How to Disable iPhone and iPod Automatic Sync in iTunes GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Mobile Phones > iPhone & iOS 33 33 people found this article helpful
How to Disable iPhone and iPod Automatic Sync in iTunes
Here's why you might want to stop auto-syncing and how to do it
By Sam Costello Sam Costello Writer Ithaca College Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 12, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email iPhone & iOS Switching from Android What to Know
In iTunes 12, go to the Summary screen of your device and uncheck Automatically sync when this iPhone is connected.In iTunes 11 on Mac, go to iTunes menu > Preferences > Devices and check Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically.In iTunes 11 on Windows, go to Edit > Settings > Devices and check Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically. When you plug an iPhone or iPod into a computer with iTunes, iTunes opens and tries to perform an automatic sync with the device. This is designed to be convenient since it prevents you from having to open iTunes manually. But there are some good reasons for wanting to disable automatic sync with iTunes.
How to Stop Automatic Sync in iTunes 12 and Newer
If you're running iTunes 12 and up, follow these steps to stop automatic syncing: These settings apply whether you sync your iPhone to iTunes over Wi-Fi or if you use the USB cable that comes with your iPhone. Connect your iPhone or iPod to your computer. iTunes should launch automatically. If it doesn't, launch the program. If necessary, click the small iPhone or iPod icon in the top left corner, just beneath the playback controls. This takes you to the Summary screen. In the Options box, uncheck the box next to Automatically sync when this iPhone is connected. Click Apply in the bottom right corner of iTunes to save your new setting. From now on, your iPhone or iPod will not auto-sync when you connect it. Why You Might Want to Disable Automatic Sync in iTunes
Some of the reasons you may want to stop iTunes from automatically syncing with your devices include: It's not your computer: Sometimes we plug our iPhones into our work computers or computers that don't belong to us to charge the battery. In that case, you won't want the iPhone to sync with the computer. It's not your primary computer: Even if the computer belongs to you, if it's not the one you normally sync with, it won't have the right data on it. You don't want to accidentally delete the data you need with old information. You don't have time: Syncing can take a long time. If you have a lot of data to sync, or if you're having problems syncing some kinds of content, it can take a long time. If you're in a rush, you won't want to wait. Whatever your reason, the steps you need to follow to stop automatic sync differ based on what version of iTunes you have.
How to Disable Automatic Sync in iTunes 11 and Earlier
For earlier versions of iTunes, the process is fairly similar, but the steps and onscreen options are slightly different. If your version of iTunes is older and doesn't have these exact options, find the ones that are the closest match and try those. Before you plug the iPhone or iPod into the computer, open iTunes. Open the Preferences window. On a Mac, go to the iTunes menu -> Preferences -> Devices.On a PC, go to Edit > Settings > Devices. You may need to press Alt+E on the keyboard to reveal this window since the menu is sometimes hidden by default. In the pop-up window, click the Devices tab. Look for the checkbox labeled Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically. Click that checkbox. Click OK at the bottom of the window to save your changes and close the window. Auto-sync is now disabled. Quit iTunes and plug your iPod or iPhone into the computer and nothing should happen. Success! Remember to Sync Your iPhone or iPod Manually
With these changes made, your device won't automatically sync every time you connect it. That means you have to make sure you remember to sync manually from now on. Syncing is what creates backups of the data on your iPhone or iPod, which is crucial for restoring data after problems with your device or transferring your data if you're upgrading to a new device. If you don't have a good backup, you'll lose important information, like Contacts and Photos. Get in the habit of regularly syncing your device and you should be fine. You can also set your iPhone to automatically back up to iCloud. Learn about this option in How to Backup iPhone to iCloud and iTunes. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Stop iTunes From Opening When an iPhone Is Connected to a Mac How to Recover Deleted Text Messages on Any Phone How to Copy Music From Your iPod to a Mac Syncing Part of Your iTunes Library How to Change Your iPhone's Name How to Sync Movies to Your iPad How to Reset Restrictions Passcode on an iPhone How to Connect iPhone to Mac How to Fix 'iPhone Is Disabled' Error How to Set Up and Use Home Sharing in iTunes How to Sync Contacts from iPhone to Mac Sync Your iPhone and iPad in a Few Simple Steps How to Delete Apps From Your iPhone How to Sync an iPad With iTunes How to Transfer Music from Computer to iPhone How to Sync iPhone to a Computer Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies