Where iPhone backups are stored on a Mac
When you back up an iPhone or iPad through Finder, or through iTunes on older macOS, the backup goes to this folder:
~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup
Inside, each backup is a folder with a long name made of letters and numbers. That name is the device ID, not the device name, which is why it is hard to tell old backups from new ones by looking at the folder.
Why backups take so much space
A backup holds your messages, app data, settings and any photos that aren’t already in iCloud Photos. On a phone with a big camera roll, that adds up to tens of gigabytes. macOS keeps one backup per device, but it never removes backups of devices you no longer own.
How to check whether you have any
Open System Settings, then General, then Storage. If you see iOS Files in the list, your Mac holds iPhone or iPad backups or software files. The size next to it tells you how much space you can win back.
How much space you will get back
Exactly the size Storage settings shows next to each backup, once you empty the Trash. A single current backup is rarely the problem. The space usually hides in three places:
- Backups of phones you traded in or handed down.
- Backups of a family member’s iPhone you set up once on this Mac.
- Archived backups you made before an iOS beta and then forgot.
Add up the sizes of those before you start, so you know whether backups are your real space problem or only part of it.
Pick the right method
| Method | Phone needed? | What you see | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage settings | No | Every backup, with sizes | Clearing several old backups at once |
| Finder | Yes | Every backup, with dates | Checking a backup before you delete it |
| Backup folder | No | Folders named by device ID | When the other two won't open |
Method 1: Delete iPhone backups in Storage settings
This is the quickest way, and you don’t need your phone or a cable.
- Choose Apple menu, then System Settings, then General, then Storage.
- Wait for the bar at the top to finish calculating.
- Click the info button next to iOS Files.
- Select the backups you don’t need. Hold Command to pick several at once.
- Click Delete, then confirm.
Each entry shows the device name, its size and when it was last used. Sort by date and you will usually find backups of phones you replaced long ago at the bottom.
On macOS Monterey or earlier
Choose Apple menu, then About This Mac, then Storage, then Manage. Click iOS Files in the sidebar, select a backup and press Delete.
Method 2: Delete iPhone backups in Finder
Use Finder when you want to check a backup’s date before deleting it. You need an iPhone, iPad or iPod connected to see the option, but it lists every device’s backups, not only the connected one.
- Connect your iPhone to your Mac with a cable and unlock it.
- Open Finder and click your iPhone under Locations in the sidebar.
- On the General tab, click Manage Backups.
- Select a backup, click Delete Backup and confirm.
A small padlock next to a backup means it is encrypted. Encrypted backups also hold saved passwords and Health data, so check you have another copy before you delete one you still rely on.
On macOS Mojave or earlier
Open iTunes, choose iTunes, then Preferences, then Devices. Select a backup and click Delete Backup.
Method 3: Delete backups from the backup folder
If Storage settings won’t load and you have no device to connect, you can go to the folder directly. Do this carefully, because the folder names don’t say which device they belong to.
- In Finder, press Shift-Command-G, type
~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backupand press Return. - Choose View, then as List, and sort by Date Modified.
- Move the oldest folders to the Trash. Delete whole backup folders only, never files inside a folder.
- Empty the Trash.
A backup with files missing from inside its folder won’t restore. If you aren’t sure which folder is which, use Method 1 or 2 instead.
When a backup won’t delete
The Delete button is greyed out
Storage settings can’t remove a backup while Finder is syncing or backing up a device. Disconnect your iPhone, quit any app that talks to it, such as Music or Photos, and try again.
The space doesn’t come back
Empty the Trash first. If the number in Storage settings still hasn’t moved, a Time Machine local snapshot may hold the deleted backup. It expires within a day, or you can remove it now with our guide on clearing purgeable space on a Mac.
Terminal says Operation not permitted
macOS protects the backup folder from apps that lack permission. Use Storage settings or Finder instead. If you need Terminal, give it Full Disk Access in System Settings, then Privacy & Security, and remove that access again when you finish.
Delete old iPhone software update files too
If you once updated or restored an iPhone from a Mac, the iOS software file may still be there. On older macOS, look in ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates. Each file can run to several gigabytes, and your Mac downloads a fresh one whenever it needs it, so old ones are safe to remove. On newer macOS, they appear under iOS Files in Storage settings.
Which iPhone backup should you keep?
- Keep the newest backup of every device you still use, unless that device also backs up to iCloud.
- Keep an older backup if it is from before you erased or reset a phone and you might need something from it.
- Delete backups of phones and iPads you sold, gave away or replaced.
- Delete duplicate backups of the same device. Only the newest restores your current setup.
iCloud backups are separate
Deleting a backup on your Mac doesn’t touch iCloud, and the reverse is also true. To review iCloud backups, open System Settings, click your name, then iCloud, then Manage, then Backups. Clearing those frees iCloud storage, not disk space on your Mac.
Stop backups filling your Mac again
If you have iCloud storage to spare, switch your iPhone to iCloud Backup. On the iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, then iCloud Backup, and turn it on. Your Mac then stops collecting local copies. If you prefer local backups, delete the previous one whenever you replace a device.
Backups are often the reason a macOS update says the disk is full. If that is why you are here, read what to do when there isn’t enough space to update your Mac next.
Find backups and other space hogs with MyMacStorage
MyMacStorage is a native Mac storage cleaner. It scans on your Mac, so no file names leave the device, and lists everything with its size before you clear anything. It costs $14.99 once, with no subscription. Learn more on the home page.