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How to Backup iPhone 16 to External Hard Drive via Windows/Mac
Posted by Paula Pailaga to iOS Backup&Restore Oct 18, 2024
Although cloud storage could help you back up your iPhone, you must spend money. In terms of backing up iPhones to desktops, though they have a large storage capacity, they could eventually reach their limits. In these cases, it is vital to have extra storage, like an external hard drive, to backup the iPhone. Now, in case you don’t know how to back up an iPhone to an external hard drive, this post collects 3 feasible ways for you! Explore them now.
Guide List
Why You Need to Backup iPhone 16 to External Drive Easiest Way to Backup iPhone to External Drive [Windows/Mac] How to Backup iPhone to External Drive on Windows 11/10 Backup iPhone 16 Data to External Drive on Mac FAQs about How to Backup iPhone to External DriveWhy You Need to Backup iPhone 16 to External Drive
Before jumping to this post’s 3 featured ways to back up an iPhone to an external drive, you first need to understand why you need to back up your iPhone to the external hard drive. Well, backing up an iPhone to an external hard drive also provides benefits that other types of storage can’t provide. Now, to make tracking those benefits easier, here is the list of reasons why you need to back up your iPhone to an external drive.
- External hard drives can be used for 3 to 5 years after purchase.
- External hard drives can be quickly taken and accessed anywhere and anytime.
- External hard drives are not prone to possible data loss once a computer’s system crashes or other troublesome issues.
Easiest Way to Backup iPhone to External Drive [Windows/Mac]
That’s it! Those are a few reasons to back up an iPhone to an external drive. Now, to finally start the journey of exploring this post’s 3 featured ways, the first option you can use is the 4Easysoft iOS Data Backup and Restore tool! This Windows and Mac-compatible tool lets you quickly backup your iPhone to the external drive. It lets you simultaneously backup 20+ kinds of data, such as media files, contacts, messages, call history, etc., to an external drive. Moreover, this tool lets you see and select which files you wish to backup. Thanks to its comprehensive preview feature!
The encrypted mode feature to encrypt iPhone data with a password to protect it.
Capable of backing up a batch of iPhone data in batch with one click.
Guarantee no data loss during the iPhone to external hard drive backup process.
Capable of accommodating almost all iPhone models (iPhone 16).
100% Secure
100% Secure
How to Backup iPhone to External Hard Drive Using 4Easysoft iOS Data Backup and Restore:
Step 1Download and install the 4Easysoft iOS Data Backup and Restore on your computer. Then, launch the tool, select the "iOS Data Backup and Restore" option, and click the "iOS Data Backup" button. Next, link your iPhone (using a USB cord) and external drive to the computer.
Step 2After that, choose between the "Standard backup or Encrypted backup" modes. If you want to backup personal data, select "Encrypted backup" mode. Then, tick the "Start" button to jump into the next step.
Step 3Next, select the data you wish to back up on the list of options. Then, click the "Next" button, click the "More" button, and select the "external hard drive" that you have plugged in earlier.
Step 4Then, tick the "Backup" button to start backing the data you selected earlier to your external hard drive. And there you have it! Those are the simple steps to back up an iPhone to an external drive using this tool!
How to Backup iPhone to External Drive on Windows 11/10
Apart from the most straightforward way above, you can also backup the iPhone to an external hard drive on Windows 11/10 directly. With this option, you don’t have to use any third-party tool. However, this option is quite laborious and challenging to perform. If that’s okay with you, then here are the steps showing you how to back up your iPhone to an external hard drive on your Windows 11/10:
Step 1First, you need to back up your iPhone using iTunes. Once you are done backing up your iPhone, head to your Windows "Search bar", type the "%appdata%", and press the "Enter" key.
Step 2After that, navigate to the "Apple Computer or Apple", select the "MobileSync" folder, and access the "Backup" folder. Then, use the "Date Modified" information to identify the latest backup you have made.
Step 3Next, plug in your "external hard drive" to your computer, access the "This PC" location, and open the "external hard drive" directory. From there, create a new folder and name it "iPhone Backup" or something that can be recognized as your iPhone backup.
Step 4Then, go back to the Step 2 directory, copy the iPhone backup folder, and paste it into the folder (iPhone Backup) you created earlier.
Backup iPhone 16 Data to External Drive on Mac
Otherwise, if you are using a Mac, backing up an iPhone 16 data to an external hard drive requires you to take many steps to back up your iPhone. But, despite that, by doing this, you can efficiently backup your iPhone to your external drive. So, how do you backup an iPhone to an external hard drive on a Mac? Here are the steps you should follow:
Step 1Run the Finder or iTunes on your Mac and connect your iPhone via a USB cable. Then, click the "Back Up Now" button under the "Manually Back Up and Restore" section. After that, wait for iTunes to finish the backing-up process.
Step 2Once done, tick the "Search" icon at the top right corner of your Mac screen and search for the "~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync" directory. Then, locate the most recent backup, right-click on it, and tick the "copy" option.
Step 3After that, plug in your external hard drive and head to the locations on your Finder’s left-hand menu. Then, paste the backup file there.
FAQs about How to Backup iPhone to External Drive
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How to back up your iPhone using iTunes on Windows?
To back up your iPhone with iTunes on Windows, link your iPhone to your computer and launch the updated version of iTunes. Then, click the Device button, select the Summary tab, and tick the Back Up Now button.
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How do you find iPhone backup on Mac?
To see your recent iPhone backups on Mac, launch the iTunes/Finder on your computer and click your Device. After that, under the General tab, click Manage Backups to view the list of backups. Then, right-click on the backup and select Show in the Finder option.
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Is it possible to backup an iPhone to an external drive without utilizing a computer?
If you currently don’t have a computer and wish to backup your iPhone to the external hard drive, you need to use a USB to lighting adapter. Use this adapter to connect both your iPhone and the external drive. After that, you can now move iPhone data to the drive.
Conclusion
That’s it! Those are the 3 feasible ways to backup the iPhone to an external drive on Windows/Mac. With these 3 ways, you can now definitely backup all of your iPhone data to an external hard drive. If you find the last two options laborious and challenging to execute, you can use the powerful 4Easysoft iOS Data Backup and Restore tool instead. With this tool’s powerful data backup features, you can easily, efficiently, and quickly transfer iPhone data to the external drive. To discover more about this tool, visit its official website today.
