How to Archive an iPhone Backup Before Installing a Beta (So You Can Go Back)
A backup made on a beta cannot be restored on the public version. The fix is an archived backup made before installing the beta. Here is how to create it on Windows and Mac.
Many people install a beta, find it too buggy, and want to go back. They then discover a painful rule: a backup made on a newer iOS version cannot be restored on an older one. If your only backup was made on the beta, going back means losing your data. The solution takes five minutes: an archived backup made before the beta.
What is an archived backup?
Normally, each new computer backup replaces the previous one. An archived backup is locked: the next backups do not overwrite it. You can keep it as long as you want and restore it later on the same iOS version.
On a Mac (Finder)
- Connect the iPhone and select it in the Finder sidebar.
- In the General tab, choose Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac.
- Tick Encrypt local backup to include passwords, Health data and Wi-Fi settings. Write down the password.
- Click Back Up Now and wait.
- Click Manage Backups, right-click the backup you just made (Control-click), then choose Archive. A date appears next to its name.
On Windows (Apple Devices app)
- Open Apple Devices and connect the iPhone.
- In General, choose Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this PC, tick encryption, and click Back Up Now.
- To protect the backup, open the folder
%USERPROFILE%\Apple\MobileSync\Backup(or%APPDATA%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backupwith older iTunes versions), and copy the most recent folder to another place, for example an external drive.
Before restoring later, copy the folder back to the same location.
What about iCloud?
iCloud keeps only the latest backup per device, and it is updated automatically. That is why iCloud alone is not enough before a beta: the first backup made on the beta replaces it. A computer archive is safer. See iPhone backup guide.
How to use it to leave the beta
- Restore the public version with a computer (recovery mode and Restore).
- When the iPhone asks, choose Restore from Mac or PC and select the archived backup.
Full procedure: how to install the iOS 27 beta and leave it safely. You can find the public firmware on our device pages:
- iPhone 18 Pro · iPhone 18 Pro Max
- iPhone 17 · iPhone 17 Pro · iPhone 17 Pro Max · iPhone Air · iPhone 17e
- iPhone 16 · iPhone 16 Plus · iPhone 16 Pro · iPhone 16 Pro Max · iPhone 16e
- iPhone 15 · iPhone 15 Plus · iPhone 15 Pro · iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 · iPhone 14 Plus · iPhone 14 Pro · iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 mini · iPhone 13 · iPhone 13 Pro · iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 mini · iPhone 12 · iPhone 12 Pro · iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11 · iPhone 11 Pro · iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2nd gen) · iPhone SE (3rd gen)
Another model? Browse all iPhone firmware or use the Identifier Lookup tool.
Tips
- Check that the backup is complete: its size should be close to the space used on your iPhone (minus apps).
- Keep at least one archive per major version.
- Photos in iCloud Photos are not in the computer backup; they stay in iCloud.
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