{"id":"freeing-space.can-storage-studio-help-with-ios-device-backups","url":"/faq/freeing-space/can-storage-studio-help-with-ios-device-backups","category":{"id":"freeing-space","title":"Freeing up space"},"subcategory":{"id":"caches","title":"Caches and clutter"},"question":"My iPhone backups are taking up lots of space — can Storage Studio help?","alt_questions":["iOS device backups using space on Mac","Move iPhone backups to external drive","iPad backups huge on MacBook","Where are iPhone backups and can I move them?","Storage Studio iOS backups"],"short_answer":"Yes. What's Using Space lists your iPhone and iPad backups and can move them to your fast drive — copied, checked, then freed from your Mac. Connect the drive before backing up or restoring a device; Move back… returns them.","answer_markdown":"Yes. What's Using Space lists the iPhone and iPad backups Finder keeps on your Mac under **Space held by backups**, with how much they hold and how old they are. With your fast drive connected, **Move to fast drive…** copies them there, checks every file arrived, and only then frees the space on your Mac.\n\nKeep in mind Finder then backs up to the drive — so plug it in before you back up or restore a device. **Move back…** returns them to your Mac at any time. If a backup is for a device you no longer own, you can also delete it yourself from Finder's device management.\n\nGeneral advice on device backups is in the [Mac storage basics FAQ](/faq/mac-storage-basics/).","answer_html":"

Yes. What's Using Space lists the iPhone and iPad backups Finder keeps on your Mac under Space held by backups, with how much they hold and how old they are. With your fast drive connected, Move to fast drive… copies them there, checks every file arrived, and only then frees the space on your Mac.

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Keep in mind Finder then backs up to the drive — so plug it in before you back up or restore a device. Move back… returns them to your Mac at any time. If a backup is for a device you no longer own, you can also delete it yourself from Finder's device management.

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General advice on device backups is in the Mac storage basics FAQ.

","answer_text":"Yes. What's Using Space lists the iPhone and iPad backups Finder keeps on your Mac under Space held by backups, with how much they hold and how old they are. With your fast drive connected, Move to fast drive… copies them there, checks every file arrived, and only then frees the space on your Mac.\n\nKeep in mind Finder then backs up to the drive — so plug it in before you back up or restore a device. Move back… returns them to your Mac at any time. If a backup is for a device you no longer own, you can also delete it yourself from Finder's device management.\n\nGeneral advice on device backups is in the Mac storage basics FAQ.","tags":["iphone backups","ios","external drive"],"related":[{"id":"freeing-space.what-is-the-move-to-fast-drive-button","question":"What happens when I click Move to fast drive in What's Using Space?","url":"/faq/freeing-space/what-is-the-move-to-fast-drive-button"},{"id":"freeing-space.what-places-does-whats-using-space-check","question":"Which places does What's Using Space check for big space users?","url":"/faq/freeing-space/what-places-does-whats-using-space-check"}],"applies_to":"app>=4.20","last_reviewed":"2026-10-27","title":"My iPhone backups are taking up lots of space — can Storage Studio help? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Yes. What's Using Space lists your iPhone and iPad backups and can move them to your fast drive — copied, checked, then freed from your Mac. Connect the drive before backing up or restoring a device; Move back… returns them.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Freeing up space","path":"/faq/freeing-space/"},{"name":"My iPhone backups are taking up lots of space — can Storage Studio help?","path":"/faq/freeing-space/can-storage-studio-help-with-ios-device-backups"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/can-storage-studio-help-with-ios-device-backups","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-27","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"My iPhone backups are taking up lots of space — can Storage Studio help?","alternateName":["iOS device backups using space on Mac","Move iPhone backups to external drive","iPad backups huge on MacBook","Where are iPhone backups and can I move them?","Storage Studio iOS backups"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. What's Using Space lists the iPhone and iPad backups Finder keeps on your Mac under Space held by backups, with how much they hold and how old they are. With your fast drive connected, Move to fast drive… copies them there, checks every file arrived, and only then frees the space on your Mac.\n\nKeep in mind Finder then backs up to the drive — so plug it in before you back up or restore a device. Move back… returns them to your Mac at any time. If a backup is for a device you no longer own, you can also delete it yourself from Finder's device management.\n\nGeneral advice on device backups is in the Mac storage basics FAQ.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/can-storage-studio-help-with-ios-device-backups"}}]},"fragment":"
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Freeing up space · Caches and clutter

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My iPhone backups are taking up lots of space — can Storage Studio help?

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Short answer: Yes. What's Using Space lists your iPhone and iPad backups and can move them to your fast drive — copied, checked, then freed from your Mac. Connect the drive before backing up or restoring a device; Move back… returns them.

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Yes. What's Using Space lists the iPhone and iPad backups Finder keeps on your Mac under Space held by backups, with how much they hold and how old they are. With your fast drive connected, Move to fast drive… copies them there, checks every file arrived, and only then frees the space on your Mac.

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Keep in mind Finder then backs up to the drive — so plug it in before you back up or restore a device. Move back… returns them to your Mac at any time. If a backup is for a device you no longer own, you can also delete it yourself from Finder's device management.

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General advice on device backups is in the Mac storage basics FAQ.

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Applies to Storage Studio 4.20 and later · Last reviewed

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Related questions

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