The Best iPhone Manager Software to Replace iTunes
With Apple discontinuing iTunes, many iPhone users are left wondering how to best manage the data on their devices. Thankfully, there are some excellent third-party iPhone manager applications that go above and beyond what iTunes offered. After thoroughly testing over a dozen of the most popular options, we‘ve determined that iMazing, AnyTrans, and EaseUS MobiMover are the top choices, offering a robust set of features to organize your photos, messages, music and more.
In this in-depth guide, we‘ll take a detailed look at each of our picks for the best iPhone managers for Mac and Windows. We‘ll help you decide which is right for your needs and budget. Plus, we‘ll discuss the importance of performing regular backups and explore some of the potential downsides of relying solely on cloud storage.
Why You Need iPhone Manager Software
iTunes served as the primary way to manage your iPhone‘s contents from your computer for many years. It allowed users to sync music, videos, photos, and more between their phones and laptops or desktops. However, iTunes had a dated interface, slow performance, and lacked some key features users wanted.
With the release of macOS Catalina, Apple officially killed iTunes, replacing it with dedicated Music, TV, and Podcasts apps. But you still need a way to backup your iPhone and manage its data. That‘s where third-party iPhone managers come in. The best ones offer:
- Easy backups of your entire phone or select data
- Fast transfers between your iPhone and computer
- Intuitive interfaces for organizing photos, music, contacts, messages, and more
- Additional features like ringtone makers, video downloaders, and file converters
Whether you have a new iPhone 12 or are still rocking an older model, using manager software will help keep your device‘s contents organized, backed up, and make upgrading to a new phone painless. After extensive hands-on testing, we believe iMazing, AnyTrans, and EaseUS MobiMover are the top options available today.
Best Overall: iMazing
iMazing (Mac & Windows) is our top pick for most users. Developed by DigiDNA, it has an attractive, modern interface that‘s a pleasure to use. All the key features you‘d want are present – full or selective backups, quick transfers to and from your computer, and tools for organizing your data.
One of iMazing‘s standout capabilities is backing up and exporting your iPhone‘s text messages, something not all managers can do. You‘re able to view your full messaging history, search through it, and save a copy to your computer. This is immensely helpful if you ever need to reference an important conversation.
iMazing also shines when transferring data to a new iPhone. You can select specific files, media, messages, etc. to copy over as opposed to doing a full restore. This saves time and allows you to start fresh without losing your most important data.
Other helpful features include:
- Drag-and-drop music and video transfers
- Contact and calendar management
- Options for encrypted, wireless, and automatic backups
- Photo organization and easy exports
- Saving voice memos, Safari bookmarks, and more
iMazing allows you to try all features free before buying. Licenses start at $44 for a single computer, with a 30-day money back guarantee. With its intuitive design and comprehensive feature set, iMazing is an excellent iTunes replacement. We highly recommend it.
Best for Power Users: AnyTrans
If you want even more control over your iPhone‘s data and the ability to manage Android devices too, AnyTrans (Mac & Windows) is well worth considering. Developed by iMobie, it‘s one of the most feature-rich iOS managers available.
AnyTrans has a clean interface that breaks down all the different types of data it can work with: photos, messages, music, contacts, and more. Clicking into each section provides powerful tools for viewing, searching, exporting, and deleting files.
You‘re able to customize your iPhone backups with AnyTrans, selecting specific data categories to include. There‘s also a clone feature for quickly transferring everything to a new phone. Plus, you can merge data between an Android device and iPhone, which is quite handy if you‘re switching platforms.
Some of AnyTrans‘ most useful features:
- Robust ringtone maker with audio editing tools
- Converts incompatible video/audio files for playback on iOS
- Built-in media downloader for saving online videos and music
- Photo compression to save storage space on your device
- Supports all the latest iPhone 12 models and iOS 14
AnyTrans offers a free trial with limited functionality. Its full license costs $39.99 for a single computer or $59.99 for up to 5 PCs. A 60-day money back guarantee is included. With its wealth of features, AnyTrans is the Swiss Army knife of iPhone managers. It‘s great for power users who want maximum flexibility.
Best Free Option: EaseUS MobiMover
EaseUS MobiMover (Windows & Mac) is an excellent choice if you want capable iPhone management that‘s 100% free. It doesn‘t have quite as many features as iMazing or AnyTrans, but all the essentials are there.
With MobiMover, you can backup your entire iPhone or select specific data like your photos, videos, music, contacts, and messages. Transfers between your phone and computer are quick, and there are no file size limits.
The software makes it simple to move files to a new iPhone. You can choose to export data to your computer first and then sync it to the new device or initiate a direct phone-to-phone transfer. Helpfully, MobiMover also includes a video downloader for saving your favorite online clips to watch offline.
While EaseUS MobiMover may not be as slick as iMazing or have quite the range of features as AnyTrans, it works well and provides lots of utility for no cost. Beginners and those on a budget will find it a reliable iTunes replacement.
Other iPhone Managers to Consider
While iMazing, AnyTrans, and EaseUS MobiMover are our top recommendations, there are several other paid and free iPhone managers that may be a good fit for your needs:
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dr.fone (Mac & Windows, $39.95) – Provides device backup and data recovery features but has a dated interface.
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iExplorer (Mac & Windows, $39.99) – Offers basic backup and transfer functionality. Interface is less intuitive compared to other options.
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CopyTrans Manager (Windows, Free) – A good choice for quickly transferring music, videos, and more to your iPhone at no cost. Lacks advanced features.
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MusicBee (Windows, Free) – Capable iPhone music manager but does not support the latest devices and iOS versions.
Before settling on an iPhone manager, we recommend taking advantage of any free trials to test out the features for yourself. Watch tutorial videos and check the developer‘s list of compatible iPhone models and iOS versions to ensure it will work with your device.
The Importance of Regular iPhone Backups
Using iPhone manager software is a convenient way to backup your precious photos, videos, contacts, and other data. But it shouldn‘t be the only way. Accidents and hardware failures happen. Ideally, you should have three copies of your iPhone data:
- On your iPhone
- Backed up to your computer or an external hard drive
- Uploaded to secure cloud storage
Most iPhone managers support encrypted local backups. We recommend performing a full backup at least once a month and before installing any major iOS updates. For your most cherished memories and important files, also consider uploading copies to iCloud, Google Drive, or another cloud service. This protects you against catastrophic data loss.
The Pros and Cons of Cloud Storage
Cloud storage services provide a lot of convenience. Your files are securely uploaded and can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. Reputable providers like Apple, Google, and Dropbox use advanced security measures and redundant servers to keep your data safe.
However, cloud storage isn‘t without potential downsides:
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Privacy concerns – Hackers can potentially gain access to sensitive info if your account is compromised. Always use strong passwords and two-factor authentication.
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Subscription costs – Many cloud services have a low free storage limit, after which you‘ll have to pay a recurring subscription fee.
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Longevity worries – Cloud companies can change ownership, experience extended outages, or shut down entirely. It‘s smart to keep local backups too.
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Slower uploads/downloads – Depending on the speed of your internet connection, working with files in the cloud can be slower than using local storage.
While cloud storage is immensely useful, it shouldn‘t be the only place you keep important iPhone data. Perform local backups with iPhone manager software for added peace of mind.
Choosing the Best iPhone Manager Software
With several excellent paid and free iPhone managers available for Mac and Windows, how do you pick the right one? It ultimately comes down to your specific needs and budget.
If you want an all-in-one solution with an intuitive modern interface, iMazing is our top pick. It makes backups and data transfers a breeze while providing convenient extras like the ability to save your text message history.
Power users will appreciate AnyTrans‘ robust set of features. From its built-in ringtone maker to the ability to compress photos to free up storage space, the AnyTrans provides the most flexibility and tools to keep your data organized. It‘s also a great choice if you need to manage both iOS and Android devices.
On a tight budget? EaseUS MobiMover is a solid free iPhone manager. You‘re able to backup and transfer all the essentials without spending a dime.
No matter which software you choose, we recommend taking the time to learn its features, set up regular backup schedules, and consider integrating it into a 3-2-1 backup strategy using both local copies and the cloud. Your iPhone data will thank you!
