Can I Back Up My iPhone Directly to an External Hard Drive

Can you backup an iPhone on an external hard drive? Luckily, this post will show a step-by-step guide to help you back up your iPhone to an external hard drive.

By @May Last Updated September 4, 2023

Backing up your iPhone directly to an external hard drive has several advantages over traditional backup methods, such as using iCloud or your computer’s local storage. Here are some reasons why you might want to consider backing up your iPhone to an external hard drive:

Free Up Storage Space: iPhone generates a lot of data, including photos, videos, apps, and documents. If your iCloud storage is limited, backing up to an external hard drive lets you store more data without worrying about running out of space. Avoid Cloud Costs: Some cloud storage services charge for storage above a certain limit. By using an external hard drive, you can avoid these ongoing costs. Faster Backup and Restore: Transferring data to an external hard drive is faster than using a cloud service, especially if you have a lot of data to back up. This can also reduce recovery time when you need to restore your data.

Now the question is how to back up iPhone directly to an external hard drive. In this case, it’s recommended to use FoneTool – a free and safe iPhone backup tool that allows you to back up your iPhone to a PC or external hard drive without network requirements.

FoneTool - Easily Control Your iPhone Data

All-in-one mobile data manager helps you backup, transfer, manage data on your iOS and Android devices quickly and easily.

After downloading and installing FoneTool on your PC, connect your iPhone and external hard drive to your PC using USB cables and then follow the instructions below:

1Launch FoneTool > Locate the Phone Backup section > Choose Full Backup (or Selective Backup to selectively back up your iPhone) > Click Get Started.

2Click Backup Storage Path to specify your external hard drive as the designated storage location > Initiate the backup process by clicking Start Backup.