What ’s the undecomposed way to sync to iTunes on my iPhone and iPad ? Do I even involve to synchronize with my Mac any more ?
Welcome to our complete guide to syncing an iPhone or iPad with a Mac or PC . We excuse how to sync to iTunes using a USB cable joining ( this can be Lightning or an former 30 - pin cable if you ’re using a pre-2012 equipment ) , or over Wi - Fi .
This tutorial covers the bedrock of sync an iPhone or iPad to iTunes on a Mac or PC . But if the process goes wrong and you ’re looking for more in - deepness troubleshooting service when syncing your iPhone or iPad , tryFixes for common iPhone synchronise problemsandHow to sync an iPhone with iTunes without erase apps and other data .
And if all this scuffle has catch you thinking about getting rid of iTunes completely , readThe best iTunes alternative and how to delete iTunesand for entropy about Apple ’s terms and conditions for using iTunes read : Should you agree to Apple ’s term and conditions
How to sync to iTunes: Do I need to sync an iPhone or iPad with iTunes?
Since the launch ofiOS 5many years ago ( to put that into context , we ’ll be switching toiOS 10 in autumn 2016 ) , it ’s been possible to set up and use an iPhone or iPad without connecting to a Mac or PC at all : you could set up on the equipment and download apps and media you buy from Apple ’s stock directly on to the equipment . As Steve Jobs put it ( rather prematurely , it turn out ) , it ’s a post - PC world .
But there are lots of occasion when it still make sentience to do things the old - fashioned agency . download hefty apps over Wi - Fi – or , worse still , 3 gram – can be a long - wind process , and it ’s often more sensible to download mental object via a wired broadband connection first . ( In recent year we ’ve found it more convenient to download majoriOS updatesto a Mac before syncing them to our iPhones and iPads . It ’s more space - efficient this way . ) And if you ’ve already start media stored on your Mac or microcomputer and want to consume it on your iPad or iPhone , it gain most sense to touch base the gimmick and sync them up . We ’ll walk you through this procedure in this clause .
( When we say ‘ connect ’ , this does n’t necessarily involve a physical cable system between the figurer and the mobile machine . iOS 5 also get in the ability to sync over Wi - Fi , and we ’ll cover that below too . )
How to sync to iTunes: Types of data, media & content you can sync to your iPhone or iPad
synchronise between an iDevice and a Mac or PC can be a utile and effective way of transferring a wide range of data and content . Here ’s what you’re able to sync :
• Audio : private vocal , music record album , and playlists ( for more on syncing isues specific to medicine , seeHow to sync medicine from iMac to iPhone without deleting Apple Music playlists and songs ) ; audiobooks ; podcasts ; ringtones • photo • video recording : television , film , homemade TV clipping • iBooks • Contacts • calendar
What types of file and data ca n’t you sync from iTunes ? There are three chief gaps – post , notes and bookmark – but these can be wield across multiple devices using iCloud .
Let ’s move on to the factual syncing process . It ’s straightforward , so do n’t worry .
How to sync to iTunes: Sync your iPhone or iPad via USB
1 . link up your iPhone , iPad or iPod touch to the Mac or PC using a USB / Lightning or USB/30 - oarlock cable’s length . you’re able to use the line that come with the equipment , but there are plenty of third - political party choice out there that are cheaper , longer , more rich , declare oneself unlike feature etc – seeBest Lightning cable length for iPhone and iPad .
2 . Open iTunes . ( Apple recommend that you update iTunes to the former version but most of the clip you ’ll be o.k. with an earlier version . iTunes itself will permit you experience if it ’s having trouble synchronise with your roving machine and desperately require to be update . ) If everything is working aright , an ikon will appear in iTunes ’ top - leave corner , denote the type of equipment you plug in .
3 . Click that icon . You ’ll see various particular about the equipment – its model , serial number , Io version number and so on – and the types of content you’re able to synchronise with it will be listed down the lefthand dot of the windowpane . This list will depend on the available cognitive content on your Mac or PC .
4 . Click one of these – Music , Movies or whatever – and you ’ll see a list of available , syncable content of that kind that ’s lay in on your Mac or PC . front at the tickbox at the top of the page , next to the word Sync and the content case . If there ’s a tick in the box already , synchronise is on ; if not , tick it to switch on sync for that content eccentric .
If syncing is on , this means that iTunes will sync the selected items of that eccentric to the iPhone when you chatter Apply . ( Do n’t click it yet – we ’ll limit syncing options for all the content types we require , then apply them all at once . ) check the individual items , play list and so on that you want to synchronize , or tick the option at the top to mechanically sync everything , or everything that is late , unplayed or whatever .
Some problems may arise at this point : iTunes may discourage you that your iPhone is synced with another iTunes library already , which will prevent syncing from taking position usually . you’re able to get round this by picking the option ‘ Erase and Sync ’ but , as the wording intimate , this pick will ensue in the content you synced from the other machine being pass over . Fortunately this appendage occurs by contentedness type , so you’re able to keep the films you synchronise from another Mac , say , while choosing Erase and Sync for euphony .
5 . clack on another content case and set syncing options for that one . Continue until you ’ve change over on and managed syncing for every mental object type you require to synchronize . When you ’re finished , click Apply at the bottom right of the window , then ( if the syncing cognitive operation does n’t get mechanically ) Sync .
6 . Wait for syncing to nail , then eject your iPhone ( the eject icon is to the right of your twist ’s name at the top odd ) and disconnect it from the Mac or PC .
How to sync to iTunes: Sync your iPhone or iPad via Wi-Fi
Syncing over Wi - Fi , like almost all wireless operation , has vantage and disadvantage compare to its wired equivalent . apparently it ’s more convenient not give to dig out the correct cable ( and if the USB ports are around the back of a bulky desktop Mac or PC just sustain to them can be a pain ) . But bear in mind that you still have to connect it via USB the first time , to set up the syncing appendage . next syncs will take place wirelessly without you cause to stop up in the iPhone .
Finally , it ’s worth bearing in creative thinker that if you ’re sync large file you ’re likely to find the process perceptibly slower , since transfers are limited by the stop number of your Wi - Fi connexion rather than the far quicker USB .
Here ’s how to sync your iPhone via Wi - Fi :
1 . join your iPhone , iPad or iPod touch to the Mac or PC using a USB / Lightning or USB/30 - flag cable .
2 . overt iTunes and , as above , tap the niggling iPhone picture when it appears at the top go away .
3 . This fourth dimension , instead of selecting a contented eccentric to sync , stay on the Summary tab ( or click Summary at the top of the lefthand prevention , if you ’ve got lost ) . Under the Options section ( the third box down ) , you ’ll see a ticking box next to ‘ Sync with this iPhone over Wi - Fi ’ . Pop a ticking in the box , then click hold at the bottom - right hand . you’re able to unplug the USB overseas telegram now .
4 . Even though the iPhone is unplugged , you may carry on setting up syncing options in iTunes . As before , function your through the various content types , take in each case the specific files to be synced , or the parameter to be give when deciding whether to sync a file . When you ’ve wind up , click Sync .
5 . You should n’t have to punch the iPhone in again . In future , merely link the iPhone to the same Wi - Fi electronic connection as the Mac or PC will result in its icon appear in iTunes , so you ’ll be capable to change syncing options without any bother . If you want to synchronize the iPhone again , just make certain it ’s on the same Wi - Fi connection and plugged into mains power : provided iTunes is on , it will detect the iPhone and re - apply your syncing survival of the fittest and parameters .
study next : How to transfer or sync Voice Memos from an iPhone to a Mac
