How to change the iTunes backup location

Bonjour,

J'essaie tant bien que mal de déplacer ce Backup et de créer un lien symbolique. Cependant, la seule réponse que j'ai est: illegal option -- /

Je vous laisse le chemin que j'utilise et si une âme charitable veut bien m'aiguiller. Merci :)

ln -s/Volumes/VERBATIM\ HD/SAUVEGARDE\ IPHONE/ ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/Backup ln: illegal option -- / usage: ln [-Ffhinsv] source_file [target_file] ln [-Ffhinsv] source_file ... target_dir link source_file target_file

Backing up to remote Synology server (not local). All you need:

mkdir /Volumes/Backup
mount  -t afp  afp://username:password@[address to yourserver]/homes/[destination to your backup folder]/Volumes/Backup
#  (below w/o backup folder inside )
ln -s /Volumes/backup/ ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/Backup

thanks

Exactly what I needed. I don't want to store on my MacBook as it takes 200GB. This allows me to move to a Time Capsule. I don't use Time Machine but I use Time Capsule as a network drive and another copy of the whole Time Capsule to another network drive.

I've got the symbolic link created, but my iPhone back up still goes to the original C: drive location. When I look on my k: drive, I do not see the symbolic link file subdirectory even though it said it was created.

How do I figure out the my desired new backup location path? I want to use an external drive.

A fix to the insufficient permissions error--

Since I got the permissions insufficient in both cmd and powershell. First you search cmd and then right click the command prompt app and run as admin. Navigate to the directory using the cd command ex.(cd c:\users\youruser\apple\mobilesync). once in the directory you can use the (mklink /d backup [new directory]) command listed in the article. That worked for me.

As a side note, when using the cd command to navigate remember that you will likely have to put any folders with a space in the name inside quotation marks ex.(cd c:\users\"this user"\apple\mobilesync). hopefully this helps some avoid the hassle of having to figure out this process if you get that persistent insufficient permissions response.

Hello Aidan!

So I'm trying to change the backup path on Windows, and of course get the "insufficient privilege" error in the regular Powershell. So I ran it as administrator by typing it in the search bar and it said it created the symbolic link to the location, so I restarted my PC & tried updating iOs but the backup still went through to the original location (my hard drive, while I wanna change it to an external one simply 'cause I don't have enough space left on the former, lol).

So I guess my question is: how do I run Powershell in the MobileSync window as admin/how do I get the one I open through the search bar as admin to go to the MobileSync folder location so I can properly create the symbolic link & switch it up? :/

P.S. I did skip step one if I'm being honest, but only did so 'cause I already found the location manually, then proceeded to follow the instructions w/ renaming the folder, etc. Might this be the reason why it's not working? If so, shall I re-rename it to its original "Backup" name and try it again with the 1st step? I doubt it since I can't get the Powershell to go to the MobileSync location while I run it as admin to begin with/can't change it without running it as admin in the aforementioned window...Then again what do I know, lol.

P.P.S. Does the admin-run Powershell not need the MobileSync path to be put in and can successfully render the switcheroo by typing the featured command right after the "system32" path? If so, what seems to be the problem?

I was hoping to update my iOS tonight, and am getting more & more frustrated as we speak. Sorry for the post being so jumbled, hope all's clear. Thanks for the help!

I tried it, the following error popped up .. Plz advise

PS C:\Users\EC\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync> mklink /d Backup "[G:\MD\I phone 7 Backup files]"

mklink : The term 'mklink' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program.
Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.
At line:1 char:1
+ mklink /d Backup "[G:\MD\I phone 7 Backup files]"
+ ~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (mklink:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException

I'm trying to do this on Mac OS 10.14.6 (Mohave), but when I try Step 5, I receive a "Operation Not Permitted" message. Any ideas...?

Thank you for the article. Here are a few notes to help somebody.

• Run CMD or PowerShell as admin (right click)
• Change directory CD (include space). Example: CD C:\Users\Username (change this)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync
• Command (this is from this article). Example: mklink /d Backup "L:\Users\XYZ"

I'm still having trouble with permissions, when I open up powershell in admin I get a command line PS C:\Windows\System32> I don't seem to be able to open it in admin mode from the file path of the itunes back up.

Thanks for this assistance! I too got stuck on the "you do not have sufficient privilege to perform this operation." I then followed your advice in the comments above and ran Powershell as an administrator, but the Powershell window that opens from the MobileSync folder doesn't seem to recognize that and keeps giving me the same message. What do I do from here? Thanks!

У меня выдает ошибку в PowerShell mklink : Имя "mklink" не распознано как имя командлета, функции, файла сценария или выполняемой программы. Проверьте правильность написания имени, а также наличие и правильность пути, после чего повторите попытку. строка:1 знак:1 + mklink /d Backup "[desired-new-backup-path]" + ~~~~~~ + CategoryInfo : ObjectNotFound: (mklink:String) [], CommandNotFoundException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException

Hi Aidan, Thanks for your amazing instructions!

I have run them on my Mac but got an error saying "Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup: No such file or directory". I guess this happened because I have renamed the old "Backup" file. Actually, it also confuses me a lot when u say "Once the 'Backup' folder has been renamed.../Backup", as the original "Backup" file doesn't exist anymore(right?)

Looking forward to your further clarification. Thanks :)

hi i get this message when i try and finalize the path: "You do not have sufficient privilege to perform this operation." It's my computer and i understand it has to do with admin rights but how do i run windows powershell as admin?

If I were to delete the backup symlink in the itunes MobileSync folder,how will that affect the backup folder i used for the symlink in my other drive? Will the files inside the backup folder in my other drive be unusable?

Great work. How do you come up with this stuff? Did the manual method on Windows 10 using the command prompt with admin privilges and am now backing up my iphones etc to my NAS drive. Saving about 4Gb on my SSD on my laptop. Thank you.

You do not have sufficient privilege to perform this operation. It's my computer, who is not letting me change things on it?

Works like a charm! I followed the instructions for manually changing the iTunes iOS backup folder on Windows (through PowerShell). It is exactly what I was looking for to free up space on my C: drive. Thank you so much Aidan!

Thank you for this

Hi thanks for this. I get an error saying:

Local volumes are required to complete the operation.

How can I fix this please? Thanks

Awesome instructions, thank you! I think there is a typo on step 5 for Mac. The command line is written as -s [desired-new-backup-path] ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/Backup but the folder "Support/MobileSync/Backup" doesn't exist since we moved/deleted it. I had to change it to "Support/MobileSync" and then the folder I linked to was called "Backup".

hi ! i did all the steps but i kinda don't get where is the new backup location now ?

Firstly Aidan - thank you very much for this.

My main drive is a (relatively) small SSD and I would like to be able to save my iTunes backups to the NAS setup instead. You have provided a fantastic workaround!

One thing I wasn't sure about was at step 3 (Windows) - when you right-click (to choose "Open PowerShell window here"), is that in the Explorer window of the now renamed Backup folder? Eg, in the now-named "BackupOld" folder window?

And how do you reverse it on Windows PC ? Thx

Aidan, I don't understand your instructions in How to change the iTunes backup location. What do you mean by prefix your command in PowerShell with cmd /c, like mklink /J Backup "[desired-new-backup-path]".