Missing Local Unencrypted iPhone Backup on Mac

Question

Missing Local Unencrypted iPhone Backup on Mac

Hi, I was trying to update an iPhone 14 plus to iOS 26 with my Mac. Before the update, I chose to backup the iPhone on my mac unencrypted. The update failed and my phone was stuck in recovery mode. I restored the device thinking that I could use the backup on my Mac to restore the data. Now, I can't find the local backup anywhere on my mac, not in the trash, recent files or ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/. Is there a way to retrieve this backup or the data?

MacBook Air (2018 – 2020)

发布日期 2026年9月7日上午3:02

Answer 1

2026年9月7日上午5:54 回应 tiffany05

Most likely, you made the iPhone backup using iTunes on your Mac running Sonoma. If that’s the case, open iTunes and connect your iPhone. iTunes should give you the option to restore the backup to your iPhone.

If you haven’t changed the iTunes backup location since the last backup, iTunes should automatically look for the backup in the same location. Keep in mind that the backup and restore should be done under the same macOS user account, and your Mac’s system should not have been changed—for example, reimaged or upgraded.

If you did change the backup location, Mac configuration, or system, things can get tricky. In that case, you may want to ask a local technician for help. For the best results, an Apple Authorized Service Provider or Apple Store is highly recommended.