Step 1: Connect Your External Hard Drive
The first step is to connect your external hard drive to your computer. Make sure that it is properly connected and recognized by your computer. Once you have done that, you can move on to the next step.
Step 2: Open iTunes
Open iTunes on your computer. If you don’t have iTunes installed, you can download it from the official Apple website. Once you have opened iTunes, you can move on to the next step.
Step 3: Connect Your iPhone to Your Computer
Connect your iPhone to your computer using a lightning cable. Once your iPhone is connected, it should appear in iTunes.
Step 4: Select Your iPhone
Click on your iPhone icon in iTunes. It should be located in the upper left corner of the screen.
Step 5: Click on “Back Up Now”
Under the “Manually Back Up and Restore” section, click on “Back Up Now.” iTunes will start backing up your iPhone to your computer.
Step 6: Change Backup Location
By default, iTunes backs up your iPhone to your computer’s internal hard drive. However, we want to backup iPhone to external hard drive. To do this, we need to change the backup location.
Step 7: Open iTunes Preferences
In iTunes, click on “iTunes” in the top left corner of the screen, and then click on “Preferences.”
Step 8: Click on “Devices”
Click on the “Devices” tab in the Preferences window.
Step 9: Right-click on Your Backup
Right-click on your most recent backup and click on “Show in Finder.”
Step 10: Move Backup Folder
Move the backup folder to your external hard drive. You can do this by dragging and dropping the folder onto your external hard drive icon.
Step 11: Change Backup Location in iTunes
Go back to iTunes Preferences and click on the “Devices” tab. Hold down the “Option” key on your keyboard and click on “Change” next to “Backup Folder.” Select the backup folder on your external hard drive.
Step 12: Click on “Back Up Now”
Click on “Back Up Now” again. iTunes will now backup iPhone to external hard drive.
Step 13: Verify Backup Location
To verify that your backup is now being stored on your external hard drive, go back to the “Devices” tab in iTunes Preferences. You should see the backup folder location has changed to your external hard drive.
Step 14: Disconnect Your iPhone
Once the backup is complete, you can disconnect your iPhone from your computer.
Step 15: Eject External Hard Drive
Before unplugging your external hard drive, make sure to properly eject it from your computer. This will ensure that all of your data is safely stored.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How often should I backup my iPhone?
It is recommended to backup your iPhone at least once a week to keep your data safe.
Q: Can I backup my iPhone to multiple external hard drives?
Yes, you can backup your iPhone to multiple external hard drives. Simply repeat the steps above for each external hard drive.
Q: How long does it take to backup an iPhone to an external hard drive?
The time it takes to backup an iPhone to an external hard drive depends on the amount of data on your iPhone and the speed of your external hard drive.
Q: Can I backup my iPhone to a cloud storage service instead of an external hard drive?
Yes, you can backup your iPhone to a cloud storage service such as iCloud. However, keep in mind that this method may require a stable and fast internet connection.
Conclusion
Backing up your iPhone to an external hard drive is a great way to keep your data safe without taking up too much space on your computer. By following the steps above, you can easily backup iPhone to external hard drive. Remember to backup your iPhone at least once a week to keep your data safe.