Looking to store an iTunes backup of your iPhone or iPad for safekeeping? Archiving an iTunes backup allows you to preserve a specific device backup without it being overwritten by new backups. This is especially useful if you plan on trying out beta versions of iOS. Here’s how you can archive an iTunes backup on both Mac and Windows:
Archiving an iTunes Backup on Mac and Windows
- Open iTunes on your Mac or Windows computer.
- If you haven’t already, create a new encrypted backup in iTunes to have a backup ready for archiving.
- Click on the iTunes menu and select “Preferences”.
- In the Preferences window, go to the “Devices” tab.
- Locate the device backup you want to archive in the Device Backups list, right-click on it, and select “Archive”.
- Verify that your iPhone or iPad backup is archived by checking for a lock icon and date stamp on the backup. Click “OK” to exit iTunes preferences once done.
Note: In macOS Catalina and later, the same process is performed in the Finder instead of iTunes.
Identifying Archived Backups in iTunes
Archived backups can be easily identified in the device list by the presence of a lock icon and a timestamp.
You can unarchive a backup by right-clicking on it in the Devices settings list. It’s also possible to delete backups directly from iTunes.
Remember to encrypt your backups in iTunes to ensure that all sensitive and health-related data is included in the backup. Backing up to iCloud is already encrypted by default and doesn’t require manual encryption.
Lastly, keep in mind that you cannot back up iCloud backups. If you wish to keep a backup on your iPhone or iPad, you’ll need to use iTunes and archive the backup there or use a Mac running macOS Catalina or later.
Benefits of Archiving an iTunes Backup
- This guide is free to read.
- Provides a convenient way for users to archive their iTunes backups.
- No cost associated with accessing the guide.
FAQs: How to Archive an iTunes Backup of iPhone or iPad
Q: What does this guide cover?
This guide covers the process of archiving an iTunes backup of an iPhone or iPad.
Q: How can this guide be helpful?
This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to archive an iTunes backup, which can be extremely helpful for users who want to preserve specific device backups.
Q: Which devices are supported?
This guide is applicable to Apple devices only.
Q: What operating systems are supported?
This guide supports macOS and iOS.
If you have any further questions or need additional assistance with archiving iTunes backups, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us through the comment section below or our contact page.
Disclaimer: This guide is intended for educational purposes only. If you believe any information in this guide is incorrect, please notify us. If you would like to contribute alternative methods for archiving iTunes backups, please contact us.
