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Accessing all Backups

Due to some glitches in my iPhoto Library I wanted to attempt to retrieve some old photos I had taken on my iPhone 6 a month back, so I thought instead of buying a software specific to retrieving lost photos I would just retrieve the photos through an old backup to save me some time and money. My phone is on automatic backup so logically speaking it should have a backup from a month ago, but when I go to look at my backup files I have my most recent one (today) and then a backup from a year ago. I tried accessing them through ~Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup, but I couldn't find anything there that wasn't already showing up in iTunes.


So, my question here is if there is anyway to the access the data from these previous backups that are not saved on iTunes or hidden within the ~Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup?


And if there isn't a way to access this data I guess I just want to know what happens when my iPhone backups every time I plug it into my Mac?

MacBook Pro

Posted on Jul 29, 2015 8:16 AM

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2 replies

Jul 29, 2015 10:41 AM in response to eleanora_d

If you don't want your iPhone to back up every time you connect it go to iTunes Preferences, Devices tab, and check the box to not sync automatically.


The iPhone backup is "incremental;" that means that each time it backs up it includes only data that has changed since the previous backup. So there is only one backup, the most recent. As you have a Mac, you can force it to save a specific backup and start a new one. In iTunes Preferences, Devices tab, right click on a backup and choose "Archive". That backup will be preserved forever (until you delete it), and the next backup will be new.


You can also back up to iCloud. The best way to do that is to switch to iCloud backups in iTunes or on the phone. Once set up it will back up once a day when the phone is connected to power and WiFi, automatically. iCloud saves the 3 most recent backups.


See: iTunes: About iOS backups and Optimizing your iOS backup experience (Should I use iTunes or iCloud to back up my iOS device?)


And also take @KiltedTim's and start using Time Machine to back up your computer, if you aren't already. It will cost you about $100 for an external drive, but once you connect the drive it will start backing up your computer every hour.

Accessing all Backups

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