Delete iPhone Backups in iTunes on Windows 10

This guide shows you how to permanently delete iPhone backups stored by iTunes (or the Apple Devices app) on a Windows 10 PC. Deleting old backups frees up significant hard drive space and removes sensitive data you no longer need. You’ll need your PC and, if you want to verify the deletion, your iPhone connected via USB.

What You’ll Need

• A Windows 10 PC with iTunes installed (or the newer Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store).
• Your iPhone (optional, but helpful for verifying the backup is gone).
• Administrator rights on the PC (you’ll need to confirm a User Account Control prompt when deleting backup files manually).

Step-by-Step

There are two main methods: using the iTunes interface (easiest) or manually deleting the backup folder (useful if iTunes is broken or you want to delete multiple backups at once).

Method 1: Delete via iTunes Preferences (Recommended)

1. Open iTunes on your Windows 10 PC. If you’re using the newer Apple Devices app, the steps are similar (look for the device icon instead of the Edit menu).
2. Connect your iPhone to the PC with a USB cable. If you’re prompted on the phone to “Trust This Computer,” tap Trust and enter your passcode.
3. In iTunes, click the device icon (a small phone icon) near the top-left corner of the window. This takes you to the device summary page.
4. In the left sidebar, under Settings, click Summary (if not already selected).
5. Scroll down to the Backups section. You’ll see a list of backups for this device, with dates and sizes.
6. Right-click the backup you want to delete (or hover over it and click the Delete button that appears).
7. Click Delete Backup in the confirmation dialog. If you’re asked to enter your administrator password, do so.
8. Wait for the deletion to finish. The backup is now gone. You can repeat for other backups if needed.

Method 2: Manually Delete the Backup Folder (For Stubborn Backups)

If iTunes won’t let you delete a backup, or you want to remove all backups at once, you can delete the backup files directly from your hard drive.

1. Close iTunes and the Apple Devices app completely.
2. Open File Explorer (Windows key + E).
3. In the address bar, type the following and press Enter:
   %APPDATA%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup
   This opens the folder where iTunes stores all iPhone backups.
4. You’ll see one or more folders with long alphanumeric names (like 00008020-001A3D2E3F28002E). Each folder is a separate backup for a device.
5. To delete a specific backup, right-click the folder and choose Delete. To delete all backups, select all folders (Ctrl+A) and press Delete.
6. Confirm the deletion in the dialog. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes.
7. Empty the Recycle Bin to permanently free the space.

Common Mistakes

• Deleting the wrong backup: The alphanumeric folder names don’t show which device they belong to. To identify a backup, plug in the iPhone and open iTunes – it will show the backup date and size for that device. You can also check the folder’s modification date.
• Not closing iTunes before manual deletion: If iTunes is still running, it may lock the backup folder and you’ll get an “access denied” error. Always close it first.
• Deleting backups while iCloud is enabled: If your iPhone is set to back up to iCloud, deleting local backups won’t affect iCloud backups. Make sure you know which backup you’re deleting.
• Assuming the backup is small: Backups can be several gigabytes, especially if they include photos and app data. Check the size before deleting to confirm you’re freeing the space you expect.

Tips

• Keep at least one recent backup: Before deleting an old backup, make sure you have a recent one (either on your PC or in iCloud) in case you need to restore your iPhone.
• Use iCloud backups to save space: If you have iCloud storage, you can enable iCloud backups and then delete local copies to free up PC space.
• Check backup size before deleting: In iTunes, the backup list shows the size of each backup. Sort by size to find the biggest ones that are taking up the most space.
• Schedule regular cleanups: Make it a habit to delete old backups every few months, especially if you back up frequently.

Troubleshooting

• “The backup could not be deleted” error: This usually happens because iTunes is still using the backup. Close iTunes completely, then try again. If it persists, use the manual folder deletion method.
• Backup folder not found: If the %APPDATA%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup path doesn’t exist, you may have installed iTunes from the Microsoft Store (which uses a different location). In that case, open the Apple Devices app and try deleting via its interface. Alternatively, search for “Backup” in File Explorer under your user folder.
• Access denied when deleting folders: This is usually a permissions issue. Make sure you’re logged in as an administrator, and if the folder is read-only, right-click it, choose Properties, uncheck Read-only, and try again.
• iTunes doesn’t show any backups: If you’ve deleted backups manually, iTunes may not refresh immediately. Restart iTunes. If the list is still empty, that’s normal – it means no backups exist.
• Free space not increasing: After deleting, check the Recycle Bin – if you used the manual method, the files are still there until you empty it. Also, wait a few seconds for the system to update the free space display.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting a backup delete my iPhone data?

No. Deleting a backup only removes the copy stored on your PC. Your iPhone’s current data remains untouched.

How do I know which backup is which?

In iTunes, the backup list shows the device name and date. In the manual folder method, you can open the folder and look for a file named Info.plist – it contains the device name in plain text (you can open it with Notepad).

Can I recover a deleted backup?

Once you delete a backup and empty the Recycle Bin, it’s gone. There is no “undo.” If you need the data, you’ll have to restore from iCloud or another backup.

Does deleting a backup also delete my iCloud backup?

No. Local backups on your PC are separate from iCloud backups. Deleting one does not affect the other.

Why are my backups so large?

Backups include app data, photos, messages, and settings. If you have many apps or large media files, the backup can be several gigabytes. You can reduce size by excluding certain apps from backup (in iTunes, go to the device’s Apps tab and uncheck apps you don’t need to back up).

What if I don’t have iTunes anymore?

On Windows 10, Apple has replaced iTunes with the Apple Devices app. You can still delete backups through that app using the same steps (device icon → Summary → Backups). If you don’t have either, you can manually delete the backup folder as described above.

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