How to delete old iPhone and iPad backups on a Mac

In short

• In Finder, select the device, click General, then Manage Backups, then right-click a backup and choose Delete.
• A deleted backup can't be recovered, so make sure you have a newer copy first.
• Backups are kept in ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/.
• iCloud backups are separate, and deleting one on your Mac doesn't touch them.

Before you delete one

Apple is plain about this: after you delete a backup, you can't recover it. A local backup is only worth deleting if you won't need to restore from it.

• Check you have a newer copy. A newer backup of the same device, or a recent iCloud backup, means the old one is safe to lose.
• Old devices deserve a second look. A backup of a phone you no longer have may be the only copy of what was on it.
• Want to keep one for good? Choose Archive. Apple says an archived backup won't be replaced by later backups.

How to delete a backup in Finder

1. Connect the device. Open Finder and connect your iPhone or iPad with a USB cable. If you're asked, tap Trust on the device and enter your passcode.
2. Open its backups. Select the device in Finder's sidebar, click the General tab, then click Manage Backups.
3. Delete the one you don't need. Right-click the backup and choose Delete. Apple's menu also offers Archive and Show In Finder.
4. Finish. Click OK when you're done.

These are Apple's steps. Deleting a backup from your Mac doesn't change anything on the iPhone itself.

Where backups are stored

Apple gives the folder as ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/. To open it, choose Go → Go to Folder in Finder and paste that in. Each backup is one folder with a long name made of letters and numbers, which is why Manage Backups is easier: it shows the device name and the date.

If you remove a backup by dragging it to the Trash, the space only comes back when you empty the Trash.

iCloud backups are separate

Backups on your Mac and backups in iCloud are different things. Deleting one on your Mac doesn't touch iCloud, and it doesn't give you any iCloud storage back. Those are managed in your iCloud settings.

How StorageJanitor handles backups

It lists each backup with its size and marks it Check first, because you can't get one back once it is really gone. Removing one moves it to the Trash, so you can still change your mind until you empty it.

Questions people ask

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