FeedSyncing iPhone to a New Computer
By Ian Lee on Jan 21, 2010 in Software, iPhone
Did you get a new computer and now want to sync all your iTunes and iPhone data to the new computer? For anyone going through this process, take comfort in knowing that there is a simple way to seamlessly transfer all music, photos, data and iPhone apps to the new machine. There are quite a few articles discussing this but having to wade through all the technical data is daunting. In short, here is a simple process that worked for me. Note, I installed Windows 7 on a new harddrive so I still had all my old data after the new install. If you are doing an upgrade, be sure to backup all your data for the move and you will still be able to use this migration method.
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1. Upgrade to the latest version of iTunes (this will make the transition easier as the new machine will also be running the same version of iTunes)
2. Sync iPhone on old computer for the last time
3. Deauthorize iTunes on the old machine
4. Copy the entire My Music folder from the old computer to the new computer
5. Install the latest version of iTunes on the new machine
6. Plug in the iPhone on the new machine and sync
7. Re-setup any preferences (where to sync music, photos, videos, contacts etc…) and re-sync again on the new machine and authorize the new iTunes
My original setup on the old iTunes machine was pretty much default and I just let it control most of the settings. So by setting iTunes up on the new machine similarly, I was able to just copy the entire My Music folder (where the iTunes folder is stored in) and let iTunes re-sync everything. iTunes did not miss a beat and did not complain about any missing libraries (or anything else) on the new machine. To my delight, it just continued to sync with my iPhone as if it was running on the old machine.
So if you are moving to a new computer and want to sync your iPhone to a new computer, give the above process a try. As with any computer move, just be sure to have backups of all your data before the move. Smooth syncing!
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4 Comment(s)
By Douglas on Feb 1, 2010 | Reply
I am still frustrated at not being able to find a comprehensive instruction on how to synch my iphone to a new PC. I’ve read your posts and several others, but they are not complete in their descriptions. For example, I synch my notes and contacts with Outlook, so what happens with the data on the iPhone when I synch with? Should I re-load Outlook Application with it’s back-up data first? You only mention copying the My Music Folder to the new PC. What about the Apps, are they synched from iPhone to the new PC? Do you have to deauthorize iTunes on the old PC before authorizing the new PC? I don’t understand why Apple does not publish a descriptive guide for this process that is definitely routinely required.
By Ian Lee on Feb 3, 2010 | Reply
Douglas, to give the best chance of success for maintaining Outlook contacts on your iPhone, I would setup Outlook on your new machine as you had it on the old computer before you sync with the new machine. This worked for me and I hope it does for you as well. Good luck.
By Michael on Feb 22, 2010 | Reply
Hi Ian
I’m about to get me a new windows 7 computer and it will be replacing my old XP. What I am still worried/confused about is: will all my applications with the data be as before I synced and back-upped my iphone – when doing it as you describe? As I understand you can allways get your purchased apps, but what I wanna know for sure is that all the data also is back-upped and restored. Best regards Michael
By Ian Lee on Feb 22, 2010 | Reply
Hi Michael,
The good news is, you will have your old computer as a safety net if things don’t work out. I am not sure what apps you have and what kind of data you have stored. If I was to guess, I would imagine developers would keep the application data packaged nicely so it should migrate easily. The only way to know for sure is to try it. Just make sure you backup before the migration. Good luck.