Google has never released a program such as iTunes for Android, which acts as a smartphone manager from a PC. However, there are several alternative programs that allow you to see everything on your Android smartphone from your computer in order to synchronize files, make backups, open photos, transfer music and perform operations such as those that iTunes does for the iPhone.
These programs or applications work on all Android smartphones, of all brands: Samsung, LG, HTC, Nexus, Chinese mobile phones and any other.
They are based mostly on the WiFi connection, but can also take advantage of the phone-PC connection via the USB cable .
Let's see together the best desktop managers for Android similar to iTunes.
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1) AirDroid
AirDroid is definitely the best program to manage an Android smartphone as if we were on iTunes; we can download it for free from here -> AirDroid .
With AirDroid you can do practically all smartphone operations from your computer: send SMS messages, manage the address book, uninstall applications, open music and videos, transfer files from PC to phone and vice versa.
You can also: view, download and upload photos, import music and videos, manage ringtones and notification sounds, install applications via APK files, locate the lost phone from the computer, remotely lock the phone or erase its memory, take photos using the camera.
The app works with a direct WiFi connection (with mobile phone and computer connected to the same network) or also by connecting the smartphone to the PC with a USB cable.
The application also works without a wireless network, via internet connection and device recognition with code or barcode scanner.
You can certainly export photos and files of your mobile phone to your PC, but only manually.
The management interface on the computer is a website which, therefore, can be viewed on any computer without installing any software; the site can be reached from here -> AirDroid Web .
If instead we want to download the real management program we can get it for free from here -> AirDroid Client (Windows and Mac).
We can also read the dedicated guide on how to manage your Android phone from your PC via web browser with Airdroid.
2) MoboPlay
The real iTunes clone for Android is MoboPlay, a free PC program that works as a complete desktop manager for the smartphone; we can download the PC program from here -> MoboPlay .
In MoboPlay there is a convenient button to automatically backup all the data of the mobile phone and restore, you can also set up the data backup automatically every time you connect the mobile phone to the PC, it supports screen mirroring so as to view the phone screen on the PC monitor and transfer any type of file to and from the PC or smartphone, with a preview of the multimedia files.
It also works as an app store, which you can download from the dedicated store to install them on your smartphone in a simple click.
MoboPlay requires a WiFi connection on the same network or the USB cable.
For maximum integration we can install the MoboPlay app store on your smartphone using the link here -> MoboPlay App .
3) AirMore
Another very valid program to manage a smartphone with any operating system (Android or iOS) is AirMore .
By taking advantage of the WiFi wireless connection or the USB cable supplied, it will be possible to explore each file saved on the mobile device, copy or move multimedia content and content such as messages and contacts between the PC and the smartphone or between two different smartphones.
This app also allows you to take screenshots, show the screen in real time and manage the backups of each connected smartphone so as to restore it with a single click.
AirMore does not have any type of program, but the manager is available as a multimedia web page available from here -> AirMore Web .
Device management apps can be downloaded for Android and iOS from here -> AirMore (Android) and AirMore (iOS).
4) ApowerManager
Another program to install on a PC that we can try to manage an Android smartphone from a PC such as iTunes is ApowerManager .
This complete suite allows you to save the images, photos and videos on your portable device, to synchronize folders, create backups of the apps and view the smartphone screen on the PC to record screenshots and screencasts.
The app works both via USB cable and using a WiFi connection, so you can manage the device wirelessly even if in different rooms.
To download the program we can use the link here -> ApowerManager Client .
Apps for Android and iOS devices are available here -> ApowerManager (Android) and ApowerManager (iOS).
5) Mobizen
To stay on the theme of management programs for Android we can try Mobizen, downloadable from here -> Mobizen .
With this program installed on a PC we will be able to manage all aspects of the smartphone such as installed apps, multimedia files, folders, documents and record the screen, so as to make videos or photos of your smartphone for guides on YouTube or for blogs.
We can either download the recommended program from the page I listed above or use the web interface.
The app to register and manage your smartphone can be downloaded from here -> Mobizen App .
6) PC Suite of manufacturers
In addition to the programs and Web services that we have recommended so far, we can also use the PC Suites released by the various smartphone manufacturers, which can work like iTunes if we have a fairly famous smartphone and with a manufacturer that has released a specific program.
Below we can find the list of all the PC Suites that we can download based on the manufacturer of our device:
- Samsung
- Xiaomi
- Huawei
- LG
- Motorola
- HTC
- Sony
Using these programs we will obtain the features that we expect to find in a hypothetical iTunes for Android, although in many cases the programs discussed above can present additional features or greater convenience in connecting the devices.
If we have a smartphone from one of the manufacturers listed, we can try the proprietary solution first and, if unsatisfied, go to one of the services or software treated.
READ ALSO: Program to synchronize Android with PC
