How can I transfer music from my iPhone to my computer?

I'd like to transfer the (non-DRM) music I have on my iPhone to my computer.

Which application can I use to do that? I found several shareware applications but they didn't really work.

Igal Tabachnik

Posted 2009-08-19T09:23:43.933

Reputation: 2 623

1What? You mean you can't just copy the music from it as from an external usb disk, once it's connected to your PC? – fretje – 2009-08-19T09:32:05.103

4Nope, the iPhone doesn't work in disk mode. You can only transfer music TO your iPhone via iTunes... – Igal Tabachnik – 2009-08-19T09:35:08.763

@hmemcpy - if that's the case then you should have a copy of the music under iTunes. Why can't you copy that file? – ChrisF – 2009-08-19T09:52:10.663

1Wow. Just found another reason why I won't buy anything from Apple to play music, thanks :) – fretje – 2009-08-19T09:53:53.140

1@ChrisF I'm on another computer, the iTunes library isn't here with me. – Igal Tabachnik – 2009-08-19T09:55:33.590

@hmemcpy - Ah - I should have thought of that! – ChrisF – 2009-08-19T09:58:01.650

@fretje - Believe me, once you've owned one the fact that you can't is a non issue. As already mentioned there is software that allows it. – BinaryMisfit – 2009-08-19T10:00:04.173

I'd like to also see Mac & Linux solutions to this — if that's ok with OP. Perhaps those would fit here in the same question? – Jonik – 2009-08-19T12:25:47.403

If you've bought music from the iTunes Store, iTunes will automatically sync those purchases with your computer when it's reconnected and synced with your Mac or PC. If it's music you've ripped yourself, I think your SOL. – Chris – 2009-08-19T15:04:33.660

Answers

MediaMonkey

Recent versions of MediaMonkey allow you to copy music from your iPhone to your computer. I've just tested it myself and sure enough it can transfer music from the phone to my PC.

http://www.mediamonkey.com/support/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=3&nav=0,1

You need to scroll down the left hand tree in MediaMonkey and expand your iPhone to see the music.

alt text

andynormancx

Posted 2009-08-19T09:23:43.933

Reputation: 539

Thanks, but while I got it to recognize the iPhone (it wouldn't without iTunes installed), I don't see my music in the application, so I can't copy it. I'll keep looking... – Igal Tabachnik – 2009-08-19T10:07:19.917

Are you sure you looked in the right place ? It won't be under the Library section, you need to scroll down to your iPhone and expand that. – andynormancx – 2009-08-19T12:08:24.680

Yeah, I found that, but my iPhone appears there as just 'iPhone', and the library is empty. Perhaps this has to do with v3 of the iPhone OS? – Igal Tabachnik – 2009-08-19T12:21:58.530

I am using v3, so it can't be that. – andynormancx – 2009-08-19T12:25:38.263

I find Mediamonkey can corrupt the itunes DB and forces me to resync back to itunes! I've banned it. – Morgan T. – 2011-05-16T13:41:52.743

Why did you edit the answer to remove CopyTrans ? Using CopyTrans solved the original questioners problem. You say "known spam". I have not connection with CopyTrans and was in no way spamming. – andynormancx – 2011-09-08T12:34:44.703

I have reverted the removal of CopyTrans, I see no justification for treating it as spam – andynormancx – 2011-09-24T09:37:27.563

It is not free, and the OP doesn't want shareware. CT can be bought, thus it's shareware...

– Tamara Wijsman – 2011-09-24T10:30:51.017

The OP didn't say they didn't want shareware. They said they had tried some shareware apps that didn't work. If you read the fifth comment on this answer you can see that the OP commented that CT had solved their problem and thus answered their question. – andynormancx – 2011-09-30T00:09:10.367

@Tom Wijsman The OP didn't ask for a free solution, my answer doesn't claim CT is free (of course Media Monkey isn't free either, no one seems to be trying to delete the references to that). This is in no way spam. I'm very puzzled by the deletion of CT from this answer. – andynormancx – 2011-09-30T00:13:21.470

And yes I should have recommended the two products in two different answers, but that doesn't justify deleting one of the products, especially when it is the one that solved the OP's question ! – andynormancx – 2011-09-30T00:14:39.910

We do have a deleted answer listing CopyTrans there, where they were advertising the software themselves. We do not support such software... – Tamara Wijsman – 2011-09-30T14:05:37.750

Surely Superuser is about providing the most useful answer, not guessing which company may or may not have attempted to pimp their software in an answer ? Is there some some of policy in the FAQ that I can read on this ? – andynormancx – 2011-10-01T10:08:03.653

10 Alternatives to iTunes for managing your iPod:

http://www.simplehelp.net/2007/07/08/10-alternatives-to-itunes-for-managing-your-ipod

Eder Gusatto

Posted 2009-08-19T09:23:43.933

Reputation: 333

is an iPhone an iPod ? – Pacerier – 2011-11-15T15:59:09.553

You can use the iPhone App Song Exporter Pro. With it you can access the songs via a web browser, as long as the PC and the iPhone are in the same LAN.

Martin

Posted 2009-08-19T09:23:43.933

Reputation: 3 619

Senuti, if you need an OS X solution.

It's simple but works well.

Jon-Eric

Posted 2009-08-19T09:23:43.933

Reputation: 1 994