Method To Change iTunes Backup Location In Windows 10

iTunes is a program developed by Apple that you can use to play and manage your media files on Apple devices. iTunes is also available for Windows users. You can install it either from the Microsoft Store as an app or download its installer file from Apple’s official website to install it as software. The default installation location of iTunes is the C drive. However, the size of the backup increases with time. Hence, it is a good idea to change its location from the C drive to another drive.

Where is the iTunes Backup Location in Windows 10?

The default iTunes Backup Location in Windows 10 varies, depending on how iTunes was installed on your computer.

If iTunes was installed from Windows Store, iTunes Backup will be located at C:\Users\UserName\Apple\MobileSync.

If iTunes was installed from outside Windows Store, the backup of your iPhone should be available at path C:\Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync.

Generally, if Windows users want to change the iTunes Backup Location on a Windows computer, the common method is to create a Symbolic Link between the old backup location and the new one. In computing, a Symbolic Link or Symlink is used to point a file or folder in one location to the file or folder in another location. The Symlink for a particular file or folder looks like a shortcut for the users but it is not just a shortcut. Now, let’s see how to change the iTunes backup location in Windows 10.

Method to Change iTunes Backup Location

1. 1. Open the Run box by pressing the Win + R keys and enter the following commands based on the type of iTunes program you have installed on your device to open the MobileSync folder in File Explorer.
      For iTunes for Windows PC: %APPDATA%\Apple Computer\MobileSync
      For iTunes app from Microsoft Store: %USERPROFILE%\Apple\MobileSync
   2. You will see the Backup folder inside the MobileSync folder. Now, you can move the Backup folder to any directory on your computer. For example, I have created a folder with the name iTunes Backup on my hard disk partition New Volume F and have moved the Backup folder inside this folder.
   3. Run Command Prompt as administrator, and enter the following commands based on the type of iTunes program you have installed to create a Symlink for the Backup folder:
      For iTunes for Windows PC:
      mklink /J “%APPDATA%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup” “F:\iTunes Backup”
      For iTunes app from the Microsoft Store:
      mklink /J “%USERPROFILE%\Apple\MobileSync\Backup” “F:\iTunes Backup”

It is noted that you have to replace the F:\iTunes Backup string with your target folder location. If things go properly, you should now see a Symlink created in MobileSync Folder.

Can I Delete the Backup Folder When Creating a Symbolic Link?

When creating a symbolic link, you have the choice to either rename, move or delete the folder. Deleting the folder outright isn’t recommended, even if you succeed in creating a symbolic link. The original backup folder contains older backup files that you may need if you encounter a system error.

Automatic backups usually have files with different timestamps to restore your system to a time before encountering an error. Deleting the default backup folder outright will deprive you of those timestamped backup files.

Conclusion

With the help of the above method, you can easily move the iTunes backup folder to free up space without breaking anything in the process. Besides, going by our experience, it is not recommended to change the iTunes Backup Location to an external storage drive, as it is known to corrupt backup files and cause problems while restoring iPhones.