MobileSync Folder in Application Support?

Reawaking this old topic, I also have a HUGE MobileSync folder, so big I can't believe all of it is relevant anymore. If I have all my data on my device just the way I want it, can I delete all this and plug it in to recreate only what is currently relelvant or is there something irreplaceable that lives in this folder?

Sorry to bump an old thread, but is there any way to keep the backups while still clearing out the much-needed space? Could you potentially copy the MobileSync folder (or the MobileSync/Backups folder) over to another hard drive, delete it from your Mac's hard drive, and then when the time comes to restore from a backup, move the Backups folder back into the MobileSync folder?

Look under iTunes > Preferences > Devices. Does iTunes think the backups are still there somehow? Did you empty the trash?

See Relocate iOS device backups for a possible approach to move the backup data off the system drive.

tt2

This folder contains the backups for your iOS devices. You can delete this folder, but then you will not be able to restore from backup should the occasion arise. If you want to shrink the size of the folder, delete unwanted apps, etc... from your devices. If you delete the folder, the next time you sync your iOS devices iTunes will attempt to make a new backup anyway so there isn't really a way around it. I have an iphone and an ipad and my folder is about 5GB. My suggestion is to buy a larger hard drive.

I have the same problem but just found that my file is 200g... I only have 2 iphone 4s at this point, we have had more in the past. Can I just delete all of the back ups and create new ones via iTunes?

Excellent. Thank you.

A couple of notes here:

1. After you delete the superfluous backups in iTunes prefs, wait some minutes before creating new backups from your iDevices. Otherwise, iTunes will crash. No harm done-- just re-open and delete any remaining unwanted directories-- but time wasted. It seems like the backups immediately disappear from the iTunes prefs window, but actually it takes a few minutes for iTunes to actually finish erasing them.

2. I became aware of the large file using a free app called "Disk Inventory X," which provides a graphical representation of your drive(s) and really helps locate large directories on your drive. It is very good. Just be careful before deleting anything to make certain that you arent' deleting something crucial to system operation (the iNode directory, for instance).

3. Happy sailing, and thanks again to everybody on this discussion topic who contributed. I'm so pleased to have finally freed up some space. Saves me having to buy a larger SSD. Sweet!

This helped me as well, thank you. One thing that I did notice, though, was that the space didn't immediately seem available. It wasn't in the Trash but it didn't increase free space until I had rebooted and then emptied Trash.Even so, great information, thanks.

Thanks so much everyone on this post. It saved my 95 gb. I didn't realize that I had backups of divices I haven't had in years. THANK YOU!!! I thought I was going to have to buy a bigger hard drive.

I haven't tried this and I'm not at a place where I will get a chance, but you might try creating a symbolic link to a folder on an external drive, carefully name it the same as the destination folder of the backups, and replace that folder with the link. That way when you run the backup it will think it's going in your library folder, but is actually being sent by the system to your external drive. Again, I'm not at home, so I can't test that.

That's what I've been thinking is probably the most likely solution. I'll have to check it out when I get the chance. Worst case scenario, I just place the old backup folders back into the MobileSync/Backups folder on my hard drive once more. I'll let you know what happens once I've tried it.

What the Duke says.

Disk Inventory X is what brought me here. It shows you the rotten innards of your apparatus. Your urge to delete will rise manifold. Delete with caution, but delete!

Other than that, I find it quite tragic that something as benign as iPhone backups can pile up to 60GB. OSX should issue some kind of warning or at least ask the user whether they want what for some may account to half of their drive filled with ancient backups of their mobile devices.

Unfortunately, I had no luck substituting the Backup folder with an alias. iTunes couldn't back up my devices; there was an error. Instead, I've just moved my backups to another folder on an external hard drive, and I'm leaving them there until I need them again. I've left the Backup alias in my MobileSync folder, but renamed it Stored Backup so that it wouldn't interfere with iTunes, but would still be in a convenient location.

I would recommend that anyone who wants to keep their old backups do this.

Hello,

it seems i have deleted the mobilesync folder with its backups, and now when i try to backup my iphone to mac a message is poping out saying "i do not have enough free space on my mac.

What is the solution? please help to understand.

thanks

in iTunes, go to Preferences > Devices.

If you wish to delete backups, do it there.