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How to Sync iPhone Over Wi-Fi

Sync to your computer wirelessly using iTunes

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 30, 2020 Reviewed by Jon Fisher Reviewed by Jon Fisher Wichita Technical Institute Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email iPhone & iOS Switching from Android

What To Know

Plug the phone in via USB. Select the iPhone icon in iTunes. Under Options > Sync...over Wi-Fi > Apply > Done.Alternatively, on the iPhone, go to Settings > General > iTunes Wi-Fi Sync > Sync Now. This article explains how to sync your iPhone with your computer over Wi-Fi. Information in this article applies to iPhones and other iOS devices running iOS 5 or higher and a computer running iTunes 10.6 or higher.

Sync iPhone With Computer Over Wi-Fi Setup

To sync your iPhone wirelessly, you need to use a cable—at least once—to change a setting in iTunes to enable wireless syncing for your phone. Do this one time, and you can go wireless every time afterward. Plug the iPhone or iPod touch into a computer with USB in the usual wired way that you'd sync your device. If iTunes doesn't open automatically, open it. In iTunes, select the iPhone icon to go to the iPhone Summary screen. (It's possible that iTunes will already be on the screen.) Lifewire In the Options section select the Sync with this iPhone over Wi-Fi check box. Lifewire Select Apply, then select Done to save the change. Lifewire Press the phone icon at the top of the screen. To eject the iPhone, go to the left panel and select the up arrow next to the iPhone icon. Then, unplug the iPhone from the computer. Lifewire

How to Sync Your iPhone Over Wi-Fi

After the setting is changed and the iPhone is disconnected from the computer, you're ready to sync over Wi-Fi. You'll never need to change that setting on the computer again. Follow these steps to sync: Confirm that the computer and iPhone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. The iPhone cannot be connected to Wi-Fi at work and sync with a computer at home. On the iPhone, tap the Settings app. Tap General. Scroll down, then tap iTunes Wi-Fi Sync. The iTunes Wi-Fi Sync screen lists the computers you can sync your iPhone with, when it was last synced, and a Sync Now button. Tap Sync Now. Lifewire The button changes to read Cancel Sync. Below it, a status message on the progress of the sync appears. A message displays when the sync is complete.

Tips to Sync iPhone Over Wi-Fi

Syncing an iPhone wirelessly is slower than doing it with USB. If you have a ton of content to sync, use the traditional wired method. You don't have to remember to sync manually. When an iPhone is connected to a power source and is on the same Wi-Fi network as the computer, the phone syncs automatically. Using Wi-Fi sync, you can sync a phone or iPod Touch to more than one computer, as long as those computers are authorized with the same Apple ID. You can't change the sync settings on an iPhone or iPod Touch. That can only be done in iTunes.

Troubleshoot iPhone Wi-Fi Sync

If there are problems syncing the iPhone over Wi-Fi, try these fixes: Restart the iPhone. Confirm that both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network and that the computer isn't in sleep mode. Check your firewall. Depending on the firewall settings, the firewall could be blocking the ways that the iPhone connects to the computer. Make sure the firewall allows connections on TCP ports 123 and 3689 and UDP ports 123 and 5353. If the iPhone can't connect to Wi-Fi, it won't sync using Wi-Fi. Find out how to fix an iPhone that can't connect to Wi-Fi.

Sync iPhone With iCloud

You don't have to sync with a computer or iTunes at all. If you want, sync the data on the iPhone to iCloud. Some people prefer this option. For others who don't have computers, it's the only choice. Learn more about how to back up your iPhone to iCloud or how to use iCloud to sync the Notes app across devices. 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 Delete Apps From Your iPhone How to Find a Wi-Fi Password on an iPhone How to Connect iPhone to Mac Sync Your iPhone and iPad in a Few Simple Steps How to Change Your iPhone's Name How to Reset Restrictions Passcode on an iPhone How to Fix a Missing AirPlay Icon on iPhone and Mac How to Restore Your iPhone From a Backup How to Sync Contacts from iPhone to Mac How to Transfer Music from Computer to iPhone How to Sync iPhone to a Computer How to Restore Your iPod Touch to Factory Settings How to Transfer Messages from iPhone to iPhone How to Set up a New iPhone How to Back Up iPhone 5 Forgot Your iPhone Passcode? Here's How to Fix It 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