Can I change iTunes backup location windows 10: Here’s How to

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Are you exploring the way to change the iTunes backup location on Windows? I know you find it because, while you’re taken your full iOS device backup using iTunes. In the end, you’ll get an iTunes error that says you: The ‘’iTunes could not back up the iPhone ‘’howtoisolve iPhone’’ because not enough free space is available on this computer. As well as removing files and emptying the Recycle Bin will free up additional space.

If you’re right now bother via this iTunes error message. Then get here potential solutions to change iPhone backup location on Windows. For this you’ve to need to navigate the native location of iTunes backup (Change iTunes backup location on Windows) on your computer, that’s you also getting here with steps.

How to Change iTunes Backup Location on Windows

No matter, why do you want to change the iTunes backup location on Windows PC, this tutorial will help you do so. We’ve covered every detail as much as possible for better understanding, and don’t worry, whether you have downloaded the iTunes from the Website or installed from the Windows Store, everything is mentioned step-by-step, so read it carefully.

We do not suggest using removable storage as your backup location, rather choose one from your PC.

  1. Create a new backup folder, in any drive, and rename it, for instance, I’ve created in D drive and named it “iTunes Backup 2021”.
  2. Go to the Run, press the Windows button + R, or search Run in the Type here to search section located in the taskbar.
  3. Now there are two versions of iTunes many users are currently using, one is downloaded from the website, and the other is downloaded from the Microsoft Store, depending upon the iTunes app you are using, follow the next step.
  4. For the iTunes Downloaded from the website, type or paste, the following command into the Run box,
  • %APPDATA%\Apple Computer\MobileSync
  1. For the iTunes downloaded from the Microsoft Windows Store, type or paste, in the Run box
  • C:\Users\[USERNAME]\Apple\MobileSync,

NOTE: Here C letter represents the Primary Partition Drive for your PC, replace C with your PC’s primary disk, and replace the USERNAME with the name of your PC.

  1. Click OK after pasting the command in the Run.
  2. That Run command will take you to the default directory where the backups are stored, which is MobileSync and a folder named Backup. If it appears, continue to next step.
  3. Rename the Backup folder to prevent any overriding between folder’s names, while using symbolic links. Right-click on the Backup folder and select the Rename option, and change it to “Backup.old” or anything you find helpful to remember.
  4. Open the PowerShell window, to do so, hold the Shift button and right-click anywhere in the File Explorer and choose Open PowerShell window here.
  5. Once the PowerShell opens up, type, or paste the following command, by making necessary changes.
  6. For the iTunes downloaded from the website (the desktop version),
  • cmd /c mklink /J “%APPDATA%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup” “D:\iTunes Backup 2021”
  1. Remember the new folder that we have created in Step 1? Replace D:\iTunes Backup 2021 with your path.
  2. For the iTunes downloaded from Windows Store,
  • cmd /c mklink /J “C:\Users\[USERNAME]\Apple\MobileSync\Backup” “D:\iTunes Backup 2021”
  1. You have to replace the C with your Primary Drive and USERNAME with the Windows name and D:\iTunes Backup 2021 with the path where you’ve created a new Backup folder in Step 1.
  2. After entering the command, hit Enter to fire the command.
  3. If I guess, everything is going perfectly, and then the Backup folder symbolized as a Shortcut Folder will appear in the MobileSync folder.
  4. One of the best things about this is, whatever you paste in the Backup folder stored in the MobileSync directory, it will appear in the new iTunes backup, which we’ll do in the upcoming steps.
  5. Close the PowerShell window.
  6. Go to the old in the MobileSync directory and cut & paste the backups into the new Backup folder that appeared with the Shortcut symbol.
  7. Wait until the backup files are moved into the Backup folder.
  8. From now on the new iTunes backup will be stored in the new location.
  9. Now we’ll create a new backup of your iPhone using iTunes.
  10. Connect the iPhone to the PC using the lightning cable.
  11. Open iTunes.
  12. Select your iPhone as usual.
  13. Go to the Backup option from the Summary
  14. Select This computer as a file location and click on Back Up Now.
  15. Once the backup finished, visit the “D:\iTunes Backup 2021” location and verify if the backup is there or not, by checking the Date and Time of the folder.
  16. Whenever you’ll restore the iPhone, the pop-up will ask you to Restore the latest iTunes Back with the date.

Note: If you have followed all these steps on Removable Drive, then don’t forget to connect the same drive while taking or restoring the backup of the iPhone. Using more than one removable drive can create chaos, so maintain the order while plugging the removable drive.

Change iTunes backup location to external hard drive Windows 10

How do I backup iPhone to external drive using windows 10 Computer? If your hard drive (HDD or SSD) on your PC is smaller than your iPhone memory. Then you will have to Change iTunes backup location to external hard drive Windows 10.

For that, you simply have to create a symbolic (virtual) link in Windows computer, to a folder on your external drive. A tiny well known Windows Key command will let you to use iTunes to back up your phone to a USB hard drive directly.

Step #1. First of all, force closes iTunes if the Apple program is open on your PC.

Step #2. Now, Connect the external USB hard drive you want to use to store videos, pictures, and full backup from your Apple iPhone to the Windows computer.

After it, Wait a couple of seconds for Windows OS to detect your device and configure it for use.

Suppose Windows Pc displays an AutoPlay pop-up screen or asks you what to do with the drive, close the window.

Step #3. Click “Windows-J” to open the File Explorer program. 

Step #4. now click “Computer” and note the drive letter assigned to the external hard drive by Windows.

Step #5. Connect the data sync lighting to a USB cable to the iPhone and a second USB port on the PC. If iTunes opens on the computer, terminate it.

Step #6. Click “Window-R” to open a Run box. Type “cmd” into the Run box and press “Enter.” If a User Account Control window opens after pressing Enter, click “Yes.” A Command Prompt window opens.

Step #7. Type the following command at the prompt and press the “Enter” key:

mklink /J “C:\Users\yourWindowsusername\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup” “f:\iPhoneBackup”

Change the “yourWindowsusername” variable to the actual username of your Windows account. Change the “f” in “f:\iPhoneBackup” to the drive letter assigned by Windows to the external hard drive. 

Change the “iPhoneBackup” variable to the folder’s name on the hard drive in which you want to save the backup.

Step #8. Open iTunes on your computer, and wait a few seconds for the program to detect Apple mobile. Then Click the iPhone in the Devices list.

Step #9. Now Press “File” on the menu bar. 

Step #10. Select “Devices,” and then click “Back Up.” Enable the “This computer” option on the “Summary” tab and click “Back Up Now.” Wait a few seconds for iTunes to back up the iPhone usually.

Step #11. Click “Windows-J” to open File Explorer if you closed it. Click “Computer,” and then double-click the drive letter of the external hard drive. 

Open the designated folder on the hard drive to view the backup file from iTunes.

That’s it.

Remove the Symbolic Link

You can remove the symbolic link from the Windows PC, it won’t delete or affect the backups stored on the PC. Executing a command in PowerShell will remove the Backup Shortcut folder which was earlier appeared automatically.

  1. Hold the Shift key and right-click on the empty space in the File Explorer and select Open PowerShell windows here. Open the PowerShell in the MobileSync directory.
  2. Enter the following command,
  • cmd /c rmdir D:\iTunes Backup 2021
  1. Replace the path as per your new iTunes backup folder location.
  2. Once the command is executed the new iTunes backup folder will be removed automatically, you can create the Backup folder and paste all the backups from the old backup location, things will get normal.

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Karly Wood

Karly Wood is a journalist based in Ohio who specializes in covering Apple and technology trends. With a varied experience in reporting on public safety, government, and education, her insights bridge multiple disciplines, providing readers with a well-rounded perspective on today's technological advancements. If you need to contact me, you can reach me at [email protected] or through (Facebook)

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