How to Back Up Your iPhone to an External SSD

Here’s a simple script to help you back up your iPhone to an external SSD. This script works by creating a symbolic link to redirect the default iPhone backup location on your computer to a folder on your external SSD. It’s a quick way to ensure your iPhone backups end up on your SSD without needing to change any iTunes/Finder settings.

Important Notes

• Mac Only: This script is written for macOS. Windows requires a different approach.
• Backup First: Always back up any existing backups before running this script.
• Compatibility: Works on macOS Catalina and later with Finder, or on older versions with iTunes.

Step 1: Format Your SSD

Make sure your external SSD is formatted in a compatible format, such as APFS or ExFAT, to work with both Mac and Windows.

Step 2: Run the Script

1. Connect your SSD to your Mac.
2. Open Terminal.
3. Run the following script, replacing "MySSD" and "Backups" with the name of your SSD and desired backup folder name.

   # Step 1: Define backup path on SSD
   SSD_NAME="MySSD"  # Replace with your SSD name
   BACKUP_FOLDER="Backups"  # Name of the folder for iPhone backups
   BACKUP_PATH="/Volumes/$SSD_NAME/$BACKUP_FOLDER"

   # Step 2: Create the backup directory on SSD if it doesn’t exist
   mkdir -p "$BACKUP_PATH"

   # Step 3: Move existing iPhone backup folder to SSD (if any)
   mv ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/Backup "$BACKUP_PATH"

   # Step 4: Create a symbolic link from the default backup location to the SSD folder
   ln -s "$BACKUP_PATH" ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/Backup

   echo "iPhone backup location successfully moved to $BACKUP_PATH on your external SSD!"

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Step 3: Back Up Your iPhone

1. Open Finder (macOS Catalina or later) or iTunes (macOS Mojave and earlier).
2. Connect your iPhone, select it in Finder/iTunes, and click Back Up Now.
3. The backup will now be saved on your external SSD.

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Reverting Back to the Default Location

If you ever want to switch back to backing up on your Mac, delete the symbolic link and move the backup folder back to its original location:

rm ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/Backup
mv "$BACKUP_PATH" ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/Backup

This script makes managing iPhone backups on an external SSD simple and safe, keeping your Mac’s storage free and your data secure!