Full Guide: Sync iPhone with Windows/Mac Without iTunes

Backup contents of iPhone without iTunes

Hi, I don’t want to sync the contents between my iPhone and iTunes but I really need to backup (and restore) music, photos, videos, etc. Any advice, please?

- Question from Apple Community

Originally, iTunes is used to organize, collect and store Apple users’ music collections. You're also allowed to backup iOS devices using iTunes. However, the performance of iTunes is less than satisfactory. Do you start to search for other ways to sync iPhone without iTunes after encountering kinds of iTunes problems? Is there any way to sync iPhone music, photos, contacts, etc. without iTunes? Keep reading, and you will find what you want in this passage.

Part 1. Sync Music Between iPhone to Windows Without iTunes

If you are using a Windows PC, you can sync iPhone with third-party software. I’d like to recommend to you a professional and multiple-functional tool, FoneTool. It provides Windows users an easy way to sync their iPhone, iPad, and iPod to Windows computer.

What you can benefit from FoneTool
👍 Sync more types of files. FoneTool allows you to transfer and backup not only purchased and non-purchased music. Photos, videos, contacts, and messages on your iPhone are also included.
👍 Preview and selective process. During the transfer and backup task, you're able to preview and choose wanted files from iPhone to sync to computer.
👍 High compatibility. FoneTool supports iPhones from iPhone 4 to the latest iPhone 15, iPad (including iPad 2023), and iPod Touch. It also works well with versions of iOS, like iOS 17.
👍 Simple design and operation.  With a clear interface, FoneTool is pretty user-friendly. You can sync iPhone to Windows with a few clicks.

Tutorials about how to sync music from Windows PC to iPhone
Step 1. Click the icon below to download FoneTool and install it on your computer. Connect your iPhone to Windows computer with a compatible USB cable.

Step 2. Launch FoneTool, and click Phone Transfer from the Toolbar > Click Start Transfer under PC to iPhone.

Step 3. Choose Music from the top of the interface > Click the file icon to choose the music files you'd like to transfer to iPhone. 

Step 4. Make sure you've added all wanted songs, click the Start Transfer button to sync music from computer to iPhone without iTunes.

🔥 As an excellent iTunes alternative on Windows PC, you can also rely on FoneTool to backup your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. What makes it different is that FoneTool supports you to backup not only everything but also selective files to computer.

🔥 The feature-rich FoneTool also provides you with powerful iCloud sync functions, which enables you to sync files from iPhone to iPhone without iTunes between different iCloud account.

Method 2. Sync iPhone to Mac without iTunes 

If you have a Mac, you can choose to backup iPhone to Mac without iTunes. After you update to macOS Catalina, you will find iTunes has been divided into Music, TV, and Podcasts apps, and none of them can help you sync iPhone. Instead, you can head to Finder to sync, backup, and restore your iPhone, iPad on Mac.

What you can sync with the Finder
• Albums, songs, playlists, movies, TV shows, podcasts, books, and audiobooks.
• Photos and videos.
• Contacts and calendars.

Using Finder to sync iPhone on Mac
Step 1. Open the Finder > Connect your iPhone with the computer using a USB cable.

Step 2. When the iPhone appears in the sidebar of the Finder > Click your iPhone to select it.

Step 3. Select the type of content you want to sync > Select the checkbox next to Sync > Repeat the step until you select all items you want to sync.

Step 4. Click Apply in the lower-right corner to start.

Conclusion

Has your problem about how to sync iPhone without iTunes been solved? Under different circumstances, this passage gives you methods to sync iPhone without iTunes to Windows PC and Mac. You can try one of the two methods according to your need. It would be appreciated if you can share this passage to help more people.