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How to connect iPhone to Windows 10 PC | Use iPhone with Windows 10 PC

Want to connect your iPhone to a Windows 10 PC? Don't worry: it's easy to share photos, music and contacts between iOS 10 and Windows 10. In this feature we look at how to use an iPhone with a Windows 10 PC
By Lucy Hattersley
Macworld OCT 24, 2016 12:09 pm PDT

Can I use an iPhone with a Windows 10 PC? If so, how do I connect an iPhone to a Windows 10 PC?

It’s actually pretty easy to connect an iPhone to a Windows 10 PC. Although Apple makes iOS (the operating system that the iPhone and iPad use) and Microsoft makes Windows, the two companies have made it relatively easy to use the devices together.

However, before we start, it’s worth wondering if you need to connect the two devices. When Apple first launched the iPhone it was heavily dependent on either a Mac or PC to set up, back up and update the device. These days though you can pretty much use an iPhone independently of a desktop system.

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How to connect an iPhone to a Windows 10 PC: Install iTunes

To sync your iPhone with a Windows 10 computer you’ll need iTunes. Apple’s music player is also used to manage iDevices, such as the iPhone and iPad (and older iPod).

Apple’s iTunes is installed on new Macs, but on a Windows 10 computer, you’ll need to download a copy from Apple.

  1. Open your web browser (click on the Microsoft Edge icon in the Task Manager).
  2. Visit www.apple.com/itunes
  3. Click Download iTunes. You’ll be asked if you want to opt in or opt out of the newsletter.
  4. Click Download Now.
  5. Open your Downloads folder and launch the iTunes6464Setup.exe installer.
  6. Follow the installation instructions and open iTunes. Click Agree to the licence window. Agree in the Welcome window.

Once you have iTunes installed on your computer you can use it to manage your files, and back up your iPhone.

When iTunes first launches it’ll scan for media on your computer. It’ll collect together all the music and videos it can find on your system. These can then be transferred to your iPhone.

How to connect an iPhone to a Windows 10 PC: Sync your iPhone with Windows 10

How to connect iPhone to Windows 10 PC: iTunes Windows 10

Now you’ve got iTunes set up on your Windows 10 computer, it’s time to sync the computer with your iPhone.

  1. You can sync an iPhone with a Windows 10 computer wirelessly (over your local WiFi network) or via the Lightning cable. The first time you’ll need to use the cable to attach the iPhone to your computer.
  2. Trust this Computer? will appear on your iPhone. Click Trust.
  3. ‘Do you want this computer to access your iPhone?’ will appear in Windows. Click Continue.
  4. Open iTunes in Windows 10.
  5. Plug your iPhone (or iPad or iPod) into the computer using a Lightning cable (or older 30-pin connector).
  6. Click on Device in iTunes and choose your iPhone.

The first thing you should do is click Back Up Now to back up your iPhone. Make sure Automatically Back Up To This Computer is selected.

You will see many options under Settings for apps, music, movies and other content you can sync. Choose the items you want and click Sync when you are ready.

The media will be copied from your Windows 10 computer to your iPhone. Note that any music or videos on your iPhone will be replaced by ones from Windows, so be sure to transfer you media over first. An App like Copytrans can help if you have media on your iPhone that you need to copy: see  Copy iPhone files to your Windows 10 PC.