A lot of Apple users reported this issue in the Apple support community. When they try to create an iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch backup with iTunes, they got these error messages.
Before doing anything, copy and paste old backups to new locations on your Mac and Windows. Your backup files are here: iPhone backup File Location on Mac & Windows.
Table of Contents
Error Messages
- iTunes could not back up the iPhone because an error occurred.
- And iTunes could not back up the iPhone because not enough free space available on this computer.
- iTunes could not back up the iPhone because the backup was corrupt or not compatible with the iPhone.
- Then iTunes could not backup the iPhone because a session could not be started (find the solution below – last one)
- iTunes could not backup the iPhone because the iPhone disconnected
- Lastly, iTunes could not back up the iPhone because the backup could not be saved on the computer
Main Solutions
- Restart your Mac or PC and iOS device (iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch)
- Make sure you are using a USB port directly on your PC.
- Disable the antivirus program and try to back up.
- Delete corrupted backups. Launch iTunes. Go to iTunes at the menu bar.
- Select Preferences and choose Devices. Select the backup file and click the Delete Backup button.
- Install the latest version of iTunes.
- Delete the Apps no longer used.
- Leave at least 5 GB of space on the primary drive. Because iOS backups require at least 2 to 3 GB spaces.
- Clear temporary files with CCleaner-like apps.
- Rename backup files.
Other solutions
1. If all solutions failed, go to the backup file location and delete the folder with the file name containing a long name like “719sfs7sd2f5sdf25sd2sdf5“.
2. Manually delete backup files from AppData/roaming/Apple Computer/MobileSync/backup. Copy the entire photo directory from iPhone to the desktop for backup. Remove all files from your iPhone. Now try to back up. This will fix the “Backup Cannot Be Saved on this Computer” error.
3. Go to the backup folder. Right-click and choose Properties. Set full control in the security tab.
iTunes could not backup the iPhone because a session could not be started
Solution 1: Stop the Wi-Fi Sync Application Process
- This problem might happen on your Mac because the Wi-Fi Sync Application is installed on your MacBook pro.
- Go to the hard drive and tap on the Library.
- Select the Application Support, then choose the Wi-Fi Sync.
- Erase the folder.
- And launch activity monitor and stop the process named “Wi-Fi Sync”.
- Next, try to Restart Mac.
Solution 2: Turn OFF the Wi-Fi Connection around you
- Turn off your home network and wireless router. So now iPhone would switch to cellular data.
- Press and hold the shift & control key while clicking on the iTunes icon. It would start iTunes in safe mode.
- Connect your iPhone via a USB cable and try to sync.
- Then try to back up your iPhone.
SEE ALSO: How to Fix: iTunes does not recognize iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch
Conclusion:
This is a possible way to back up your iPhone via iTunes. If you have any other issues with iPhone backup, do let us via comment. And keep in touch with iPhonetopics.com to get the latest updates news and feature from Apple.
If you're getting this error while trying to RESTORE a backup, deleting the backup isn't going to cut it. I used Decipher Backup Repair in this case, great for when you need to restore. This article is great if you need to back up!
Please , help me I could not back up iphone " itunes could not backup the iphone because iphone a session could not be started " I used win 7 , computer "Lennovo G480 ".
Thank u SO MUCH!
i was getting "iTunes could not backup the iPhone because the iPhone disconnected" for my iPhone 6 and deleting the previous backup did the trick. i think it was somehow corrupted
I got the same error when backing up via iTunes or iCloud. In my case, there were some applications in weird status and that caused the problem. When checking applications on Settings > General > Usages > Manage Storage, there were (null) named applications which couldn't be deleted there. So I searched those applications on AppStore, downloaded them again, and tried to delete but they couldn't be even installed properly. After deleting them on Manage Storage menu, backup has worked.
This is my fix.
My problem was caused by a dummy app, I removed it through iPhone's SETTING, GENERAL, USAGE, MANAGE USAGE.
Look for empty app name or blank icon. Remove the app.
Try to backup again, if fail again, check for the LOG of your iTunes.
For Windows, go to
a) C:UsersXXXXXXAppDataRoamingApple ComputerLogs
b) Open the log, and see what's the problem. For my case there problem was
[11132 @ Fri Oct 09 21:27:23 2015] [com.apple.console AppleMobileBackup.exe] ERROR: Backup message response: 101 Unable to open domain directory: No such file or directory (2) at path "/var/mobile/Containers/Shared/AppGroup/8E726549-3ED1-4171-818A-12B66843C156" (MBErrorDomain/101)
c) For my case, this App " 8E726549-3ED1-4171-818A-12B66843C156 " caused the problem. So I just browse into my iPhone's directory using iExplorer, and create a folder with the same name. Note: My iPhone is jailbroken.
Then I manage to backup my phone.
Note: If you see similar error message, thats mean it's caused by an APP. Just try to delete more app and try to backup again.
Good Luck!
THanks man for putting this here. The problem is what if the iphone is not jail broken? How can " 8E726549-3ED1-4171-818A-12B66843C156 " be connected to the dummy app of interest?