What are the IPSW files you’re curious about? You could have come across this extension when upgrading your iTunes or your iPhone with a device upgrade. It is a new file extension launched by Apple Inc. that applies to iPhone , iPad, Apple TV or iPod computer software updates. Basically, a folder containing DMG, PLISTs, IM4Ps files inside them is an IPSW file. With the goal of introducing more levels of encryption for compatible iPhone models and other Apple smartphones, Apple launched IPSW. In addition, they can be used on your iPhone or iPod to backup or restore records.
How To Open or Acess Contents of IPSW File
With iTunes, you can access an IPSW file. Whenever you attach an iPhone to any Apple device, iTunes will automatically look for updates and save them as IPSW files. If you have an IPSW file lying on your screen, just double-click it to open it on iTunes.
Let’s say your computer username is Melina ; then you can access the download IPSW file vis iTunes in the following directories.
For Windows 10/8/8.1/7:
| iPhone: | C:\Users\Melina\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPhone Software Updates |
| iPad: | C:\Users\Melina\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPad Software Updates |
| iPod touch: | C:\Users\Melina\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPod Software Updates |
For windows XP:
| iPhone: | C:\Documents and Settings\Melina\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPhone Software Updates |
| iPad: | C:\Documents and Settings\Melina\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPad Software Updates |
| iPod touch: | C:\Documents and Settings\Melina\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPod Software Updates |
For MAC OS:
| iPhone: | ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates |
| iPad: | ~/Library/iTunes/iPad Software Updates |
| iPod touch: | ~/Library/iTunes/iPod Software Updates |
How to Check If an IPSW file is corrupted?
IPSW files are nothing but directories containing other files, as we discussed earlier. So, if you want to verify whether or not your file is corrupt, try opening it with WinRAR or zip 7. If the contents of the IPSW files are correctly removed, so they are not corrupt at all. If, however, when extracting with some unarchive software, you encounter any complications or mistakes, then there are chances that the file is corrupt and you have to restore it again.
iTunes Is Not Recognizing IPSW Update Files
If the downloaded upgrade does not function, or if iTunes shows error messages that the downloaded update can not be checked, then there are risks of corrupting the download files. You need to uninstall the update again in order to repair it. However, unless and until the previous one is removed, iTunes can not download the file again. To delete the update you have received, just go to the folder where the updates are being downloaded and delete the corresponding IPSW address.
How To Convert An IPSW File To Other Format
Although there are not many valid reasons for modifying the IPSW file format, you can do it by changing its extension or achieving so in another file format , for example, RAR, TAR, TZ, etc., if you want to do so. But if you change the file format, it would not be possible for iTunes to validate it as an official upgrade.
Here in this post, we have discussed everything about IPSW files, if you are still having issues coping with these files, then try upgrading your iTunes to the new edition. We also strongly recommend that you should not mess with these files; all iPhone backups are saved as IPSW file format, and modifying or messing with them would result in irreversible backup failure.
