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I can't get my iPhone X to sync manually to my MacBook.

When I go to iTunes on my Mac via USB, there is no icon. For some reason, the only way I get iBooks to sync is by doing it manually - through iTunes. Also, while I'm at it, iTunes does not show up in iCloud. I remember it used to not do that but I thought that it's different now. Please keep in mind I am an aging Boomer who is techno-impaired. THANKS!

iPhone X, iOS 13

Posted on Jun 28, 2020 10:27 AM

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Posted on Jul 19, 2020 11:17 AM

You mentioned the books in your first post, so I got that.


With regard to your songs, if they are songs that you purchased from iTunes, you can download them again in the event that they would somehow get deleted. Music isn’t stored in the backup anyway. Your purchase history is included in the backup and what that means is that if you were to restore backup, your purchased songs, apps, movies would download again during the restore process. If the music was imported into iTunes from CD’s, those would have to sync back to the device using iTunes or the Finder.


You did try restarting your phone and your Mac, correct? Have you tried another cable?

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 19, 2020 11:17 AM in response to Tom Perkins1

You mentioned the books in your first post, so I got that.


With regard to your songs, if they are songs that you purchased from iTunes, you can download them again in the event that they would somehow get deleted. Music isn’t stored in the backup anyway. Your purchase history is included in the backup and what that means is that if you were to restore backup, your purchased songs, apps, movies would download again during the restore process. If the music was imported into iTunes from CD’s, those would have to sync back to the device using iTunes or the Finder.


You did try restarting your phone and your Mac, correct? Have you tried another cable?

Jul 1, 2020 7:21 PM in response to Tom Perkins1

Hi, Tom. 


Syncing your iPhone to your Mac can be important, so we can see why you’d be concerned that only Books are syncing.


Start, here: Sync your iPhone, iPad, or iPod using your computer 


You’ll either need to sync your data using Finder or iTunes, depending on which macOS you are using. If you still run into difficulties, don’t heist to reach back out. 


All the best. 

Jul 18, 2020 10:04 AM in response to Tom Perkins1

Maybe something in here will help.

If your computer doesn't recognize your iPhone, iPad, or iPod - Apple Support


I don’t know which Mac OS you are running, but I’m still running 10.11.6, El Capitan and I am syncing all of my iOS devices running iOS 13.6 without issue.


I have to admit that I don’t know what you mean by iTunes doesn’t show up in iCloud. It never was part of iCloud.

Jul 19, 2020 9:38 AM in response to Demo

THANK YOU for your uber quick response and help. I will go to the link now! Regarding iTunes - when my USB cable from phone to laptop is in, and I tap on the iTune music icon, everything pops us (songs, playlists, etc) but also, at the top, is an icon of my phone. When I "open" it I would see my songs and playlists, PLUS there was an option to back up with my laptop and/or iCloud.

I can't get my iPhone X to sync manually to my MacBook.

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