How to delete old iPhone backups on your Mac
The short version: every time you plug an iPhone or iPad into your Mac and back it up, macOS stores a full copy of that device on your disk — typically 5–40 GB each. Those backups are never cleaned up automatically, so a Mac that has met a few devices over the years can be sitting on 100 GB of them. You can review them in System Settings → General → Storage → iOS Files and delete the ones you no longer need in about a minute.
Where iPhone backups actually live
On macOS Catalina (10.15) and later, iTunes is gone and Finder handles devices. Local backups are written to:
~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
Each backup is a folder named with a long device identifier — something like 00008030-000A4D... — not a readable device name. That is why browsing this folder in Finder is unhelpful: you can see the sizes, but you cannot tell which iPhone is which. Use the two interfaces below instead, which show you the device name and the backup date.
Because these folders sit inside your Library, macOS frequently files them under the vague “System Data” bar in the Storage screen rather than listing them separately. If you have ever wondered why that bar is 150 GB, old device backups are one of the usual suspects — along with caches and snapshots, which we cover in what is System Data on Mac.
Method 1: System Settings (no cable needed)
This is the quickest route on macOS Ventura and later, and it works whether or not the device is connected:
- Open Apple menu → System Settings → General → Storage.
- Wait for the bar to finish calculating, then scroll down to iOS Files and click the ⓘ button beside it.
- You will get a list of every stored backup with its device name, size and date.
- Select one you no longer need and click Delete, then confirm.
On macOS Monterey and earlier the same list lives under → About This Mac → Storage → Manage → iOS Files.
Method 2: Finder (with the device connected)
If you want to prune backups for a device you still use, do it from Finder so you can see exactly which backup belongs to it:
- Connect the iPhone or iPad and select it in the Finder sidebar.
- On the General tab, click Manage Backups….
- Right-click any backup for Delete Backup, or Archive to protect one from being overwritten by the next sync.
Which backups are safe to remove?
A simple triage that avoids regret:
- Devices you no longer own — sold, traded in, or handed down. Unless you are deliberately keeping an archive of that phone, these are the easiest gigabytes you will ever reclaim.
- Older backups of a current device — if the device also backs up to iCloud, the local copy is a second line of defence, not your only one. Keep the most recent, delete the rest.
- Anything dated before a device migration — a backup of an iPhone you already restored onto a newer phone is redundant.
Keep at least one recent backup for any device you still rely on, and keep an archived backup if it is the only place a particular set of photos or messages exists.
The other half: old iOS update files
Device backups have a companion space-hog that almost nobody knows about — the .ipsw installer files macOS downloads when it updates an iPhone or iPad over a cable. They live in:
~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates/
Each is roughly 5–8 GB, they are never reused after the update completes, and Apple will simply re-download one if it is ever needed again. These are ordinary files, so you can move them to the Trash safely.
Find them without the hunting
Device backups, old .ipsw files and the rest of the “System Data” pile are exactly what a good cleaner surfaces for you — with a preview first, so you decide what goes. Both apps we rate highest work locally and send nothing off your Mac.
CoreSweep (free to use; Pro a one-time $49) gives the most detailed breakdown of what is hiding in System Data. SkoonMac (free; Pro $19 once) is the best-value pick if you want the same clean-up in a simpler package. See the full comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Where are iPhone backups stored on a Mac?
In ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/. Each folder is one backup, named with a device identifier rather than a readable name — so manage them from System Settings or Finder instead.
Is it safe to delete an old iPhone backup?
Yes, provided it is not the only copy of data you still need. Backups for devices you no longer own are safe. Deletion is permanent, so confirm a current device still has an iCloud backup first.
How much space do they take up?
Usually 5–40 GB each. A Mac used with several iPhones or iPads over the years commonly holds 20–100 GB of backups.
Do backups count as System Data?
Often yes — macOS files them under System Data or “Other” rather than showing them separately, which is part of why that bar looks so large.