It is well-known that iTunes is an important utility for iOS devices. With iTunes, you can download apps and purchase exclusive content. More importantly, many people use iTunes to backup iPhone and iPad. However, iTunes is apparently not a reliable platform to store important files.
It is well-known that iTunes is an important utility for iOS devices. With iTunes, you can download apps and purchase exclusive content. More importantly, many people use iTunes to backup iPhone and iPad. However, iTunes is apparently not a reliable platform to store important files.
- Part 1: How to back up your iTunes media library to PC
- Part 2: How to Backup iTunes to iCloud
- Part 3: How to Backup iTunes to An External HD
Part 1: How to back up your iTunes media library to PC
iTunes media library is a database to organize your media files, like music and other content that you add to iTunes or purchase from iTunes store. It contains all contents that you may have been collecting for years. Once something goes wrong with the media library, all of them may be destroyed instantaneously and lost forever. Fortunately, iTunes media library is on your computer, so making a backup iTunes media library to PC is the most convenient way to protect your data.
Step 1. Open your iTunes, head to "File" > "Library" > "Organize Library". Tick the checkbox in front of "Consolidate files" and click "OK" to consolidate your iTunes library before backup iTunes.
Step 2. Close the iTunes client. To locate iTunes media library folder, navigate to Finder-> Username-> Music on Mac computer. On Windows 7 or above, you can find the folder in C:-> Users-> username-> Music, or you can access to C: > "Documents and Settings" > username > "My Documents" > "My Music" on Windows XP.
Tip: If the media library folder is not in the default destination, open your iTunes, go to "iTunes" > "Preference" on Mac or "Edit" > "Preference" on Windows, switch to the "Advanced" tab and find the iTunes media folder location.
Step 3. Select the folder named iTunes, copy the folder, open the destination drive you want to save iTunes backup and past the media library folder. Any time when iTunes media library is corrupted or damaged, restore the backup folder simply.
Part 2: How to Backup iTunes to iCloud
Many iPhone and iPad owners asked whether they can back up iTunes to iCloud directly. Unfortunately, this is not the way they working and you cannot save data from iTunes to iCloud directly. Firstly, data types that iCloud supports are different with the file system of iTunes. Plus, there is no option for syncing the iTunes backup to iCloud. It is obvious that Apple does not want to you to do it as well.
Back up iTunes to iCloud indirectly
Is there any way to transfer iTunes backup to iCloud? If there are some files really important, you could consider backup iTunes to iCloud indirectly following the steps below.
Step 1. Connect your iOS device to your computer via the Lightning cable and open the latest version of iTunes.
Step 2. Click the "Device" button, select "Summary" on left sidebar and click "Restore Backup".
Step 3. On the backup file list, select the desired backup file and restore it to your device.
Note: This way will overwrite current files on your iOS device and lead to data loss, so you'd better back up current data first.
Step 4. After restored, turn to your iPhone or iPad and go to "Settings" > [your name] > "iCloud" > "Backup", turn on "iCloud Backup" option and tap "Back Up Now". It may take dozens of minutes to one hour. Here you may also want to know how to backup iPhone without iTunes.
Back up iTunes to iCloud via iTunes Match
Another way to back up iTunes to iCloud is the iTunes Match service. It allows you to upload entire iTunes music library to iCloud Music Library, but not take up iCloud storage. The cost of iTunes Match is $25 per year.
Step 1. Open your iTunes, unfold the Store menu and click Turn on iTunes Match.
Step 2. Click Subscribe for $24.99 to subscribe the service. After pay for it, the service will scan your library to discover what songs you have in iTunes media library and match with iCloud Music Library.
Step 3. When finished matching, you will get the message said upload has completed, and display how many songs backed up in the cloud.
Part 3: How to Backup iTunes to An External HD
A backup is especially important when you consider the investment of time and money that you have spent in your iTunes library. Of course, you can back up iTunes to an external hard drive by copying the iTunes folder directly. However, this way is not feasible when you want to save certain files from iTunes backup to the external drive. At this time, you need a professional iTunes backup reader, Apeaksoft iPhone Data Recovery. Its key features include:
- Open iTunes backups or iCloud backups on your computer.
- Preview iTunes backup file and select certain files for recovery.
- Save files from iTunes backup to local or external hard drive in original conditions.
- Recover lost data from iOS device directly.
- Restore iTunes backup to computer or iOS device.
- Support iPhone 16/15/14/13/12/11/X, etc., iPad, iPad Pro, Air 5/4/3/2/1, mini 6/5/4.
All in all, it is the best way to back up iTunes to an external hard drive.
How to back up iTunes to An External HD with iPhone Data Recovery
Step 1. Install the best backup iTunes software to your computer
Download and install iPhone Data Recovery on your PC. There is a dedicated version for Mac. Plug your iOS device to your computer using the Lightning cable and launch the software.
Step 2. Preview iTunes backup
On the home interface, select "Recover from iTunes Backup File", choose the desired iTunes backup on right panel and click the "Start Scan" button to read the backup. When taken to the detailed window, you can preview data by categories, like "Contacts", "Photos" and more.
Step 3. Back up iTunes to an external HD
Select the files to backup and click the "Recover" button. On the popup dialog, pick the external HD as destination and click "Recover" again. A few seconds later, the selected files will be saved to your external HD.
Conclusion
Based on the tutorial above, you might understand how to back up iTunes with several methods. First of all, you can make a copy for iTunes media library on your computer to back up your music. It is the easiest way to back up iTunes with external hardware and software. We suggest you to try Apeaksoft iPhone Data Recovery, if you want to back up files from iTunes backup to an external HD.
