I need to download the iphone backup file from icloud, to my local hard drive.

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AZsport115 Author

Level 1

46 points

I need to download the iphone backup file from icloud, to my local hard drive.

I need to download my iphone's backup file from icloud, to my local hard drive. How do I do that?

iPhone XR

Posted on Dec 18, 2019 5:03 PM

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Answer 1

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Lawrence Finch

Level 10

211,946 points

Dec 18, 2019 5:09 PM in response to AZsport115

The only thing you can do with an iCloud backup is restore it to an iOS device, which is the purpose of an iCloud backup. There are some apps for your computer that can view the contents of an iCloud backup, as long as you know the iCloud ID and password that were used when the backup was created.

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Answer 2

AZsport115 Author

Level 1

46 points

Dec 18, 2019 5:19 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

I deleted a conversation I need back. That conversation is in my icloud iphone backup file. If I restore my iphone from that backup, the conversation should be there at least for a moment, but when that restored iphone syncs with icloud, it will remove that conversation again. See the issue?

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Answer 3

Dec 18, 2019 5:24 PM in response to AZsport115

I do, but downloading the iCloud backup if you could do it won’t solve it. As I suggested, look for an app for your computer that can read an iCloud backup and display its contents. I know that icloudbackupextractor can, and I’ve been told that iMazing can. But there is no way to restore the conversation to the messages app without restoring the entire backup to the phone, which will overwrite everything else on the phone also.

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Answer 4

AZsport115 Author

Level 1

46 points

Dec 18, 2019 5:31 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

I was hoping to download the icloud backup because I know it has that conversation. Then I would be able to keep it until I figured out what to do. As it is, fairly soon that icloud backup will be overwritten by a new backup. My phone usually does this sometime in the middle of the night.

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Answer 5

AZsport115 Author

Level 1

46 points

Dec 19, 2019 2:01 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

I thought about it. But ultimately found no way to do it. When I restore an old backup (which I need to login to icloud to do), it immediately updates all messages as soon as the backup is restored. And if your messages are on the server, it appears they aren't even included in your backups at all. So that was puzzling and disappointing. I appreciate your suggestions however!

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