Backup iPhone to external drive

[T-J-C]

I have a 512gb iPhone XS that I've not backed up properly since i got it. It's running out of storage so I'd like to offload the photos that are on it. Normally I use the Image Capture program on my MacBook to bulk import and delete. However, it doesn't seem to do the deleting anymore, and I have to manually delete on the phone afterwards. On top of this if I do too many files in one go, it crashes. With my old iPad I had no issues.

I've tried backing up instead through iTunes. I can't do this as the data on the phone is more than the free space on the computer. I've tried finding a way of backing up to an external drive through iTunes, but it seems this can't be done?

I'd like to know if either of the following are possible:
1. How to make the delete function in Image Capture work on my phone.
2. How to do an iTunes backup to an external drive.

I have access to a Windows PC too if I can do either of the above on that instead.

I'm currently stuck with all the photos on my phone, and the only way is to transfer a handful at a time in Image Capture, then manually delete them. This will take far too long.

Thanks.

[eeLee]

Photos on the Mac will do the importing, I think it will also automatically delete the files once moved. That's how my wife does it.

[SuffolkDefender]

airdrop them a bunch at a time from phone to Mac, then delete from the phone?

[LordGrover]

Are copies retained in your iCloud account?
Relatively straightforward to download from there to wherever.

[essayer]

Move the iTunes backup location on your PC to the external drive, then back it up on there.

This should work -
https://www.ubackup.com/phone-backup/backup-iphone...

Edited by essayer on Tuesday 10th May 18:11

[mikef]

Not free, but take a look at iMazing for Mac or Windows