One of the worst things about syncing an iOS device was that it had to be plugged in to your computer by USB. Not anymore. Now, if your computer and iOS device are both connected to the same Wi-Fi network, you can sync all your applications, books, movies, tv shows, music, podcast, audiobooks, ringtones and photos without plugging any wires in.
How to Sync over Wi-Fi
Enable wireless sync
In order to enable wireless syncing you have to plug your iOS device to your computer by USB one last time. Plug in your device and go to the source list in iTunes, then scroll down to the summary pane. Your iOS device can’t sync with iTunes when iTunes isn’t running, so you’ll need to check two boxes in the options section. Check both, Open iTunes when this iPad (or iPhone/iPod) is connected, and Sync with this iPad (or iPhone/iPod) Over Wi-Fi. Once both are checked, simply press the sync button to save your changes.
There are two ways to get your device to sync now, one is by going to the Settings app on your device and tapping General -> iTunes Wi-Fi Sync -> Sync Now, which will simply start syncing right away. The other way is to have it automatically sync whenever you plug your device in to charge. For instance, I plug my iPhone and iPad in on my nightstand when I go to bed, when I do that it automatically sync with iTunes. No need to even think about it. It’s pretty much a simple setup that you only have to do once for each of your devices and then just forget about it.
Devices pane
Once and iOS device is connected to iTunes it can be accessed from the button on the upper right hand side of iTunes.
If you have more than one device connected, they will all show up in the little devices pane. Select the one you’d like to go to and you can select or de-select media to sync.
how to do the update of IOS 4.1.2
January 16, 2013 at 12:09 amI’m not quite sure what you mean Kevin, do you have iOS version 4.1.2 and need to update to the latest version of iOS?
January 16, 2013 at 12:12 amhi Damien, thank you for your helpful blog. I have recently had an operating system upgrade on my (work) laptop and had to re-install iTunes. Now my iphone doesn’t seem to recognise my computer ( wont sync wirelessly as it says my computer is ‘unavailable’ when it is on and iTunes open) and the iTunes refuses to sync when I plug it in by USB (saying that the iphone doesn’t have the latest software upgrade – it does.) I have turned off and re started both to no avail. Any idea where to start? thanks. Kate
June 23, 2013 at 3:18 amPlease help me!!! I have a Mac computer and I accidentally deleted something on it while trying to connect to a different wifi and now I can’t play any of my music. When I click on a song it says:could not be used because file could not be found. Would you like to locate it..” And when I click locate my music is not there. Pleas help how I can fix this is you so know please email me!
September 3, 2013 at 5:46 pmHello Kelly, there are three things I can think of that may be the issue. One, did you accedentally delete the music from your iTunes Library? If you did then it should be located in the trash (just copy it from the trash back to your iTunes music folder).
Two, was your iTunes Library stored on a Wi-Fi network drive? For instance I store my iTunes Library on an external drive, if I unplug that drive from my computer iTunes won’t be able to find the library. Same concept applies to Wi-Fi network drives.
Three, were you connecting to someones shared iTunes Library over your previous shared Wi-Fi connection?
September 3, 2013 at 6:27 pmWhat to do when the “Open iTunes when this iPad/iPhone” does not appear?
September 22, 2013 at 9:16 pmI am not able to Synchronize my i Phone 5S with my Windows Computer. When I try for Synchronization I am Getting the following message: “The i phone cannot be synchronized as you do not have the required privilege”. Kindly help.
October 16, 2014 at 10:48 pm