The synchronization of the iPhone or iPad with the computer is an operation to be carried out every time we connect these devices, so that we can have all our data (music, videos, contacts, messages and images) synchronized with iTunes. If we are novice with Apple devices, we may encounter some difficulties in correctly carrying out this operation, especially in automatic mode (which does not leave much choice for the user).
In this guide we will show you all the steps you need to perform in order to synchronize an iPhone or iPad with your PC using iTunes ; we will show you both the automatic synchronization procedure and the steps to follow in order to activate manual synchronization and separate management of music, photos and videos, so as to always have maximum control when we use an Apple device connected to the PC.
Of course there is obviously iTunes, to be installed absolutely if we want to synchronize on these devices.
READ ALSO -> Guide to iTunes, options and functions to manage the iPhone from the computer
1) Automatic synchronization with iTunes
To start we will have to install the iTunes program on our PC with Windows, connect the iPhone or iPad to the PC using the USB cable and wait until iTunes starts automatically.
iTunes can be downloaded from the official page -> iTunes for Windows
At the first start we will be asked if we want to synchronize the connected Apple device on iTunes; we confirm on Yes to immediately activate the automatic synchronization.
Alternatively, we can also make this choice later by opening iTunes, clicking on the device symbol (below the Controls menu) and activating the Synchronize automatically item when iPhone (or iPad) is connected .
From now on, just connect the Apple device via USB cable and open iTunes to be able to synchronize all personal data within the program, so you can always have everything you need at hand (if we have added photos or music, they will be immediately available on the iPhone / iPad or vice versa we can immediately download the photos taken with the devices).
If we want to achieve synchronization without USB cable, we can also activate the item Synchronize with iPhone (or iPad) via Wi-Fi, so that we can obtain wireless synchronization, the only prerequisite is that the Apple device and the PC are connected to the same wireless network (therefore to the same modem).
We can at any time synchronize iTunes and the Apple device by clicking on the Synchronize button, present at the bottom of the device options (as seen previously, it is present as a small button under the Controls menu).
2) Manual synchronization with iTunes
If we want to choose what to synchronize and what not on your iPhone or iPad, we can use manual synchronization in iTunes ; in this way we will have more control over what we add to the PC and what we want to be present on the internal memory of the device.
To carry out this type of synchronization, connect the iPhone or iPad to the PC via USB cable, then open the iTunes program and click on the device options icon; then disable the item Synchronize automatically when iPhone (or iPad) is connected, which we had previously activated, and instead enable the item Manually manage music and videos .
After this operation we can manually add the music and videos to the iPhone or iPad by opening the various menus on the left side of the interface and dragging them inside the iPhone.
If we wanted to make the operation slightly faster, we can also activate the item Synchronize only the selected songs and videos, so that we can synchronize only what we play or view within iTunes (by clicking with the mouse on the desired content).
If we have difficulty synchronizing photos and videos with iTunes we recommend reading the official Apple guide.
3) Alternatives to iTunes
If you don't like how iTunes manages iPhone and iPad synchronization, you can use various alternative programs (many of them free) to synchronize iPhone or iPad with PC .
For example there is AirMore, already described in another article, which allows you to use the iPhone from your PC and freely transfer files from computer to smartphone or vice versa using a very simple and intuitive interface, available directly inside the browser (not you need to install no programs, but only the app on the Apple device).
Really an excellent alternative to iTunes, since it is simple and fast (the association is via QR codes or through the account and allows you to synchronize via Wi-Fi).
Another program is Syncios, very similar to iTunes, which allows you to use the iPhone as if it were a normal non-Apple mobile phone to copy and save files freely as in a USB memory.
With a clear and easy-to-use user interface, you can move files back and forth from PC to iPhone, to sync music, photos, videos and whatever you want.
Among other features we also find the possibility to back them up in any position and, non-trivial, to install or remove applications.
When you connect the iOS device, Syncios detects it immediately and displays all the related information under the Device Info item.
You can also install .ipa applications from your PC, uninstall applications and back them up, export and import files, create playlists, photo galleries and so on.
You can easily synchronize files of any type in the memory of the iPhone or iPad and also access the system files.
These are without a doubt the best alternatives to iTunes that we can use right away; if we look for alternatives, we refer you to reading our guide -> Programs to manage the iPhone from PC without iTunes.
