iTunes can backup your iPhone, iPad and iPod and save a copy of all its data on computer (Mac, PC). If you back up your iOS devices, you may find they require a lot of hard disk space. In case you want to free up space on your PC, you can delete the old iPhone/iPad/iPod backup files. In the future if you like to prevent iTunes from saving iPhone iPad iPod backups to the system drive in Windows OS, and free up more space in system partition on PC, you can refer to this quick tip to change iTunes backup directory to a new drive and move iTunes backups there.
Delete iPhone Backups in iTunes
The easiest way to delete iTunes backup from computer is to delete them within iTunes. To delete an iPhone backup, you can open iTunes on your Mac or PC, then go to Edit >> Preferences (if using Windows) >> Devices…highlight the backup listed, click delete to remove the iOS backup files for iPhone, iPad or iPod.
Once you open the Devices Preferences of iTunes, the General tab opens by default, you need to switch to Devices tab to find all iPhone iPad iPod backups in iTunes and delete iTunes backups from computer.
Delete iPhone/iPad/iPod backup files from Computer Hard Disk Directly
You can also find the backup files from your hard disk and directly remove them in Windows Explorer or Finder. But where to find and delete iTunes backup files windows 10, windows 7, windows 8 / vista / xp if I am on a PC? Where iTunes backups are stored on my computer if I am a Mac user?
The folder where your backup data are stored varies depending on the computer’s operating system. Make sure the backup folder is included in your periodic data-backup routine.
Where are the iTunes backup files saved on PC or Mac computer?
By default iTunes places the iOS backup files in the following places or locations:
iTunes Backup on Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\(username)\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\
Note: To quickly access the Application Data folder, click Start, and choose Run. Type %appdata% and click OK.
iTunes Backup on Windows Vista and Windows 7, Windows 8, windows 10: \Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\
Note: To quickly access the AppData folder, click Start. In the search bar, type %appdata% and press the Return key.
iTunes Backup on Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
Notes before you delete iTunes backups
- iTunes can back up your settings, Messages, Camera Roll, documents, saved games, and other data. Backups do not contain content synced to the device, such as movies, music, podcasts, and apps.
- By removing iTunes backup files from your computer, you may lose above mentioned data. Do it at your own risk.
- Once a backup of you iPhone, iPad or iPod has been cleaned from your computer hard disk, go you check your disk usage, you will find that you have saved a lot of valuable space by removing the single iTunes backup.