Top 6 Best iPhone/iTunes Backup Extractor Software [FREE & PAID]

If you are wondering how do I extract data from an iPhone backup, then reading this post is a right choice. This Top 6 iPhone Backup Extractor Software review will help you choose the best one and tell you the detailed steps of how to extract the iPhone/iTunes backup.

Joy Taylor Last Updated: Mar. 12, 2020

Apple encourages everyone to have a regular backup for an iPhone, iPad, and iPod. This way, you’ll have a backup copy of your information in case your device is ever lost, damaged and replaced. What if the “misfortune” really happens someday? Do you have to buy another iPhone just for extracting your photos or text messages from the iTunes/iCloud backup? Before the iPhone Backup Extractor software comes to life, it seems impossible to recover your data from your iPhone backup.

Can you extract photos from an iPhone backup? Here we list some of the top iPhone backup extractor tools you can have a try.

1. PhoneRescue for iOS

What is the best iPhone Backup Extractor? PhoneRescue – iOS data recovery is the one you should try if you’re facing a severe iOS data deletion or corruption disaster. It’s fully capable of extracting up to 31+ different types of files from iTunes/iCloud backup without connecting iPhone. Selectively preview and choose certain data types you want, and import them directly to iPhone apps, or to the computer. In addition, it is more than one iPhone backup extractor. You can also use it to recover data from iPhone, such as contacts, call history, SMS messages, safari history, camera roll, app data, voicemail, voice memo and so on.

Advantages:

Extract lost/deleted iPhone data from iCloud Backup and iTunes Backup, even it is an encrypted one.

Exported iOS files can be saved as your wanted formats, such as HTML/ V-Card/VCF/Text.

Preview data before extracting, which means you can select and extract only your wanted items.

[NEW] Integrated iOS Repairing Tools – PhoneRescue has expanded the recovering power from specific data to the whole iOS system. When an iOS device runs into a system crash，it can be fully fixed within a single click.

[NEW] Phone to Phone Recovery – Directly extract data from iPhone / iTunes / iCloud backup and import the data to a new iPhone on the fly.

Disadvantages:

Free to scan and preview, but you need to pay for it if you want to extract some files from iTunes or iCloud backup to computer or iDevice.

2. AnyTrans

AnyTrans is acknowledged as a must-have iPhone data manager. How do I extract data from an iPhone backup? It also does a great job of extracting your data from iPhone and iTunes/iCloud backup. It shows you all your iTunes backups on the computer and allows you to view and download files from the backup including photos, contacts, messages, call logs, calendar, etc. in addition, you can log in with multiple iCloud accounts to view, download and extract data from iCloud backup to computer.

Advantages:



The simple and clear design brings everything into focus, extracting your iPhone backup data in a few clicks;

Fully compatible with all iPhone/iPad/iPod models and iOS versions;

It also lets you transfer data among iDevice, computer, iTunes and iCloud.

Disadvantages:

Free to scan and preview backup files, and you have items limits for export so you need to upgrade to the pro version if you want to extract more files from backup.

3. iPhone Backup Extractor

This software is named as “iPhone Backup Extractor”, which is compatible with all the iDevices and available on both Mac/PC operation systems. With it, you can easily get your iTunes backup information and extract data from iTunes backup on computer.

Advantages:

Available on Mac/PC operation systems.

Can extract data from iPhone backup or iCloud backup.

With expert mode to extract iPhone backup.

Disadvantages:

It cannot fully scan data.

Cannot preview before extracting.

4. iBackup Extractor

iBackup Extractor can find all iPhone, iPod touch and iPad backups on your computer and lets you recover your files with ease. With iBackup Extractor, you can extract iMessages, call logs, bookmarks, calendars and other data from iTunes backup.

Advantages:

Can extract files from any iTunes Backup of iOS devices.

Available on Mac and Windows computers.

Free trial to extract 50 items and can retrieve deleted iPhone data.

Disadvantages:

Cannot extract data from iCloud backup.

Cannot fully scan iTunes backup.

With few Export-formats available.

5. iSkysoft Toolbox – Recover (iOS)

iSkysoft Toolbox – Recover (iOS) is similar to PhoneRescue for iOS, it cal recover data from iPhone and extract data from iPhone backups. It supports the iPhone iPad, iPod touch and works on PC and Mac.

Advantages:

Scan your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch directly to recover lost data.

Extract data from the iTunes Backup for you to recover selected files.

Extract data from iCloud Backup to retrieve selected files.

Disadvantages:

You need to pay if you want to extract files from the backup.

It doesn’t support encrypted iTunes backup files.

6. iBackup Viewer [FREE]

iMacTools iPhone Backup Viewer (iBackup Viewer) supports extracting almost all kinds of data from iPhone backup, including contacts, call history, messages, internet, photos and App data. With iBackup Viewer, you can easily scan and view data on your iTunes backup on computer.

Also Read: How to Recover Deleted Photos from iPhone without iTunes Backup >

Advantages:

Can find all of iPhone backups on computer.

Can Browse and extract data from iTunes backup.

Simple interface and easy-to-use.

Disadvantages:

Not freeware, you have to pay for it.

Can’t recover the data that have been overwritten (not only PhoneRescue but also other iPhone backup extractor tools can’t).

Bonus Tip: iPhone Backup Extractor Related Questions

First thing first. What is iPhone backup?

iPhone backup refers to the copying and archiving of iPhone data with iTunes/iCloud, so it can be used to restore an iPhone from the original after a data loss or iPhone upgrade event. iPhone backup usually has two purposes. One is to recover iPhone data after an iOS data disaster, be it for rescuing from iOS data deletion. The other is to set up an iPhone with the data from an earlier backup (how to transfer data from an old iPhone to a new iPhone).

Then, what is iPhone Backup Extractor?

Whenever an iPhone backs up to your computer or to iCloud server, iTunes/iCloud keeps nearly all of your device’s data and settings, like the messages, notes, bookmarks, app settings and so forth. Regarding the iTunes backup on a Mac, files synced from your iPhone are stored in a backup folder in ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup. Three common file types are:

Info.plist file in each folder tells you which folder corresponds to which device.

Manifest.plist contains an encoded manifest, a list of those files backed up by iTunes along with info like their digital signature, size, permissions and so forth.

Several backup files using the mdbackup extension contains semi-encrypted versions of all the backed up files.

What an iPhone backup extractor software does is, it locates/downloads your iTunes/iCloud backup folders, reads the Info.plist and Manifest.plist files so as to let you extract files based on a variety of file types. Usually, an iPhone backup software is capable of extracting data on your computer, but rare ones let you transfer the extracted files directly onto a new device.

Last, the criterions of good Backup Extractor?

The criterions of the best iPhone backup extractor various from users’ specific demands. Here are some key factors to consider when you need to extract your iOS backups.

#1. Compatibility

As Apple keeps rolling out a new version of the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, the compatibility is one of the key criterions for choosing a suitable iPhone backup extractor. You’d better check the model and iOS of your device to see if it is listed on the developer’s product specification page.

#2. Design & Easy-to-use

No one can bear the resident apps on his or her computer is ugly or hard to use. That’s why the design and usability of a Backup Extractor are also one of the key criterions.

#3 . Cost

It’s our failure that we hardly deliver you all the BEST yet FREE iPhone/iTunes Backup Extractor solutions. As recovering your important personal information is crucial to your life, we believe commercial software products with expert support would bring the best result. Therefore, almost all the products we will review are paid software.

The Bottom Line

The basic principle of choosing the best iPhone backup extractor tools is to find data on your iPhone backup and transfer them directly to your iPhone, instead of saving on the computer. So if you want to transfer files like pictures, voice memos or contacts to your iPhone, it’s recommended to use AnyTrans. Otherwise, if the content you need has been deleted before, PhoneRescue offers you the pro-level iOS data recovery solution. Go Get AnyTrans or PhoneRescue for iOS to Get Started.