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Transfer content from iPhone to iTunes

Today I downgraded my mac system from Yosemite back to Mavericks. I did a completely clean install.

Now, my iPhone is full of data (photos, iTunes U content, audiobooks, apps) and I don't know how to synchronize this with a new library in iTunes.

Anything I want to sync says that it will erase content on my iPhone but that is definitely not I want. I already transferred purchases (this synced apps but no other content). How can I make iTunes cooperate with iPhone? How can I copy all the data from my iPhone to the iTunes library?


Thanks

iPhone 6, iOS 8.1

Posted on Apr 4, 2015 10:35 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Apr 4, 2015 1:23 PM

Two ways:


#1 (the best) you can no longer do because it sounds like you didn't make a backup of your iTunes library before doing all this or what you are trying to do would not be necessary.


#2 is buy third party commercial software which lets you transfer items from a phone to a computer. This will only restore the media files and may not always do a very good job of it. Your i-device was not designed for unique storage of your media. It is not a backup device and media transfer was planned with you maintaining a master copy of your media on a computer which is itself independently backed up against loss. To use a device with a different setup you transfer the old library from a computer or a backup directly to the new setup, not the device to the library. Media syncing is one way, computer to device, updating the device content to the content on the computer, not updating or restoring content on a computer. The exception is iTunes Store purchases which can be transferred to a computer.


iTunes Store: Transferring purchases from your iOS device or iPod to a computer - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1848 - only purchases from iTunes Store


For transferring other items from an i-device to a computer you will have to use third party commercial software. See this document by turingtest2: Recovering your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3991

3 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Apr 4, 2015 1:23 PM in response to vcxv

Two ways:


#1 (the best) you can no longer do because it sounds like you didn't make a backup of your iTunes library before doing all this or what you are trying to do would not be necessary.


#2 is buy third party commercial software which lets you transfer items from a phone to a computer. This will only restore the media files and may not always do a very good job of it. Your i-device was not designed for unique storage of your media. It is not a backup device and media transfer was planned with you maintaining a master copy of your media on a computer which is itself independently backed up against loss. To use a device with a different setup you transfer the old library from a computer or a backup directly to the new setup, not the device to the library. Media syncing is one way, computer to device, updating the device content to the content on the computer, not updating or restoring content on a computer. The exception is iTunes Store purchases which can be transferred to a computer.


iTunes Store: Transferring purchases from your iOS device or iPod to a computer - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1848 - only purchases from iTunes Store


For transferring other items from an i-device to a computer you will have to use third party commercial software. See this document by turingtest2: Recovering your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3991

Apr 4, 2015 6:49 PM in response to vcxv

I believe the idea is you keep a backup of your files and you also have the primary source for any media originating from non-iTunes purchases such as the original CDs. Apple does not say anything about the policy but ponder the idea who in turn is at the mercy of the big media companies who control who can sell their music? In such a theoretical situation it might influence software design.

Transfer content from iPhone to iTunes

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