
How about if I need to RESTORE the back up from the external hard drive? How do I do it?
Does it also automatically locate the back up from the external HD and no need to configure mklink cmd?
Dana says
Thank you! this worked perfectly! :]
DANNY LEE says
OH BLESSS UUUUUU
Kelly says
Thank you so much! Apple backups for multiple household devices were taking up almost 60% of my SSD that’s supposed to run my programs only, so it was great to be able to move this to the data storage drive on my computer. Now my programs run smoothly again!
Dave says
hi, thank you for the clear guide. i just did it, then tried to do another backup (which started) but i noticed that in the original MobileSync folder (in disk C) there’s now the same folder called “backup”, with the “junction arrow + folder” as folder icon, it’s as heavy as the previous one (8gb) and -according to windows- full of those 8gb of data stored on disk C and not just an empty junction to disk D.
Is this normal?
Please give back to me, thanks again for the guide
Ee Chong says
Hi, I’m using Surface Go at the moment and I would like to backup my files in an external hard disk. I tried the command above but I couldn’t get it done.
Is there any command that I need to amend?
Your help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks :)