macOS MobileSync Backup Folder (~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup)

Bottom Line: It is 100% safe to delete old iPhone and iPad backups in MobileSync/Backup. Deleting unneeded device backups will NOT delete your active iPhone photos, messages, or cloud storage.

What is the MobileSync Backup Folder?

Located at ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup on macOS (and %AppData%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup on Windows), this hidden directory stores local device backups created via Finder or iTunes.

When you plug an iPhone or iPad into your Mac to sync or update iOS, macOS creates an uncompressed full device backup. Each iOS backup folder contains thousands of encrypted data files weighing 20 GB to 100 GB+.

If you upgrade your iPhone annually, old backups of previous iPhones remain saved on your Mac SSD indefinitely.

Can You Delete MobileSync Backups?

✅ Yes, it is completely safe to delete.

• No live device risk: Your active iPhone or iPad is unaffected.
• Safety rule: Keep your most recent-items)-items)-items)-items)-items)-items) backup if you plan to restore your phone, but delete obsolete backups of older devices.

How to Safely Clean Up MobileSync Backups

Method 1: Delete via Mac Storage Settings (Recommended)

1. Open System Settings > General > Storage.
2. Scroll down to iOS Files and click the (i) info icon.
3. Select old iPhone backups and click Delete.

Method 2: Delete via Finder

1. Open Finder, press Cmd + Shift + G, paste ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup, and press Enter.
2. Select old backup folders (named with long hexadecimal strings) and move them to the Trash.

Related Guides

• Learn about deleting macOS iOS Backups.
• How to clean up macOS Application Support.
• Check if you can clean Xcode DerivedData.