If you have an Apple Mobile Device (iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch) it's actually possible to sync it with multiple computers. You just have to understand the rules. Apple groups things into four categories:
Data – the data or info category consists primarily of things like your contacts, calendar, bookmarks, notes, email accounts, etc. This information can either be sync'd via iTunes or wirelessly via MobileMe or Microsoft Exchange (although Notes currently can only be sync'd via iTunes).
Media – the media category consists of your music, movies, music videos, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, ringtones, iTunesU and now iBooks. This content can either be sync'd or managed manually.
Photos – well this category is pretty self explanatory. It's your photo library and all of your photo albums. Your photos can either be in iPhoto or simply in a folders and subfolders.
Apps – last but certainly not least is your Apps that you've downloaded from the App Store.
Now that you know what the four categories are the content from these four categories can live on one, two, three or four different computers. In my house I sync my iPhone, iPad and iPod touch between two computers. I have a MacBook Pro that is my main everyday computer and we have an iMac that is our "iTunes media server". Of the four categories above I sync my Data, Photos and Apps with my MacBook Pro and I sync my media with my iMac. This works great for me because it means that I don't have to keep every song, movie, TV show, etc. that I own on my MacBook Pro.
How do I sync between more than one computer?
This is where most people get scared off. First off the categories can't be split if you're syncing. So photos have to be on one computer or the other, not both. Same with Apps, etc. The only thing you could get away with splitting is if you set your media to "Manage Manually" then in theory you could drag content onto the device from more than one authorized computer. I prefer to use syncing, which brings me to the big scary message.
When I set up a new device I start with my MacBook Pro and in iTunes I UNCHECK "Open iTunes when this iPhone is connected" and then I UNCHECK Ringtones, Music, Movies, TV shows, Podcasts, iTunesU, and Books. Basically all of the media category. I perform my initial sync and all is good. Then I unplug the device and move to the iMac and plug it in. In iTunes I uncheck Info, Apps and Photos and I enable all of the media categories. Now when I hit the sync button I'm going to get a big dialog box warning me that this iPhone (or other device) is sync'd with a different iTunes library and if I continue it's going o erase the content. That's what stops people dead in their tracks. YES! This is OK, all it means is that it's going to erase the MEDIA content, not the other content from the other computer. It will put on the media you just enabled. Once this second sync is done your Apple device is now configured to sync between the two computers. You can go back and forth syncing between the two whenever you need to. So If I want to sync new notes , Apps or photos I sync with my MacBook Pro. If I want new movies, songs, or iBooks I sync with the iMac. I've been doing this ever since the first iPhone came out in 2007 and most recently with the iPad. It works great!
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Do Ipod touches and ipads count as part of your 5 authorized computers? We have 5 authorized computers and I’m not sure if they are considered part of it or not.
NO
there is no limit on the number of iOS devices that you can sync to your iTunes library.
How do I sync apps to my ipad with differrent itunes accounts without erasing current apps?
I have games purchased from my itunes accounts and my friend has his apps purchased to his itunes account. I want to add his games to my ipad ?
Thank you,
hi I recently just bought an ipod 8gb 4th gen and I downloaded like 800 songs onto it and than I had to restore my comp to factory default and I re-downloaded itunes and it wont let me move my new songs that I downloaded to frostwire to my itunes it tells me to sync and erase and I dont want any of my files to be deleted is there any way to get past this without deleating my songs already on my ipod because If not this ipod was a total waste of money
Just like any facist regime, apple allows you to do something… so long as you follow the rules.
Sounds a lot like our so-called ‘freedom’ in the USA these days doesn’t it?
I use outlook on my pc and want to sync my iphone and ipad calendars. Updated latest itunes software. Just noticed that the outlook calendar on my pc is no longer syncing with my iphone, just my ipad. How can I “add” my iphone calendar back?
When you plug your iPhone into iTunes make sure that calendar syncing is still enabled in the info tab.
Why would I have to erase my iPhone to sync it with a second computer?? I own both computers. I own my iPhone. I own all the songs and media that are on my iPhone (even if I didn’t purchase them at the overpriced iTunes store).
Is there no way for iTunes to iphone media with multiple computers (my laptop and my desktop)? And the hex-editing hack that worked for iTunes 9 no longer works for iTunes 10. iTunes is a piece of crap
Switch your iPhone to MANAGE MUSIC MANUALLY and it won’t erase. You can only “Sync” to one computer at time. In manual mode you can connect and manually drag songs on from more than one computer.
I have a pc, unfortunately, is there any way i can sync my notes from itouch to computer ?
thank you
In iTunes, use the iPhone settings panes to sync with Mail on a Mac or with Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2007, or 2010 on a PC when you connect iPhone to your computer.
Mom’s got an iPad that she has synched at work. Not knowing any better, I plugged it in at home using iTunes and the iPad is now frozen in the synch mode. I’ve attempted to restart/restore several times on the iPad but it always comes back on frozen in synch mode. Any suggestions?
Unless I’ve misunderstood you, your blog title seems to be very misleading?! It seems that the bottom line is you CANT sync between multiple computers, save the exception of syncing media?
For example, my use case:
1. my own personal iPad synced at home with my own personal iMac. OK.
2. my work iPod synced at work with my work iMac. OK.
3. but now: I want to sync my personal iPad with my work iMac. Just the apps. So that i can install them onto the iPod (and vice-verca). Seems a reasonable thing to want to do? The iPod (that’s pod, with an ‘o’) apps already synced with my work iTunes have been downloaded using my own personal iTunes account.
I’ve also done an initial sync (personal iPad work iMac), with everything turned OFF. Yeah, OK fine, but not much use on it’s own. So I activate “Apps” and that’s when things get scary: “All apps and data on this iPad…” (that’s about 40-50 apps) “…will be replaced by apps from this iTunes library” (that’s exactly 4!).
So, what gives please? You didn’t mention that (quite common?) scenario! I notice I’m not the first here who’d like to know how to achieve this.
I don’t know how more clearer I can make it so let’s put it this way: each category (ie Media, Apps, Data, etc.) can only be “sync’d” with ONE computer at a time. In my case Media is synced with an iMac and all else (including Apps) are synced with a MacBook Pro. These are Apple’s restrictions. Not mine! So to answer your question as I understand it you sound like you’re trying to sync apps between TWO computers (authorized to you, I get that) and that is NOT allowed.
You CAN sync to multiple computers as the title states, just not the same category to multiple computers.
The original purpose of the post was to show people how sync their device to multiple computers in the case that large libraries of music/movies are on say a home computer and everything else is on say a work computer.
Your requests ARE reasonable, just not allowed by Apple.
OK, thanks for clarification Terry. Sorry if it sounded like I was criticising you!
One thing interests me still though, because meanwhile I found a post elsewhere, suggesting that you *can* sync apps between 2 comps, provided you use the same iTunes account. Apparently the “delete apps on this device?” message is then followed (after positive response) by another asking if they should be uploaded to the computer first. Hm.
I think I’ll try the reverse of what I want tonight (sync my work iPod with iMac at home) and see what happens. Worse case scenario is I only lose 4 free apps from it. Easier to rectify than if all my iPad apps disappeared!
No problem at all, but what I think you’ll find is that after the apps are transfered your device will now be synced to that computer for all Apps. Not both computers at the same time. Best of luck. Let us know how it works out with your test.
Hi Terry! I have a question. My Iphone was syncd to my old pc which is already crashed, so now I want to sync all my music from my laptop to iphone. The BIG DIALOGUE BOX WARNING is preventing me to do that. My question is will your article can do that to my iphone without erasing all the Photos, Apps and Datas?!
Without a backup of your iTunes library installed on your NEW computer YOU WILL LOSE EVERYTHING if you plug in and sync. You must FIRST install some 3rd party software on your PC to recover your iPhone FIRST before you will be able to do a normal sync.
thanx terry for everything.
now with itunes 10 things appear not to be working for me.
the only thing i sync on macbook number 2 are photos.
all else is on desktop.
the apps now appear to be deleted everytime i plug into macbook.
actually the preferences appear to follow the phone
once i uncheck ‘sync apps’ on macbook and plug in to desktop, the sync app box is unchecked…
does that make sense?
You might have to wipe it and start over. I’m on the latest version of iTunes and not having any issues syncing between my MBP and iMac as I always have.
“Think different!” says Apple and my oh my, they certainly live up to their slogan when it comes to device syncing! I was able to achieve my ultimate aim, but Apple, why so unintuitive please?!?
As I wrote, my ultimate intention was to sync apps from my iPad to an iPod. Or so I thought, in a layman stylee. The solution, it turns out, after thinking differently is not to *sync* them but to *copy* them into the iTunes library, albeit in a rather overkill kind of way – right clicking on the device name in iTunes allows you to “Transfer Purchases”. And bingo, all your apps gets copied into the iTunes library, ready for syncing to other devices… along with all your purchased media!
No great problem in my case, just a couple of GB, which I can just delete again (bit of music can stay, but work computer not the place to be storing TV/Film!). But it seems a very roundabout way, just to get a couple dozen apps transferred from iPad to iPod via a 2nd iTunes host. Why not choose between “Transfer App/Media/Book purchases”, etc.?
@Terry, yes I think you’re right. Didn’t actually do a proper sync in the end, but what you say sounds logical. Well at least, as you say, once you understand Apple’s rules ^^
LOL… even crazier… I just noticed that “Transfer Purchases” did *not* transfer my Music files. Everything else (apps, books, video, etc) but not Music! How mad is that?!? Perhaps because I haven’t “authorised” the computer yet… whatever… I should be working!
Our office just got an ipad that will be shared between a few of us when we travel. I would like to be able to add/delete files from more than one PC. I understand from what you have said that I should do this manually and not “sync” the ipad to any one PC. I created a new itunes account that will be only for this ipad. Can this account be used with this ipad from multiple PC’s? What other rules and conditions will be elvant in this effort?
The iPad can manage “media” manually like songs. However, when it comes to data and other files, it will sync to whichever PC you set it up and yes it will REPLACE that info if you sync it on a different PC. It sucks yes, but Apple didn’t build these devices to really be multi-user. I wish they were. I actually wish that the ipad itself had multiple users just like Mac OS X for the exact reason you’re stating. If I share it with someone I want to log OUT and let them log IN. Today it just doesn’t work that way.
Here’s another solution for those of you suffering from a Hard Drive crash and want to get everything off your iDevice back to your computer:
http://www.copytrans.net/
Happy Holidays! Just came across your article. My compliments – nicely written with great information. Now, my situation – and question. I have an iPOd, syncing with one PC. Santa brought me a new iPAd. I would like to share (almost) everything among both iPOd, iPAd, and PC. I figure that I should (must?) re-download the same iPOd apps for the new iPAd. And I do have a 2nd PC that I can use for the iPAd. Your opinion, please – would I simply be better off starting from scratch on the 2nd PC with a new, freshly installed copy of the latest iTunes and using PC#2 exclusively for the iPAd? Thanks…
Happy Holidays Andy, it’s actually easier than that. Just plug your iPad into the same PC choose which Apps you want to sync to it. You can have an unlimited number of iOS Devices, iPods and Apple TVs syncing to the same PC or Mac.
This sucks. I’ve had several smart phones, both windows and palm os and was always able to sync “data” on both my home and office pcs. The only thing I had to select was whether the pc or the phone prevailed if both the pc and the phone were independently updated between syncs. In this way I could select either computer or my phone as the final authority on changed information.
Hello Terry White, I have a question for your. I have a friends laptop and the PC that is my own. On my own PC I have purchased the movie Inception however the downloading of the movie onto my own PC gets the ‘error -50′ an unknown error and will not download. I authorize my friends laptop and download the movie on his own laptop.
When I enter my iPhone into his own laptop to retrieve the movie now on the laptop library I erase and sync with the library. This deletes everything but podcasts on my own iPhone.
How is it that I can put the movie I have purchased and downloaded on a different PC/laptop into my iPhone/iPod without erasing all. If apple allows me to authorize 5 computers or devices what is the point of doing that if I cannot have full access and mobility between libraries of these 5 authorized PCs/laptops.
I am not happy with the complexity of iTunes and its self protecting
Media can only be “sync’d” to ONE computer at a time. A movie is Media. So either it will be all the stuff on your PC or the Laptop. Not both. Once the movie downloads to the laptop, why not copy it to your computer and then sync it?
Thanks for all you info. I use my Macbook for business and the only thing that is of real interest to me to sync are the business contacts I put in there. My iMac stores everything else for our family including family contacts. I would like to sync my business contacts and my family contacts but they are on different computers. If I understand you correctly I can not do this as I can only sync one catagory to one computer… is that correct? If I can not get the family contacts to sync on my iPhone because I do that with the Macbook, is there a way I can get the family contacts on my iPhone like copy and paste or something?
You can sync contacts over the air from multiple sources. For example, if your family contacts were sync’d with MobileMe and your business contacts were sync’d with MS Exchange or Google. That would work. However, if they are not in the cloud then it’s one computer at a time!
What I’d like to do is sync my contacts and calendars with two computers, but my media with just one. Will the above syncing set up work if calendars and contacts are checked to sync on BOTH computers, if the media is only syncing on one?
Right now I have it set to manually manage media, but I have to recheck the calendar and contacts blocks when I go from one computer to the other.
Thanks!
Contacts, calendars, mail accounts, etc. fall under the category of “Info” in iTunes. You can only enable “Info” on one computer at a time!
The only way around this is to have your calendars/contacts sync from multiple computers over the air to your iOS device. For example, if both your computers sync to MobileMe or Google or MS Exchange and then to your iOS Device, then you could update the calendars in either computer or online or the phone/iOS device. If you’re syncing just with a cable, it’s one computer per category at a time.
I got an iPad and did not know that I couldn’t sync (the same type of files) from different computers (I usually do not buy Apple products or use iTunes, and this is one of the reasons why) and this has been really frustrating. I stayed at a friends house the first week after I got my iPad and bought a few applications for it, and when I returned home I bought a few more and, obviously, can’t put them on my iPad, even though I bought them with the same iTunes account. I can’t access the ones that I bought from my friends computer at all. Am I just going to have to delete the applications on my iPad, rebuy them, and continue to hate apple?
1) if you bought the Apps with YOUR iTunes account, then there is no reason to “re buy” them. Just download them again as much as you want for FREE.
2) You can also download the ones you bought with YOUR iTunes account on your computer.
3) If you grabbed your friend’s Applications, then you’re pirating and complaining that Apple doesn’t let you. If not then you haven’t lost anything.
Hey Terry, Thanks for the good info…
My issue looks much the same as what you’ve described, just want a clarification.
I have been using iTunes with a PC and happily syncing etc both my iPad and iPhone.
I just bought a MacBook Pro and want to use that as my main machine for iTunes. I have no problems with Audiobooks, Music or Photos if they disappear as I have backups galore for all that and transferring is no problem.
My concern is Data or Media that is saved inside Apps (on my iPad mainly). Like GoodReader, MaxJournal & PenUltimate to name just a couple.
How do I make sure that when I finally get the balls to sync to my Mac that the data in these Apps will not be lost ??
Is this just a straight up Home Sharing solution ??
Cheers
Which ever computer you use to Sync Apps “should” perform a backup of your iPad FIRST and backup the App data. However, if your Apps get wiped during a sync, then most likely the App data will go with it. Best thing to do first is to make sure that you turn OFF automatic syncing and that you have all the Apps loaded in iTunes on both computers before making the switch.
I am getting an Iphone from Verizon soon. I have exchange at work, but want to be able to save contacts and calendar on my home computer. Can I sync via exchange at work, then via itunes at home?
You can sync with Exchange OVER THE AIR at work and your personal contacts at home via iTunes.
i just bought a new ipod touch and want to sync my contacts from my iphone to the ipod using the same computer that i currently sync my iphone to. How do you suggest i do that.
thanks
You can sync as many iOS devices as you want to the same computer. Plug in your iPhone and sync, then plug in your iPod touch and sync. The contacts will be on all 3.
I am trying to sync iphone, ipad, powerpc, mac desktop all together through Mobile me – but i often time get duplicates of contacts and then sometimes a contact will never migrate out to the other devices.. Is there a procedure to sync all the devices together and have them update the other regardless which on i enter the data on?
It should just work, however sometimes a device gets out of sync. Start with your computer and get everything set the way you want it. Then in your System Prefs for MM tell it to REPLACE DATA ON MOBILE ME FROM this COMPUTER! That should reset all the other devices.
I am trying to sync my ipad to a new computer, the old one is dead. Even though I de-authorized all computers it continues to tell me that my ipad is synced with another computer. Any help? Thanks.
Your iPad doesn’t know that your other computer is dead. Deauthorizing isn’t the problem. Unless you were able to copy your old iTunes library over to your NEW computer your iPad is going to tell you this. You only option is to copy the old library over from the old computer or a backup or sync your iPad to the new computer (losing what’s on the iPad now unless you transfer purchased items first from the file menu) and syncing what’s in your NEW iTunes library.
Hi, I wanna sync music on 2 different PC’s. Is there any way to do that. Also I wanna get my Contacts from a backup but not from my Iphone. Can u help me pls.
There is no way to “sync” music from two different computers. However, you can “MANUALLY” manage your music from two different computers by setting your iPhone to manually manage the music instead of “syncing”.
As far as your contacts go, load them from your backup, get them the way you want on your computer and then tell iTunes to REPLACE the contacts on the iPhone.
Hey! This sounds almost too good to be true! I only had a PC desktop when I first got my iPhone 4, but now I have a Mac and want to use it as my main sync-ing computer. But I got super freaked out when I got the “this will delete all content from your phone” message. I just want to verify… if I say “ok” will it just re-sync my music, pictures, and apps? (I’ve already moved everything onto my mac) And it won’t delete my contacts/calendars/text messages??
I’d really like your advice on this! I’m very worried about losing all the stuff on my phone
I can’t “guarantee” what will happen in your particular situation because I’m not there, I’m not looking at your devices or iTunes settings.
However, if you have BACKED UP everything and you have JUST the music, picture and Apps CHECKED and NOT Contacts, Calendar, etc. the scary message is only referring to those checked items and not the ones that are unchecked.
Is there a way to manually manage Apps on different computers? I’ve done Google & YouTube searches and tried the method that requires a hex editor but it still doesn’t work. Basically, I use a Mac Pro and a MacBook a lot. Sometimes I want to be able to move apps around on the iPad using my MacBook but it’s grayed out. The “manually manage” option is only for music & videos. What about Apps?
Thanks.
not that I know of.
Hello Terry,
Is it possible to put an iTunes library on a NAS Server (Itunes Server) with the possibilty that this library is used from two or three different computers.
What I want is that I Sync my iPod Touch and iPhone from my Macbook and my iPad from my iMac using the same library which is located on a server in the (local) network.
thanks!
Guus
I’ve never tried. My guess is that it would work as long as you only had iTunes open on one computer at at time.
i have an ipad that is synced with itunes on my husbands macbook pro used for his job. the itunes account belongs to my husband. he is turning in the laptop at work for a new one. We would like move our ipad syncing to our mac mini which has itunes where we already sync our iphones & ipods. how do we do this without losing our purchased apps and movies on the ipad? Thanks for your help!
Copy the iTunes folder from the laptop to the Mac mini and you should all all your content/apps, and syncing with your iPad on your mini.
I have:
1 Macbook Pro for myself
1 Macbook for my wife
1 iPhone 4 for myself
1 iPhone 4 for my wife
I also have a MobileMe account
What is the best way for my wife and I share a single ‘family’ calendar that will sync on all 4 devices when a change is made from any of those devices? Will iCal do that? Should I use a 3rd party app to do this?
I don’t want her to have to sync up to her laptop to get event updates. We don’t share contacts or music or anything else. All we need is the ability to have 4 Apple devices in lockstep.
Any thoughts?
Create a Google Calendar
You both use it with the same password/login
Add it to all your devices.
Sync over the air.
I am looking to get a iPhone 4 for my work phone. I am hoping to be able to have all work & personal contacts on my iPhone, but only sync my work contacts at work and not have my personal contacts & calendar sync to my work computer. (or else they will sync with our CRM software.) My personal contacts/e-mail is through Google. I would prefer to have my apps here at home as my iPhone 4 would most like be replacing my personal 3GS I have now. Is this possible at all? My work contacts are in Outlook, not an exchange account. Thoughts?
Your contacts at work would need to sync via iTunes/outlook
Your Google contacts will sync over the air
Your Apps can sync at home via iTunes.
I have desktop, IPOD, and Iphone and my wife has IPAD, IPHONE. How do we keep our devices seperate except for music and calendar. We would like to share music libraries and calendars. Should I invest in Mobileme or sign up for Gmail?
Setup a second user account on your desktop computer and have her log in to her account.
Now she has her own iTunes setup for syncing the things that are hers.
She can log in to your account to sync music and the calendar..
You can sign up for GMail or MobileMe if you want to sync the calendars wirelessly.
I have 2 ipads at home and 1 iphone. Recently I rename one of the ipads and sync it. Then the problems starts and it says that my ipad is sync with another laptop itunes library. Though I can sync 1 ipad but everytime I connect the other one, the same message comes out. How do I overcome this, do I have to reset my ipad and start again. Please advise.
Call AppleCare to help you overcome this.
If I have bought some apps and during sync, these are lost, can I download again without being charged or do I have to contact Apple and ask for special permission and how do I do that?
You can re-download your purchased Apps as much as you want without being charged again.
http://uppic.xgn.in.th/share-27AC_4D593E22.html
My iPad has synced with another computer.If I click Replace Photos will the photos on my iPad will be delete or replace?(Link to the picture is above.
http://uppic.xgn.in.th/share-27AC_4D593E22.html
My iPad has synced with another computer.If I click Replace photos will the photos be replace?
Sorry for duplicate post. When I clicked submit comment nothing happens..
So I wrote a new comment and press it again sorry.
Hey Terry,
I sync’d my apps, data, and pretty much everything (including music) on my work PC. Ideally, I’d like it all on my home laptop, but I think it will erase all the apps I’ve spent this past week installing/purchasing. I’m willing to deal with not syncing the apps (unless you know away around that) on my home laptop, but I would like to put movies, my actual music & ringtones onto this iphone without messing things up. I read your article, and I don’t care about the music currently being sync’d from my work PC (I have since unchecked the sync media boxes). I simply want to make sure when I go to move my music/media library over, that it will not erase the apps/data/photos. Would I also have to be signed in to the apple store/itunes or does that matter? I cannot for whatever reason connect on my laptop but can at work, and didn’t know if this was an issue. Thank you.
John
Terry, hope you can help me. I am sure this has been asked before, but since I am new to apple, a lot of what I am reading is not making sense. I have and Ipad on which I have pics, apps, music and books. I just purchased a Mac desktop and would like to transfer to my new computer. When I try to “sync”, nothing is transferred to my desktop. I thought that was what “syncing” did. How do I move my info over. Need it in “really easy for dummies” version.
Thanks
I bought 2 apple ipads for my boys, I purchased a game from the app store for them and was able to download it onto one boys ipad but the other one when I sync it says ” Some of the itunes files in the itunes library were not copid to the ipad “his name” because the ipad may only contain content from 5 itunes store accounts”
Not sure what this means can anyone help?
I am planning on purchasing Verizon’s iPhone 4. I already have the iPad. Can I sync all the apps on my iPad to my iPhone using my itunes then?
Yes
Hello — I have a personal iMac at home and a company MacBook Pro for work. My iPhone is set up to sync to my work computer but I would like to sync only contacts, calendar, photos and apps to my home iMac — not my work email (I also do not use the iPhone for music). Can this be done? Thank you!
I have iPhone 3GS
Husband has iPhone 4
Daughter #1 has iPhone 4
Daughter #2 has iPhone 3GS
We have a Mac
How do we sync & or store our own info on our phones & not lose what we have when we update our individual phones? I don’t have the same phone #’s as my kids & husband & the last time I updated my phone I lost all my contacts photos & info!!
The easiest thing to do is to setup a different user for each person in Mac OS X. This way each person would have their own iTunes setup on their account, their own contacts, music, playlists, etc.
And if I BACK UP info what exactly does that do?? How do I update my info that is on my phone to my Mac?
Can I sync my personal itunes content on to a shared work ipad (used for sales demos of our products) and then wipe my content later without interrupting cell/data service?