Sync content between your Mac and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
You can select the information you want to sync between your Mac and device. You can sync all items of a specific type (for example, all your movies or photos). Or you can select specific items (for example, some of your movies and some of your books), which gives you more control.
After you select the content you want to sync, the items are updated whenever you sync your device and your Mac.
The first time you set up syncing, you must connect your device to your Mac using a USB or USB-C cable. After you connect the device, the device icon appears in the Finder sidebar and selecting the icon displays syncing options. You then select which items to sync.
In the row near the top, click the type of content you want to sync.
Note: If you use iCloud Photos and Apple Music, your photos and music are synced automatically using iCloud. When you click Music or Photos, no options appear for syncing.
Select the “Sync [content type] onto [device name]” checkbox to turn on syncing for that type of item. For example, select the “Sync movies onto [device name]” checkbox to sync your movies.
With the checkbox selected, syncing is set to transfer all items of that type to your device.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each type of content you want to sync.
The bar at the bottom of the window shows how much free space remains on your device after you sync. Move the pointer over the bar to view details about the content you’re syncing.
When you’re ready to sync, click Apply.
Before disconnecting your device from your Mac, click 👁 the Eject button in the Finder sidebar.
![👁 “Sync Movies onto [device]” checkbox is selected. Below that, is the “Automatically include” checkbox is selected, and “all” is chosen in the pop-up menu.](https://help.apple.com/assets/67D1B1065D0706C4AD080C54/67D1B10E5D0706C4AD080C79/en_US/aaf743c49a46b4892602a6ec9019e9cf.png){kind=link}
