Your iPhone can't send a full backup straight to a drive. Apple doesn't allow it. What you can do is let Finder on a Mac, or the Apple Devices app on Windows, make the backup and then point that backup folder at an external SSD or hard drive. Set it up once. Every backup after that lands on the drive.
No computer? You can still copy photos and videos to an SSD from the iPhone itself. That part is quick. It just isn't a full backup, and we'll show where the line is.
What You Need Before You Start
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A storage drive that has plenty of unused space. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and choose a drive that has enough unused space, preferably twice as much.
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Correct cable for your iPhone, either USB-C or Lightning.
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Two available ports on your computer, one for the iPhone, and one for the drive.
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Current versions of software: the newest macOS, or the Apple Devices app from Microsoft Store for Windows 10 and 11.
SSD or regular hard drive can be used for backup purposes. An SSD will have faster copying speed and will survive falling into your bag better. The Digiera Endura Ultra Thin MagSafe Portable SSD (1TB or 2TB) also snaps onto the back of an iPhone for everyday photo transfers.
Laptop with only one or two ports? The Digiera Portable SSD with hub has a hub built in, so the iPhone and the drive don't fight over a single socket.
Format the Drive: APFS or exFAT
Pick the format before you copy anything. Erasing a drive later wipes it.
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APFS if the drive will only ever plug into Macs. It's Apple's own format and handles the thousands of small files in a backup well.
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exFAT if the drive moves between a Mac and a Windows PC. Both read and write it, and so does the Files app on iPhone.
Skip NTFS for Mac. Mac OS is capable of reading it but not writing to it unless there is additional software. For Mac use Disk Utility > Erase to format. For Windows use File Explorer right-click menu option Format.
Method 1: Back Up to an External Drive on a Mac
This works on macOS Catalina and later, where Finder replaced iTunes. The idea is simple. You move the backup folder to the drive and leave a link in its place, so Finder writes to the drive without knowing the difference.
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Connect the iPhone, open Finder and select it in the sidebar. Under Backups, choose "Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac." Tick "Encrypt local backup" if you want one (more on that below). Click Back Up Now and let it finish.
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Quit Finder's backup window. In Finder, press Command + Shift + G and go to ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/. Apple's guide to finding iPhone backups lists this path too.
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Create a folder on the external drive called iPhoneBackup. Drag the Backup folder into it. This copies it.
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Back in MobileSync, rename the original Backup folder to Backup old. Don't delete it yet.
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Open Terminal and run: ln -s "/Volumes/YourDrive/iPhoneBackup/Backup" ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/Backup (replace YourDrive with the drive's name).
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Run a new backup in Finder. Check that the date on the drive's Backup folder updates.
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Once it does, delete Backup old from your Mac.
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Time Needed
About 10 minutes of setup. The first backup is the slow part, anywhere from 20 minutes to a few hours depending on how much is on the phone. Later backups only copy what changed, so they're much shorter.
Common Errors
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"Operation not permitted" in Terminal. Terminal needs Full Disk Access. Turn it on in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access, then run the command again.
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Backup fails or says the disk is unavailable. The drive isn't plugged in. With the link in place, Finder can only back up while the drive is connected.
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"No such file or directory." Usually a drive name with a space. Keep the quotation marks around the path.
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The link shows up but backups still fill the Mac. You skipped step 4, so the old Backup folder is still there. Rename it and make the link again.
Method 2: Back Up to an External Drive on Windows
Here we have the same principle but the different way of implementation. Here, Windows uses a directory junction instead of a Terminal link.
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Download the Apples Devices utility from the Microsoft Store or from iTunes for older Windows versions. Then connect the iPhone and make at least one backup of the device to the computer.
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Locate the folder containing your backups. They are located in one of the two possible locations: %USERPROFILE%\Apple\MobileSync\Backup for the Microsoft Store app, or %AppData%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup for the older iTunes download. Paste each into the File Explorer address bar to see which one exists.
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Make the folder iPhoneBackup on the external hard drive and put there the Backup folder.
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Rename the original Backup folder to Backup old.
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Open Command Prompt as administrator and run: mklink /J "%USERPROFILE%\Apple\MobileSync\Backup" "E:\iPhoneBackup\Backup" (swap in your drive letter and the path you found in step 2).
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Make a new backup from Apple Devices, make sure that the files inside the drive are updated, and then remove Backup old.
Time Needed
Initial setup requires about 10-15 minutes. Time taken for the first backup is equivalent to that taken by Mac and subsequent backups take less time.
Common Errors
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"System cannot find the path specified." The right backup folder among the two was not used. Please review step 2 once more.
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Access denied. Command Prompt isn't running as administrator.
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Backups break after a while. Windows gave the drive a new letter. Set a fixed letter in Disk Management, or make the junction again.
Method 3: Back Up Photos and Videos Without a Computer
Plug a USB-C SSD into the iPhone, or a Lightning model through Apple's camera adapter. Then:
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Select Photos and choose the photos and videos that you wish to save.
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Tap on Share and then tap on Save to Files.
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Under Locations, select the drive and then tap Save.
The Files app can even copy an entire folder. Using the Camera app on the iPhone 15 Pro and above, you can record ProRes video directly to the drive.
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This is not a full backup
Only the files you copy end up on the drive. Apps, settings, messages, Health data and passwords stay on the phone. If the iPhone is lost, you can't restore it from this copy. For that, use Method 1 or 2.
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Should You Encrypt the Backup?
Usually yes. An encrypted backup keeps things a normal one leaves out: saved passwords, Wi-Fi settings, website history, Health data and call history. Restore from an unencrypted backup and you'll be signing back into everything.
The catch is the password. Forget it and that backup can't be used, and Apple can't recover it. Store it in a password manager. Turn it on with "Encrypt local backup" in Finder or Apple Devices; Apple's encrypted backup guide covers the details.
Which Method Should You Use?
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Mac (Finder)
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Windows (Apple Devices)
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No computer
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Full backup
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Yes
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Yes
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No, photos and videos only
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Computer needed
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Yes
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Yes
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No
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Encryption
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Yes, optional
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Yes, optional
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No
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Setup time
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About 10 minutes
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10 to 15 minutes
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A few minutes
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Skill level
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One Terminal command
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One Command Prompt line
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Taps only
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Best for
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Mac owners who want a full copy
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PC owners who want a full copy
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Clearing photos on the go
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Most people need both. A full backup through a computer now and then, and a quick photo copy in between. A slim drive that rides on the phone makes the second habit easy; see Digiera's MagSafe SSDs for iPhone.
FAQsx
Can you back up an iPhone to an external drive without a computer?
Partly. You can copy photos, videos and files to a drive through the Photos and Files apps. A full backup with apps, settings and messages still needs a Mac or PC.
How can I back up my iPhone without iCloud?
Use your computer. The backup created by Finder on a Mac or the Apple Devices application on Windows is complete and local, and it can be transferred to your external drive using the method described above.
Is it possible for me to back up my iPhone directly to my SSD?
No, not the complete backup. There is no such feature in the iOS system to directly transfer the backup to the drive. Photos and videos can be backed up directly to the drive.
Should I format the drive as APFS or exFAT?
Use APFS if the drive will stay with the Mac. Choose exFAT if you need compatibility with Windows PC and your iPhone can read the drive too.
What size should the external hard drive be?
Not less than the size of the data taken up by your iPhone, which you can see in Settings –> General –> iPhone Storage. Two times bigger is enough to store several backups and copies of photos. The data stored in iCloud, like iCloud Photos, will not be backed up from your computer.
Why does my backup still go to my Mac after I moved the folder?
The original Backup folder is probably still in MobileSync. You need to rename it, create the link again, and run a fresh backup to check.
How can I restore my iPhone from the backup stored on an external drive?
First, plug in the drive to ensure that the connection is made successfully. Then, plug in your iPhone, go to Restore Backup in Finder/Apple Devices tab, choose the most recent backup file and type the password if there is one.
