---
id: mac-storage-basics.can-i-store-iphone-backups-on-an-external-drive
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/can-i-store-iphone-backups-on-an-external-drive
category: "Mac storage basics"
subcategory: "iPhone and iPad backups and updates"
question: "Can I keep iPhone backups on an external drive instead of my Mac?"
alt_questions:
  - "iphone backup to external drive mac"
  - "change iphone backup location mac"
  - "ios backup external ssd"
  - "move mobilesync to external drive"
  - "backup iphone without using mac storage"
short_answer: "Finder can't change the backup location, but the backup folder can be moved to an external drive with a link left in its place; Storage Studio does this from What's Using Space. The drive must be connected when you back up."
tags: ["iphone backup", "external drive", "links"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/where-are-iphone-backups-stored-on-a-mac", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/how-do-i-delete-old-iphone-backups-on-a-mac"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-27
---

# Can I keep iPhone backups on an external drive instead of my Mac?

Finder has no setting to choose a different backup location; it always uses the folder in your Library. The common workaround is to move that backup folder to an external drive and leave a link in its place, so Finder writes through to the drive — but then the drive must be connected whenever you back up.

Storage Studio does this for you. In What's Using Space, your iPhone and iPad backups appear under **Space held by backups**, and **Move to fast drive…** copies them to the drive, checks every file arrived, and only then frees the space on your Mac. **Move back…** returns them any time. Alternatively, back up the device to iCloud and keep only an occasional local backup. See [moving iPhone backups](https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/can-storage-studio-move-my-iphone-backups).