---
id: freeing-space.can-storage-studio-help-with-ios-device-backups
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/can-storage-studio-help-with-ios-device-backups
category: "Freeing up space"
subcategory: "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."
tags: ["iphone backups", "ios", "external drive"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/what-is-the-move-to-fast-drive-button", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/what-places-does-whats-using-space-check"]
applies_to: "app>=4.20"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-27
---

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

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.

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.

General advice on device backups is in the [Mac storage basics FAQ](https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/).