How do I transfer music or files from my computer to iPhone, iPod or iPad?

Last Updated :  |  Wide Angle Software

Summary

To sync your content from computer to your device, follow the steps below

1. Open iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina or higher) and connect your device to your Mac or PC using your USB cable
2. Select your device.
3. Select what data you would like to be synced for each category.
4. If you would like to sync this type of data, make sure the box is ticked. You can alter the preference options here to suit your needs.
5. Click the Apply button in the lower-right corner of iTunes.
6. If your sync doesn't start automatically, click Sync

Detailed Steps

If you wish to transfer data from your old iPhone or iPod to a new device, our TouchCopy software can be very helpful in copying content from your old device to your Mac, PC or iTunes. You can then use iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina or higher) to add all this content to your new iPhone, iPod or iPad, by using the sync function.

Please note that using the sync function means that after you sync, the content on your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad will match the content in your library. So, before you sync, make sure you have all of the data you want to sync in your library (otherwise you may lose some files!).

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You can sync:

• Albums, songs, playlists and podcasts
• Films and TV programs
• Audiobooks and Books
• Photos and videos
• Calendars and contacts

How to transfer data from computer to iPhone, iPod or iPad

Open iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina or higher) and connect your device to your Mac or PC using your USB cable.

• When your device is detected by iTunes, click your device icon.
• Or in Finder, select your device from the list of Locations on the left.

The images below show how to sync data using iTunes on Windows PC. However, the steps are very similar when using iTunes on Mac, or Finder on macOS Catalina and higher.

Under "Settings" you can click any of the items in the list to check if syncing is enabled for that type of data.

If you would like to sync this type of data, make sure the box is ticked. You can alter the preference options here to suit your needs.

If you see a message that your iOS device is synced with another iTunes library after clicking the box, your iOS device was previously connected to another computer. If you click "Erase and Sync" in that message, all content of the selected type on your iOS device is replaced with content from your computer. Content that you didn't turn on syncing for isn't deleted from your iOS device. You can only sync your iOS device with one iTunes library at a time.

Bear in mind that for certain types of data (like contacts and calendars), iTunes/Finder cannot sync the data if it is set to automatically sync with iCloud. To disable iCloud, from your new iPhone, go to "Settings" > Your username > "iCloud" and disable iCloud for the Contacts / Calendar apps. Connect your new iPhone to your computer, and select your device in iTunes/Finder. Click on the Info tab in iTunes and check "Sync Contacts" and/or "Sync Calendars", choose the desired calendar/contacts management program where your information is stored and click on the "Sync" button.

Once you're happy with the settings for each data type in the list, click the Apply button.

Finally, if your sync doesn't start automatically, you can now click the Sync button.

Automatic syncing (optional)

iTunes: After you turn on syncing, your content syncs each time you connect your iOS device to your computer and have iTunes open.
You can turn off automatic syncing in iTunes by going to Preferences > Devices > Tick the box next to "Prevent iPod, iPhones and iPads syncing automatically" > Click OK.

Finder: You can enable automatic syncing with your connected device in Finder. Once your device is connected to your Mac, select your device in Finder. While viewing the General tab -> Options, check "Automatically sync when this iPhone/iPod/iPad is connected".