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Jumpie

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 7, 2008
2,161
1,806
Atlanta
Searching and searching and can't find the answer...

Is there a way to find a back of iOS backups on Time Machine?

I backed up my iPhone a few times, but iTunes seems to keep that last back up and not several past ones. I need an iOS backup from a few days ago but can't seem to find it.

I guess specifically I'm looking for ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/ in a Time Machine back up


Any suggestions?
 
Last edited:
1. Launch a terminal window.
2. Execute the following pair of commands:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
killall Finder
This tells the finder to show hidden files, then reboots it so that they’re displayed.
3. Go into Time Machine and copy the files back into your home folder
4. Execute the following pair of commands:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE
killall Finder
This puts finder back the way it originally was.
 
Searching and searching and can't find the answer...

Is there a way to find a back of iOS backups on Time Machine?

I backed up my iPhone a few times, but iTunes seems to keep that last back up and not several past ones. I need an iOS backup from a few days ago but can't seem to find it.

I guess specifically I'm looking for ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/ in a Time Machine back up


Any suggestions?

Open Finder then hit shift-command-g (all three keys at once) and copy/paste in your folder path then enter. That will put you in the correct folder and the backup file will be visible. No click the Time Machine menu icon and "enter time machine" then scroll back to the date you want and select the file then click restore.

I just checked and mine are visible using this method.

Code:
~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
 
Open Finder then hit shift-command-g (all three keys at once) and copy/paste in your folder path then enter. That will put you in the correct folder and the backup file will be visible. No click the Time Machine menu icon and "enter time machine" then scroll back to the date you want and select the file then click restore.

I just checked and mine are visible using this method.

Code:
~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/

you think this will restore my camera roll? mind you, i tried pangu which messed up my camera roll.
 
Yes, if you manually backed up to iTunes the photos will be in there.

not if i've backed up and backed up again. iTunes only saves like one or two at most. i thought it used to save more but i could be wrong. i just can't find them in iTunes.
 
not if i've backed up and backed up again. iTunes only saves like one or two at most. i thought it used to save more but i could be wrong. i just can't find them in iTunes.

You won't see the photos in iTunes. They are inside that backup file.

My wife iPad has about 240 photos on it. I have never once synced those photos to my MacBook and I can't see them in iPhoto or anywhere on my Mac. I just got here a new iPad Air 2 and restored from the iTunes backup and it put all the photos back. I have done this multiple times and it always worked.

Even if you have never synced the photos, but as long as you have manually backed up to iTunes the photos are all in that backup.

If yours are not, they got deleted somewhere along the way.
 
You won't see the photos in iTunes. They are inside that backup file.

My wife iPad has about 240 photos on it. I have never once synced those photos to my MacBook and I can't see them in iPhoto or anywhere on my Mac. I just got here a new iPad Air 2 and restored from the iTunes backup and it put all the photos back. I have done this multiple times and it always worked.

Even if you have never synced the photos, but as long as you have manually backed up to iTunes the photos are all in that backup.

If yours are not, they got deleted somewhere along the way.

no no, i mean, i don't see the backups in iTunes except maybe the last two. i need the last 5!

oh, and to make sure, if i click Restore, it puts it back to the same place and it will save the date? i always back up but I've never really needed it before
 
no no, i mean, i don't see the backups in iTunes except maybe the last two. i need the last 5!

Im kinda confused. So if you go to that folder, and scroll back while in the Time Machine interface can you not see the old versions of that backup file to restore them?

If you just click restore that old version you restore will replace the on that is there, so before you go restoring over top of it, you might want to option key drag a copy off to a folder on your desktop first.
 
Im kinda confused. So if you go to that folder, and scroll back while in the Time Machine interface can you not see the old versions of that backup file to restore them?

If you just click restore that old version you restore will replace the on that is there, so before you go restoring over top of it, you might want to option key drag a copy off to a folder on your desktop first.

yay! worked perfectly! camera roll is now back! you rock!
 
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