Easily Edit Your iOS Backup Files using Your Computer

Editing an iOS Backup using Your Computer

Important Notes:

A Funny Recent Story

So, I recently had a little adventure trying to clear out some empty files I’d created with Cowabunga Lite after a few mods broke due to Apple patching them. Those files were just laying in the system files of my phone, and I didn’t want them transferring to a new iPhone if I decided to get one. So, I set out to delete them.

First, I tried using 3uTools to edit the backup, but that didn’t pan out. Next, I turned to iMazing, only to hit a snag when I realized I needed to upgrade from the trial version to restore my device.

Not one to give up easily, I transferred the edited iMazing backup to the default iOS backup location on my Mac. When I began the restore process, everything seemed to be going smoothly—until Finder asked me to disconnect and reconnect my device. But, I decided to ignore that advice.

In the end, the restore was a success, and those pesky empty files were finally gone!

In the tutorial below, I’ll show you exactly how I did it. Let’s get started!

Instructions:

Step 1:

Download and install iMazing on your Mac or Windows PC.

*If you're on macOS*: open Finder, then back up your device, then launch Terminal. Enter `open ~/Library/Application\ Support/MobileSync/Backup` and press Enter. Locate your most recent backup and keep the Backup folder open.

*If you're on Windows*: Search for `%appdata%` and navigate to Apple > MobileSync > Backup in File Explorer. Your backups will be there.

Now, copy and paste the backup folder to a different location to create a backup of your device's backup. This ensures you have a safe copy in case your edited backup becomes corrupted. Also, keep a copy of the backup folder name, which is the device's UDID, as you'll need it later on.

Download iMazing

Step 2:

Launch iMazing, navigate to the Backups section, click the “+” button, and select “Add Backup Folder.” Next, choose the copied backup you created in step 1 and click “Choose,” followed by “Open.”

Step 3:

Navigate to the Data section, click on “File System” then select “ManagedPreferencesDomain” and open the “mobile” folder. You’ll find the Cowabunga Lite files there, such as com.apple.springboard, com.apple.UIKit, and others. To remove a file, right-click on it and select “Delete.” You’ll be prompted to create an editable backup copy; enter a name for your new backup and click “Continue.”

Step 4:

Go to the Backups section for iMazing, select your edited backup, then click Show in Finder (or Show in File Explorer on Windows). You will then be taken to your edited backup in Finder. Next, rename the backup folder to match your original backup folder name, which is your device's UDID. Finally, move this folder into the Backup folder within the MobileSync directory.

Step 5:

Now it’s time to restore your device! First, ensure it’s connected. Next, disable Find My on your device, then click "Restore" and select "Erase and Restore." Wait for the process to finish, and your device should be free of the Cowabunga Lite files.

To confirm if the files have been removed, create a new backup, open it with iMazing, and check the File System to verify the files are gone.

If you see the message: "An iPhone has been detected, but it could not be identified properly. Please disconnect and reconnect the iPhone, then try again," simply ignore it and continue restoring the device from the backup.