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IPSW firmware files: where Finder keeps them

Updated 2026-10-28 · 5 min read

When you update or restore an iPhone from your Mac, Finder downloads a multi-gigabyte .ipsw file. This is where it goes, how to find it when the folder is missing, and when to delete it.

The location

~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates/
~/Library/iTunes/iPad Software Updates/

Finder kept the folders iTunes used. The device agent behind Finder's iPhone and iPad window on macOS Sequoia 15.6 still contains these folder names, along with matching ones for iPod, Apple TV and other devices. A folder appears only after Finder has downloaded something into it, so on the Mac checked for this post neither exists yet, and ~/Library/iTunes holds only iPhone Carrier Support. Open the parent folder with ⇧⌘G in Finder, or run open ~/Library/iTunes in Terminal.

An IPSW is a zip archive holding a complete iOS or iPadOS system for particular device models. Its name starts with the model identifier, such as iPhone17,1, followed by the version and build number, and ends in _Restore.ipsw. A file only works for the models it was built for.

When the folder is empty or missing

Updates installed on the phone itself, over Wi-Fi, never touch your Mac. Finder downloads an IPSW only when you click Check for Update or Restore iPhone in the device's General tab, and it may delete the file after a successful update. A missing or empty folder is normal.

To look for IPSW files in the likely places, without reading them:

find ~/Library ~/Downloads -iname '*.ipsw' 2>/dev/null

That covers the iTunes folders, any copy Apple Configurator keeps inside ~/Library, and firmware you downloaded with a browser. Add other folders to the command if you save downloads elsewhere. On Sequoia, System Settings > General > Storage also has an iOS Files category that covers iOS installers and device backups.

Using a file you already have

In the Finder device window, holding ⌥ while you click Check for Update or Restore iPhone opens a file picker, so you can choose an .ipsw you already have instead of downloading it again. Apple does not describe this in its support articles, but it has worked this way since iTunes. It is handy when you restore several phones of the same model, and the file can be anywhere, not only in the iTunes folder.

Space and safe cleanup

IPSW files are large, typically several gigabytes each, and old ones pile up after repeated restores. Check the folder's size:

du -sh ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone\ Software\ Updates

It is safe to delete an .ipsw once your update or restore has finished. Finder downloads a fresh copy whenever it needs one. Keeping old files buys you less than it seems: Apple's platform security guide explains that installs are authorised by Apple's servers, which lets Apple stop signing older versions to prevent downgrades, and that a network connection to Apple is always required to update devices with Apple-designed chips. A saved file therefore does not let you go back to a version Apple no longer signs.

Delete only the .ipsw files, by moving them to the Trash in Finder. Leave the iTunes folder itself alone, because it can hold other items, such as iPhone Carrier Support here. Deleting firmware has no effect on your backups, which live in a different folder.

Why Finder downloads it at all

An update from the Mac helps when the phone has too little free space for an over-the-air update, when its Wi-Fi is unreliable, or when the device will not start normally and needs a restore. Apple's security guide notes that when a device is connected to a Mac, a full copy of iOS or iPadOS is downloaded and installed. A restore erases the phone, so make a fresh backup first; where those go is covered in the MobileSync post.

Mac firmware is a separate thing

Mac systems come as .ipsw files too. Apple's Configurator guide uses them to revive or restore Macs with Apple silicon, and the same kind of file is used to install macOS in a virtual machine on Apple silicon. They are larger than iPhone files and are saved wherever you put them, usually Downloads, not in ~/Library/iTunes.

Moving or backing up the files

There is no setting to change Finder's download folder. To archive a version, copy the .ipsw to an external drive: it is an ordinary file and needs no special handling.

To find out whether Time Machine is copying these files, run:

tmutil isexcluded ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone\ Software\ Updates

It prints [Included] or [Excluded] once the folder exists. To leave it out, open System Settings > General > Time Machine, click Options, and add the folder under Exclude from Backups.

Finding them next time

Spotlight leaves ~/Library out, so it rarely shows firmware files. In Everywhere, typing ipsw lists the firmware in the iTunes folders under ~/Library, and once you have given it Full Disk Access, which macOS requires for Downloads and external drives, the files in Downloads and on archive drives you have since unplugged join the list. ⌘↵ reveals the one you pick in Finder, ready to move to the Trash.

Common questions

Where does Finder save iPhone IPSW files on a Mac?

In ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates/ for iPhones and ~/Library/iTunes/iPad Software Updates/ for iPads. The folders appear only after Finder downloads a firmware file, and Finder may delete the file after a successful update.

Is it safe to delete IPSW files?

Yes, once the update or restore has finished. Finder downloads a fresh copy when it needs one, and an old file does not let you reinstall a version Apple has stopped signing.

Why can't I find my IPSW file?

Updates installed on the phone never save one on the Mac, and Finder may remove the file after use. Search with find ~/Library ~/Downloads -iname '*.ipsw'.

How do I restore an iPhone from an IPSW I already downloaded?

In the Finder device window, hold Option while you click Restore iPhone or Check for Update, then choose the file. Apple does not document this in its support articles, but it has long worked this way.