Open source iPhone backup server

Your iPhone backs up
straight to your server

AirVault turns your NAS into a backup server for every iPhone in the house — full backups over Wi-Fi, kept as snapshots you can restore to any paired phone.

Install AirVault View on GitHub

Self-hosted. Open source. Nothing leaves your network.

AirVault dashboard with three iPhones: connection, battery, last backup and a backup in progress
  • Open source
  • Wi-Fi backups
  • Incremental & deduplicated
  • Encrypted backups
  • Runs on any Docker host

// what it does

What AirVault does

NO COMPUTER

No computer in the middle

The iPhone connects directly to the server over Wi-Fi. No desktop app, no always-on computer, no cloud, no telemetry — nothing leaves your network.

FULL BACKUP

A full backup, not a file sync

Settings, messages, app data, photos — the same complete backup Finder makes, restorable to a phone.

INCREMENTAL

Only changes transfer

After the first backup, runs are quick — and each one is kept as its own restorable snapshot.

ENCRYPTED

Encryption included

With iOS backup encryption on, passwords, Health data and call history are in the backup — unreadable without your password.

INTEGRITY

Verified twice

Every file is checksummed as it's stored and checked again before it goes back onto a phone.

PHOTOS

Photos without a full backup

Open the camera roll of a connected iPhone in the browser — thumbnails, previews, and downloads in original quality.

APPS

Apps and their files

See every installed app, browse its documents and pull files out — or install an .ipa and uninstall right from the dashboard.

HARDWARE

Hardware at a glance

Storage, battery health and cycle count, temperature, serial numbers — for every paired iPhone, without digging through Settings.

// how it works

Pair once, restore anytime

  1. 01

    Pair

    Connect the iPhone once and tap Trust. The server remembers the phone from then on.

  2. 02

    Back up

    Run backups over Wi-Fi from the dashboard. After the first one, only changes transfer.

  3. 03

    Restore

    Pick any snapshot and put it back — on the same iPhone or its replacement.

// install

Up and running
in minutes

Any Docker host works: paste the compose file, install the Community Applications template on Unraid, or set up a Container Manager project on Synology. Pair the iPhone once — after that everything is Wi-Fi.

ghcr.io/wizier/airvault:latest

  1. Save the file as docker-compose.yml and run docker compose up -d.

  2. Plug the iPhone into the host once — USB is only needed to pair.

  3. Open http://<host>:8080, paste the token from the log and pair the phone.

requirements

amd64 Docker host · USB for the one-time pairing

docker-compose.yml · 28 lines 
services:
  airvault:
    image: ghcr.io/wizier/airvault:latest
    container_name: airvault
    restart: unless-stopped

    # Host networking is required: Wi-Fi discovery is link-local mDNS multicast
    network_mode: host

    environment:
      - AIRVAULT_PORT=${AIRVAULT_PORT:-8080}
      - AIRVAULT_AUTH_TOKEN=${AIRVAULT_AUTH_TOKEN:-}
      - AIRVAULT_LOG_LEVEL=${AIRVAULT_LOG_LEVEL:-info}
      - AIRVAULT_MUX_LOG_LEVEL=${AIRVAULT_MUX_LOG_LEVEL:-warn}
      - TZ=${TZ:-Etc/UTC}
      # Advanced (optional): AIRVAULT_LISTEN_ADDR, AIRVAULT_DATABASE_URL,
      # PUID/PGID/UMASK

    # USB pairing: bind the bus
    device_cgroup_rules:
      - "c 189:* rmw"

    volumes:
      # /config: settings, database, pairing records. /backups: the backups.
      - ./config:/config
      - ./backups:/backups
      - /dev/bus/usb:/dev/bus/usb
      - /run/udev:/run/udev:ro

// faq

Common questions

What does the backup include?

Everything a Finder backup includes: settings, messages, app data and photos. With encryption on, it also carries what iOS otherwise holds back: saved passwords, Health data and call history. Apps themselves re-download from the App Store on restore.

Do I need a computer or a cloud account?

No. The iPhone backs up to the server directly over Wi-Fi, and you manage everything from a browser.

Which iPhones are supported?

AirVault uses the same backup protocol Finder and iTunes use, so any iPhone that can back up to a computer can back up here. Wireless backups use the Wi-Fi sync you enable once during pairing.

How much storage do backups use?

The first backup is roughly the used space on the phone. Snapshots share unchanged files, so the history grows only by what changed.

How long does the first backup take?

Roughly the used space on the phone has to cross your network once, so give it time. Backups run over USB too — you can leave the cable in for the first one. After that, runs transfer only changes and finish quickly.

Are encrypted backups supported?

Yes — standard iOS backup encryption, managed from the dashboard. Without your password the backup is unreadable.

Can I restore to a new iPhone?

Yes. Any snapshot can be restored to any paired iPhone, including a factory-new phone during its setup.

How many iPhones can back up to one server?

Every iPhone in the house — each device keeps its own snapshot history.