iTunes: Transferring media from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or iPod

Summary

Depending on the capabilities of your Apple device, iTunes can sync media such as music, movies, TV shows, photos, podcasts and books to your Apple device. iTunes is only able to transfer media you purchased through the iTunes Store back to your iTunes Library.

Products Affected

iTunes

Depending on the media type, other methods of transferring content may be available. Consult the table below for more information:

Media type	Transfer method
Music purchased from the iTunes Store	Transfer your content via iTunes. Download your content through iTunes in the Cloud¹. Download your content through iTunes Match².
Music imported from a CD or another source	iTunes cannot transfer this media back to a computer. Make sure to back up your iTunes Library, or you can use iTunes Match².
Camera Roll photos and videos	Import your content via iPhoto, Aperture, or another photo application. Sync your photos via Photo Stream³.
Photos synced from a computer	iTunes cannot transfer photos back to a computer, make sure to back up your original photos. On iOS devices you can use Photo Stream³ or the sharing features built into iOS.
iCloud Photo Stream³	iCloud automatically syncs Photo Stream photos to all devices on which you have set up Photo Stream³.
Movies and TV shows purchased from the iTunes Store	Transfer your content via iTunes. Download your content through iTunes in the Cloud¹.
Movies and TV shows imported from other sources	iTunes cannot transfer this media back to a computer. Make sure to back up your iTunes Library as a precaution.
Books purchased from the iTunes Store	Transfer your content via iTunes. Download your content through iTunes in the Cloud¹.
Books imported from other sources	iTunes cannot transfer this media back to a computer. Make sure to back up your iTunes Library as a precaution.
Podcasts	Redownload the podcasts from original sources.

¹ iTunes in the Cloud is supported on up to 10 devices including iPhone, iPad, iPod touch with iOS 4.3.3 or later, and iTunes for Mac or Windows 10.3 or later. If you have an iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod shuffle or earlier iPod model, use iTunes in the Cloud from within iTunes on your computer. Previously purchased content may be unavailable if it is no longer in the iTunes Store. Learn more about Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store, and learn more about which content types are supported for iTunes in the Cloud by country.

² iTunes Match is supported on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch with iOS 5.0.1 or later, and iTunes for Mac or Windows 10.5.1 or later. If you have an iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod shuffle or earlier iPod model, use iTunes Match within iTunes on your computer. iTunes Match is subject to subscription purchase and availability. For more details see iTunes Store: How to subscribe to iTunes Match.

³ Photo Stream is for photos only and is supported on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch with iOS 5.0.1 or later, Macs with OS X Lion or later, and PCs with Windows Vista or Windows 7. Learn more about Photo Stream.

Additional Information

It's always a good idea to regularly back up your iTunes Library.

Important: Information about products not manufactured by Apple is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute Apple’s recommendation or endorsement. Please contact the vendor for additional information.

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Last Modified: Oct 10, 2012
Article: HT1209
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