Posted on 4 How To

How to sync iPhone with computer

Many people think that you cannot sync iPhone with third party laptops or computers. It is not true! It doesn’t really matter if your computer is Mac or Windows. You can seamlessly transfer and save files from iPhone to computer.

Wondering how to sync your iPhone with your computer? You have several methods to choose from, so read on.

Sync iPhone to Computer with iTunes

The main way to sync iPhone to PC is through iTunes. The process we’ll discuss below is the same for Macs running macOS Mojave or earlier. The process is slightly different if you want to sync your iPhone with a Mac running macOS Catalina or later.

Before you begin, be sure to install or update iTunes to the latest version on your computer. You can download it from the Microsoft Store or from the Apple website. Similarly, make sure your computer software is updated to the latest version.

When syncing via iTunes, you can sync using a USB cable or WiFi connection. Let’s discuss both.

What can be synced with iTunes?

Before proceeding, you should know which items you can sync across your devices using iTunes.

  • Photo and video
  • Contacts
  • Calendars
  • Music albums, playlists and songs
  • Movies and series
  • Podcasts
  • Books and audiobooks

Note. Every time you sync, your computer backs up an updated version of these items.

How to sync with a USB cable

To start syncing with a USB cable, follow these steps:

  1. Connect iPhone to PC with USB cable (preferably original cable).
  2. The iTunes application may open automatically. If it doesn’t, launch iTunes.
  3. Select the small iPhone icon in the top left corner. If iTunes doesn’t recognize your iPhone, use this troubleshooting guide.
  4. Under “Settings”(in the sidebar), select the type of item you want to sync.
  5. Check the boxes next to the items you want to sync.
  6. Click Apply in the lower right corner of the window. Synchronization should start automatically. If not, click Synchronize.

Note. Your device can only sync with one iTunes library at a time. If you’ve previously connected your iPhone to another iTunes library, you’ll see a message stating that your iTunes is connected to another iTunes library. You will find the “Erase and Sync”option. Any items you select for the selected content type will be erased and replaced with content from your iTunes library on the new computer.

Usually, as soon as you connect your iPhone to your computer, iTunes starts syncing automatically. If this annoys you, you can always prevent iTunes from automatically syncing your iPhone or iPad.

How to sync iPhone with iTunes WiFi

Here is what you should do to enable iTunes sync over WiFi,

  1. Connect your iPhone to your computer via USB and open iTunes.
  2. Select the iPhone icon → select Summary.
  3. Click “Sync to this [device] via WiFi”.
  4. Click Apply.

Now that they’re synced, your device will show up in your computer’s iTunes when they’re both on the same WiFi network. The devices will also sync automatically when your iPhone is connected to a power source and iTunes is open on your computer.

To sync manually, make sure iTunes is open on your computer and your iPhone is connected to the same Wi-Fi. Currently:

  1. Go to Settings app on iPhone → General.
  2. Scroll down and tap iTunes WiFi Sync.
  3. Click Sync Now.

Sync iPhone to Computer with iCloud

If you want to sync your iPhone to your computer without iTunes, the answer is via iCloud. Before you begin, make sure that any files you want to sync via iCloud are enabled. Sure:

  1. Go to Settings → tap [your name] at the top of the screen.
  2. Click iCloud → enable all the files you want to sync to iCloud.

Now that it’s done, you can access all of this data from your iCloud. Again, you can download iCloud on your computer or open the web version to sync your iPhone with your computer. Let’s discuss both processes below.

Use iCloud for Windows

There is a dedicated iCloud app for Windows PCs ; this provides faster synchronization between your iPhone and Windows PC. To get started, download iCloud for Windows (if you have Windows 10 on your computer, you can download it from the Microsoft Store).

Now open the app and sign in with your Apple ID. You should see the following options in the iCloud app:

  • iCloud Drive: syncs files and documents
  • Photos: Sync photos, videos, and shared albums.
  • Mail, Contacts & Calendars: Synchronizes your mail, calendars, events and all contacts stored on your iPhone with your Windows PC. However, you may not see this option if you do not have Microsoft Outlook installed on your computer.
  • Bookmarks: Synchronizes your bookmarks with Firefox and Google Chrome.
  • Passwords: Allows you to access your iCloud Keychain from Google Chrome or another browser.

Source: Apple Support.

To start syncing and enable Apple iCloud storage on your PC, check the box next to iCloud Drive and select Apply. You can also click the iCloud icon on the taskbar. Or go to File Explorer and select iCloud Drive from the sidebar.

Source: Apple Support.

You can now add, remove, and move items on your iCloud Drive. Any changes you make here will apply to your Apple devices.

You can also share iCloud files and folders with others. Just right-click on the item you want to share, select “Share to iCloud Drive”and choose who you want to share it with and access options.

Using iCloud in a web browser

You can simply access iCloud through a web browser and sync files between your iPhone and computer. Do it:

  1. Go to iCloud.com.
  2. Sign in with your Apple ID and password.
  3. If two-factor authentication is enabled for your Apple ID, you’ll receive a verification code on one of your trusted devices. Enter the code on your computer.
  4. View the list of apps in your iCloud.
  5. You can download photos and videos from the Photos app by selecting them and clicking the Download button.
  6. If you have key notes, PDFs, pages, documents, and other files saved to your iCloud Drive, click iCloud Drive, select a file or open folders to find the files you want to sync, and click the Download button.

Note. Update your iCloud storage.

Using iCloud to sync files between iOS and Windows devices is easy. However, you only get 5 GB of free iCloud storage. So if you want to sync and store a lot of files, you can upgrade your iCloud storage.

Use Windows Explorer

Note that this option only applies if you’re looking for a way to sync photos and videos in your Camera Roll album. This method allows you to quickly transfer photos and videos to your computer using a USB cable without the need for third-party software.

Begin:

  1. Connect your iPhone to your Windows PC with a cable.
  2. Unlock iPhone. A hint will appear. Click Trust this computer.
  3. On your computer, go to This PC → select [your iPhone name] → Internal storage.
  4. Select DCIM → 100APPLE.
  5. Manually copy whatever you want to transfer from your iPhone to your computer.

Use Windows autorun

Windows AutoPlay gives you a little more control when it comes to where you want your files to be stored on your PC. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Connect your iPhone to your computer with a USB cable.
  2. Go to “Settings”on your PC → click “Devices”.
  3. Select “AutoPlay”on the left side of the screen → click “Choose Default AutoPlay Options”to tell your computer where you want to save your files.

Use Bluetooth

You can use Bluetooth to transfer files to and from iPhone and PC. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. On your computer, go to Devices → Bluetooth and other devices. Turn on Bluetooth and make sure it’s discoverable.
  2. On your iPhone, go to Settings → Bluetooth. Turn it on and make sure everyone can find it.
  3. On your computer, find your iPhone. You may need to authenticate the connection by entering a one-time generated code.
  4. Confirm the connection.

That’s all. You can now send files between devices over the connection.

Use third party software or service

If you don’t want to fiddle with settings, you can use a third-party app that makes it easy to sync data across devices. Apps like Mobimover or MobileTrans by EaseUS can help you. However, they have associated privacy risks.

Plus, you can use third-party cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive to store and access your files anytime, anywhere—from any device.

FAQ

Many reasons can affect the synchronization between your iPhone and computer. First, check if your cable is damaged. If you’re using Wi-Fi to sync with iTunes, make sure both devices are on the same network. If that fails, you can try resetting the sync history in iTunes. To do this, go to iTunes → Preferences → Devices → Reset Sync History.

The easiest way to wirelessly sync your iPhone to your computer is through iCloud. If you’re using iTunes, you must initially set up cable sync and turn on WiFi sync. You can also send files from iPhone via Bluetooth.

Completion…

Many iPhone owners sync and back up their photos, videos, and other important files to their PCs. This can be tedious, especially when trying to sync with third party computers. However, this ensures that your files are safe, constantly updated and available.

I have listed many options through which you can try to sync your iPhone and computer. Now with so many options available to you, syncing is as easy as one-two-three! Which of the following methods works best for you? Share them below.

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