9 Ways to Connect iPhone to Mac Without USB

Posted by By Tech-Writer 37 Min Read

9 Ways to Connect iPhone to Mac Without USB.

An iPhone and a Mac are two distinct gadgets made to serve completely different functions however with Apple’s ecosystem within the combine, you’re going to get a cohesive expertise that behaves, in the identical method, irrespective of which device you select. If you personal an iPhone and a Mac and need to join one with one other, the next put up ought to enable you get it completed with out using a USB cable. 

Connect iPhone and Mac with out USB: Requirements

Before you possibly can join your iPhone to a Mac, you will have to satisfy sure necessities to ascertain a connection between the gadgets correctly with out going through any points. You must have:

  • An iPhone working the newest model of iOS 
  • A Mac working the newest model of macOS
  • A working Apple ID account
  • A wi-fi network that each the iPhone and Mac can connect with and/or a mobile network on the iPhone. 
  • A USB-A-to-Lightning cable or USB-C-to-Lightning cable that got here together with your iPhone, simply as soon as to arrange gadgets. [For method 1 only]

[Important] Make positive iPhone and Mac use the identical Apple ID

To set up a connection between your iPhone and a Mac, each gadgets have to be using the identical Apple account, i.e., logged in with the identical @iCloud.com electronic mail handle. This is a essential step as a result of, at any time, iCloud is the platform that acts because the bridge between the 2 gadgets. When the gadgets are logged in to 2 completely different Apple IDs, no information will sync between the 2 gadgets.  

: Airdrop Not Working on iPhone Fix

Regardless of which technique you select to attach your iPhone to a Mac, you will have to sign up to at least one Apple ID on each gadgets to pair them collectively. Before you proceed to sign up to your Apple account on a tool, ensure you jot down and bear in mind the iCloud electronic mail and your Apple account password that you simply actively use. 

Step 1: Sign out of an present Apple ID

On iPhone 

In case you could have already logged in to an Apple account however need to use one other account to pair your iPhone with a Mac, you then’ll must signal out of it.

  1. To signal out of an Apple account, open the Settings app.
  2. Inside Settings, faucet on your title on the high. 
  3. Inside the Apple ID display, scroll right down to the underside and faucet on Sign Out. 
  4. On the subsequent display, enter your Apple ID password and faucet on Turn Off on the high proper nook. 

You will now be logged out of the prevailing Apple account. You can now comply with the steps within the next part in your device to sign up to the proper Apple account.

On Mac

If you have already got signed into an Apple account on a Mac however need to change it to a distinct iCloud handle, you are able to do so by following the steps beneath.

  1. Open the System Preferences app in your Mac and click on on Apple ID.
  2. On the subsequent window, choose the Overview tab from the left sidebar after which click on on Sign Out on the backside. 

You will now be logged out of the prevailing Apple account. You can now comply with the steps within the next part to sign up to the proper Apple account.

: How to Use Apple AirPlay on Android TV

Step 2: Sign in with one other Apple ID

On iPhone

If you aren’t signed in to any Apple ID in your iPhone or for those who signed out of your outdated Apple account, you possibly can sign up to at least one by following the steps beneath.

  1. Open the Settings app in your iPhone. 
  2. Inside Settings, faucet on the Sign in to your iPhone card on the high. 
  3. Now, enter your Apple ID and password on the subsequent display and if prompted, sort the six-digit verification code that must be despatched to your telephone or every other Apple device. 
On Mac

If you haven’t signed in to any Apple ID in your Mac but, you are able to do so by following the steps beneath.

  1. Open the System Preferences app in your Mac from the Launchpad, Dock, or Finder.
  2. When the System Preferences window seems, click on on the Sign In possibility on the high proper nook. 
  3. Next, enter your Apple ID and password in addition to a six-digit verification code if prompted. 

: How to Back up iPhone Without iTunes

How to attach an iPhone to a Mac wirelessly [9 methods]

There are quite a lot of methods you possibly can join your iPhone to a Mac with out a USB cable. This is feasible as a result of, each the gadgets are tied into Apple’s ecosystem, which makes transferring content material between them straightforward. You can comply with the steps in these strategies beneath to ascertain a connection between your iPhone and a Mac. 

Method 1: Connect iPhone and Mac over Wi-Fi

The major goal of connecting an iPhone to a Mac will probably be to sync content material between one another seamlessly. You can sync any content material from an iPhone to a Mac inside the Finder app similar to you’ll if the gadgets had been related using a USB cable. The mechanism will work when your iPhone and Mac are related to the identical Wi-Fi network at a given time. 

  1. To arrange wi-fi syncing using Wi-Fi, join the iPhone to a Mac using a USB-to-Lightning cable. Although this sounds contradictory to what we’re attempting to attain, you solely want to attach the gadgets with a USB cable as soon as and by no means once more. 
  2. Now, open the Finder app in your Mac.
  3. Inside the Finder app, your iPhone ought to seem within the left sidebar. If not, it’s going to seem when you click on on the Locations part. When your iPhone seems related, click on on it.  
  4. If that is the primary time you’re connecting your iPhone to the Mac, click on on Trust in your Mac within the “Trust iPhone” immediate that seems on the display.
  5. Similarly, you’re going to get a “Trust This Computer” dialog in your iPhone to substantiate your reference to the Mac. To proceed, faucet on Trust.
  6. You might must approve this using FaceID, TouchID, or a passcode. 
  7. Once all that’s completed, your iPhone will now present up inside Finder. On this display, click on on the General tab on the high and examine the Show this iPhone when on Wi-Fi field. Now, click on on Apply on the backside proper to substantiate modifications. 
  8. Once enabled, your iPhone will proceed to indicate up contained in the Finder app even for those who disconnect its cable from the Mac. 
  9. If each your Mac and that iPhone are related to a Wi-Fi network, you need to use backup or sync choices on the display to retailer your iPhone backups on the Mac or synchronize your Mac information and content material with the paired iPhone. 
  10. To sync content material between the iPhone and the Mac, open Finder and click on in your iPhone underneath “Locations”. 
  11. When your iPhone seems, click on on the General tab to sync all content material. Or you possibly can choose the tab that’s related to the content material you need to sync. You can select any tab from these choices – Music, Movies, TV Shows, Podcasts, Audiobooks, Books, Photos, and Files. Once you’re inside the chosen tab, examine the Sync <content material> onto iPhone field on the high. 
  12. You may also use the wi-fi connection between the 2 gadgets to back up your iPhone information onto the Mac. For that, click on on the General tab in your iPhone display inside Finder and choose Back up all the information in your iPhone to this Mac underneath “Backups”. After you’re completed choosing, click on on Back Up Now to provoke the backup. 

: How to Access iCloud Keychain Passwords Instantly on Mac and that iPhone

Method 2: Connect iPhone and Mac through iCloud

An simpler approach to sync content material between your iPhone and Mac is using Apple’s iCloud which might add and obtain the information you’ve chosen to sync over the cloud with out requiring any effort out of your finish. With iCloud, you possibly can backup footage from an iPhone, and sync passwords, addresses, delicate data, and all different information from different apps in your iPhone and Mac.

All it’s essential to do is allow iCloud on each your gadgets and choose the content material you need to stay in sync. When you configure iCloud on each the iPhone and Mac, your information will probably be transferred wirelessly between the gadgets, even when they aren’t related to the identical network. You can comply with the steps beneath to allow iCloud and set it as much as sync content material in your iPhone and Mac. 

On iPhone
  1. To allow iCloud and set it up on an iPhone, open the Settings app.
  2. Inside Settings, faucet on your Apple ID card on the high. 
  3. Inside Apple ID, choose iCloud. 
  4. On the subsequent display, you possibly can activate iCloud for all of the apps and companies listed on the display by turning on the toggles adjoining to the apps/companies. 
  5. If you solely need to allow iCloud for sure apps, you possibly can disable the toggle for apps and companies you don’t should be synced throughout different gadgets. 
  6. If you need your Mac and different Apple gadgets to recollect the passwords and different delicate data you save in your iPhone, you possibly can faucet on Keychain on this display. On the subsequent display, activate the iCloud Keychain toggle to pair your iPhone and Mac for password retention. 
On Mac

To be sure your whole content material will get synced between your iPhone and Mac, additionally, you will must allow iCloud on macOS and choose which options you need to be synced up.

  1. Go to Apple () menu > System Preferences. 
  2. Inside System Preferences, choose Apple ID. 
  3. When your Apple account masses up, click on on the iCloud tab from the left sidebar. 
  4. On the right-hand panel, it’s best to see a listing of companies that you would be able to sync through iCloud. To choose which companies or apps keep synced together with your Mac, examine the field next to them. 
  5. Some apps may also supply customization choices to let you choose what a part of the app will get synced. To configure them in your most well-liked method, click on on Options on the right-hand facet of the chosen app and comply with the on-screen directions to customise additional. 

: How to Find Loved Songs on Apple Music on iPhone

Method 3: Connect iPhone to Mac using AirDrop

If all you need to do is switch information between an iPhone and a Mac wirelessly, then the AirDrop characteristic is all it’s essential to get issues completed. With AirDrop, you possibly can share something in your device like footage, movies, paperwork, hyperlinks, notes, voice memos, areas, contacts, and even in-app objects. You may also use this utility to switch information to others’ iPhones and Macs as nicely. 
When you need to use Airdrop, you want the next necessities: 

  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on the iPhone and Mac are enabled.
  • iPhone’s Personal Hotspot characteristic is disabled.
  • iPhone and Mac are saved inside 30 ft of one another to permit the profitable switch of information.

With that out of the best way, you possibly can comply with the steps beneath to allow AirDrop and use it to share information between your iPhone and Mac. 

On iPhone
Step 1: Enable AirDrop to obtain information
  1. To allow AirDrop in your iPhone, launch the Control Center and faucet and maintain on the Wi-Fi icon or Bluetooth icon. 
  2. When you try this, the network menu within the Control Center expands to indicate more choices. To allow AirDrop, faucet on the Airdrop icon contained in the overflow menu. 
  3. Choose both Contacts Only or Everyone to make sure your iPhone is discoverable by folks whose contact particulars you could have saved or by everybody round you. 

You have efficiently enabled Airdrop in your iPhone. The directions above are for whenever you need to obtain information from a Mac or one other Apple device. 

Step 2: Use AirDrop to ship information
  1. To ship information from an iPhone to a Mac through Airdrop, find the file or app merchandise in your iPhone and open it. Once opened on full display, faucet on the Share icon (typically current on the backside of the display). 
  2. In the Share menu, choose AirDrop.
  3. On the subsequent display, it’s best to see all of the Apple gadgets which can be enabled with AirDrop. Here, faucet in your Mac. 

The switch will start as soon as the Mac approves this file and when it begins you’ll hear a chime. Once full, you’ll hear one other chime. 

On Mac
Step 1: Enable AirDrop to obtain information
  1. To allow AirDrop in your Mac, click on on the Control Center icon from the Menu bar on the high. In the overflow menu that seems, click on on the Airdrop icon to show it on.
  2. When enabled, your Mac’s Bluetooth may also be turned on and their icons will now flip blue. After Airdrop has been enabled, click on on the arrow icon on its right-hand facet. 
  3. Select both Contacts Only or Everyone to verify your iPhone is discoverable by folks whose contact particulars you could have saved or by everybody round you. 

You have efficiently enabled Airdrop in your Mac. The directions above are for whenever you need to obtain information from an iPhone or one other Apple device.

Step 2: Use AirDrop to ship information

To ship information from a Mac to an iPhone through Airdrop, find the file or merchandise you need to share and right-click on it.

  1. To share objects from an app, you possibly can entry this menu by clicking on File from the Menu bar on the high. In the menu that seems, go to Share > AirDrop. 
  2. If the iPhone’s AirDrop has been enabled, it’s best to see it contained in the AirDrop window that seems next. Here, click on in your iPhone to ship the file out of your Mac.

You will hear two completely different tones – one when AirDrop begins sending the file and one other when the file switch is full.

Method 4: Connect Mac to iPhone for telephone calls

Other than transferring photos and information, you possibly can join your iPhone to a Mac to make and obtain your telephone calls straight on the latter by enabling “Calls on other devices”. With this characteristic, you possibly can obtain essential telephone calls on the Mac with out having bodily entry to your iPhone. Although you don’t want bodily entry, each gadgets might must be close by as they’re each required to be related to the identical wi-fi network and signed in to FaceTime using the identical Apple ID. 

On iPhone
  1. To pair your iPhone with a Mac to make telephone calls, open the Settings app.
  2. Inside Settings, choose Phone. 
  3. On this display, faucet on Calls on Other Devices. 
  4. On the subsequent display, activate the Allow Calls on Other Devices toggle on the high. 
  5. Once enabled, find your Mac from the checklist of gadgets that seem underneath “Allow Calls On” and activate the toggle(s) adjoining to the macOS device you need to allow telephone requires. 
  6. You can now make calls straight in your Mac with out using your iPhone. Apple additionally permits customers to port ongoing calls from the iPhone to Mac or vice versa. If you want to change gadgets in the course of a name, you are able to do so by tapping on the Audio tile inside the decision display after which choosing your Mac from the checklist of obtainable gadgets.
  7. At any time, you possibly can change back to your iPhone once more by tapping on the identical Audio tile and choosing iPhone from the menu. 
On Mac

While the above technique ought to allow it on the Mac, you possibly can select this step to both be sure that the telephone calls characteristic has been turned on or to allow the characteristic straight in your Mac with out consulting the iPhone information above.

  1. To pair your Mac with an iPhone for telephone calls, open the FaceTime app on the Mac. Once open, click on on FaceTime from the menu bar and choose Preferences. 
  2. When the Preferences window opens, choose the Settings tab on the high and examine the Calls From iPhone field. 
  3. This ought to route all of your incoming calls out of your iPhone to the Mac and additionally, you will be capable of provoke calls from the FaceTime app on this device. 
  4. To make a telephone name on a Mac, open the FaceTime app, hover over the individual you need to name inside your Recents checklist, and click on on the Phone icon on the fitting facet of the individual’s title. You may also make calls by choosing a quantity from Contacts, Calendar, Safari, or every other app out there in your Mac. 
  5. When you obtain telephone calls, you will note a banner seem on the high proper nook of your Mac’s display. You can click on on Answer to let the decision come by in your Mac. 

Method 5: Use Text Message Forwarding to get messages from iPhone to Mac

Macs have a Messages app just like one on an iPhone however by default, you’ll be capable of ship and obtain solely iMessage texts. Just like with telephone calls, you can even pair your iPhone with a Mac to obtain all SMS messages that you simply get in your iPhone and in addition reply to them in textual content kind. This is feasible by the Text Message Forwarding possibility that allows sending and receiving SMS messages straight on a Mac. 

On iPhone
  1. To allow Test Message Forwarding, open the Settings app in your iPhone.
  2. Inside Settings, choose Messages. 
  3. Inside Messages, scroll down and faucet on Text Message Forwarding. 
  4. On this display, activate the toggle adjoining to your Mac. 

This ought to route all of your SMS messages out of your iPhone to the Mac. 

On Mac

While the above information is sufficient to activate Text Message Forwarding, your Mac’s Messages app have to be configured to obtain messages from all of your telephone numbers.

  1. Open the Messages app in your Mac and go to Messages > Preferences from the menu bar on the high. 
  2. To ensure you obtain messages from the iPhone, click on on the iMessage tab on the high and examine the bins adjoining to all of the telephone numbers underneath “You can be reached for messages at”.
  3. In the identical window, choose your major telephone quantity from the checklist of choices underneath “Start new conversations from”.

This will be sure any reply you ship out of your Mac is shipped through your telephone quantity and never your iCloud electronic mail handle.  

Method 6: Use Handoff to modify between apps on iPhone and Mac

Apple’s Handoff instrument enables you to begin an exercise on one Apple device and resume it on one other seamlessly. This instrument can serve a mess of functions, as an example, drafting an electronic mail on an iPhone and persevering with the place you left off on a Mac. The Handoff characteristic ties collectively most of Apple’s companies and apps like Mail, Maps, Safari, Reminders, Calendar, Contacts, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and even some third-party apps and makes it straightforward to modify between a number of gadgets seamlessly. 

Before you allow Handoff on the iPhone and Mac, it’s essential to kind these items:

  • Both iPhone and Mac are signed in to the identical Apple ID. 
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are enabled on each gadgets. 
On iPhone
  1. To pair your iPhone with a Mac using Handoff, open the Settings app on iOS.
  2. Inside Settings, choose General. 
  3. Inside General, faucet on AirPlay & Handoff. 
  4. On the subsequent display, activate the Handoff toggle. 
  5. When switching from a Mac to an iPhone, you will note Handoff choices as a banner on the backside of your iPhone’s display whenever you entry the App Switcher.
On Mac
  1. To pair your Mac with an iPhone using Handoff, go to the Apple () icon > System Preferences. You may also open System Preferences from the Dock, Launchpad, or Finder. 
  2. Inside System Preferences, choose General. 
  3. At the underside of the window, examine the Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud gadgets field. 
  4. This ought to allow Handoff on each your iPhone and Mac. Once enabled on each gadgets, you need to use Handoff to modify from iPhone to Mac by clicking the app’s Handoff icon from the Dock. 

Method 7: Connect Mac to iPhone’s cellular hotspot

Like any smartphone, an iPhone has a Personal Hotspot possibility that means that you can use your iPhone’s mobile information on a Mac. When paired efficiently, the Mac will be capable of join and browse the web using your iPhone cellular information with out requiring a cable to hook up with both device. For this characteristic to work, each your iPhone and Mac must be signed in to the identical Apple ID. 

Step 1: Start a Personal Hotspot on iPhone
  1. Before you pair your Mac to an iPhone’s hotspot, it’s essential to first activate cellular information on the latter after which allow its hotspot. Open the Settings app in your iPhone.
  2. Inside Settings, choose Mobile Data.
  3. On the subsequent display activate the Mobile Data toggle on the high.
  4. Once enabled, return to the earlier display, i.e., the Settings display, and faucet on Personal Hotspot. 
  5. Inside Personal Hotspot, activate the Allow Others to Join toggle on the high. 
  6. In the immediate, choose Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to allow the cellular hotspot wirelessly. 

You have efficiently enabled Personal Hotspot on the iPhone. Now it’s time to attach the Mac to this hotspot. 

Step 2: Connect your Mac to the hotspot

After a private hotspot has been established, you possibly can join your Mac to it.

  1. Click on the Wi-Fi icon from the Menu bar, and within the menu that seems, activate the Wi-Fi toggle. 
  2. Your iPhone ought to now seem underneath “Personal Hotspot” amongst different networks. To connect with its hotspot, click on on it. 
  3. When your Mac is related to the iPhone’s hotspot, it’s best to see the hotspot icon next to your iPhone flip blue.

The Wi-Fi icon within the Menu bar may also change to the Personal Hotspot icon. 

Method 8: Connect iPhone and Mac through Bluetooth

You can use Bluetooth to attach your iPhone and Mac and you’ll then be capable of share information, share mobile information, use AirDrop, Handoff, and different continuity options. For this to work, it’s essential to allow Bluetooth on each iPhone and Mac. 

On iPhone 
  1. To pair your iPhone with a Mac, open the Settings app on iOS.
  2. Inside Settings, choose Bluetooth. 
  3. On the subsequent display, activate the Bluetooth toggle on the high. 
  4. You will now see a listing of gadgets you related to through Bluetooth just lately. If you haven’t related your Mac to the iPhone, you’ll have to pair it manually by choosing your Mac from underneath “Other Devices”. 
On Mac
  1. To pair your Mac with an iPhone, go to the Apple () icon > System Preferences. You may also open System Preferences from the Dock, Launchpad, or Finder. 
  2. Inside System Preferences, choose Bluetooth. 
  3. On the window that opens, click on on Turn Bluetooth On. 
  4. Your Mac’s Bluetooth will now activate and it’ll connect with all of the out there gadgets within the neighborhood routinely offered they’re on as nicely. If you need to join the Mac to your iPhone, anticipate the display to indicate your iPhone and when it seems, click on on Connect. 
  5. You will now see an authentication code on the Mac which it’s essential to confirm with the one which exhibits up in your iPhone. You may additionally must approve the connection on the iPhone to proceed. When the connection is profitable, your iPhone will seem contained in the Devices field and will probably be labeled as “Connected”. 

Method 9: Sync Apple Music Library between iPhone and Mac

There’s a Sync Library characteristic on Apple Music that allows you to entry your whole music library in addition to the songs you’ve downloaded in your Mac and that iPhone at any time. This will guarantee that the songs or playlists you take heed to with Apple Music in your iPhone stay synced whenever you entry them later in your Mac and vice versa. 

The characteristic requires that you simply’re subscribed to Apple Music and its apps on the iPhone and Mac are all signed in to the identical Apple ID. 

On iPhone
  1. To allow Sync Library in your iPhone, open the Settings app.
  2. Inside Settings, choose Music. 
  3. Inside Music, activate the Sync Library toggle underneath “Library”. 

This ought to take some time in your iPhone to add your library to iCloud, particularly in case your library is huge. Once uploaded, you’ll be capable of entry your track tracks (as much as 100,000 songs) from any Apple device together with your Mac. 

On Mac
  1. You can allow Sync Library in your Mac by opening the Apple Music app. Once the app is open, go to Music > Preferences from the Menu bar on the high. 
  2. When the Preferences windows open, click on on the General tab on the high and examine the Sync Library field to allow it. If you would like in your Mac to obtain the songs in your library as quickly as they’re added, examine the Automatic Downloads field on the identical display. 
  3. To verify your choice, click on on OK on the backside proper nook of the Preferences window. 
  4. You must wait some time in your library to get uploaded and synced. Once completed, it is going to be accessible from all of your Apple gadgets together with your iPhone. 

What you CAN do when connecting iPhone and Mac wirelessly?

When you join your iPhone to a Mac wirelessly, you possibly can carry out the next features:

  • You can transfer and switch information out of your iPhone to the Mac or vice versa. 
  • You can sync all or chosen content material from Mac to iPhone at any time. 
  • You can AirDrop information and app objects immediately and wirelessly with out hassles. 
  • Back up your photos out of your iPhone and entry them in your Mac using iCloud.
  • You can dial and obtain iPhone calls straight in your Mac. 
  • Receive textual content messages out of your iPhone straight on the Mac and in addition ship replies from the latter using your telephone quantity. 
  • You can sync ongoing duties throughout completely different apps between gadgets. This approach, you can begin engaged on one device and proceed on the opposite. 
  • You can join your Mac to your iPhone’s mobile network using Personal Hotspot.
  • You can use Handoff to repeat and paste content material from iPhone to Mac or vice versa. 
  • With Continuity Camera, you possibly can scan paperwork out of your iPhone and transfer them on to an electronic mail, webpage web page, or an app on a Mac.
  • You can observe your iPhone on the Mac or vice versa using Find My. 
  • You can sync your music library between Mac and that iPhone. 

What you CANNOT do when connecting iPhone and Mac wirelessly?

While you possibly can accomplish quite a lot of issues whenever you join your iPhone to a Mac with out a USB cable, there’s one factor you can not do with a wi-fi connection. In eventualities when your iPhone will get bricked and also you need to restore it to manufacturing unit settings, you received’t be capable of get the job completed over Wi-Fi or the cloud. 

If a difficulty seems in your iPhone and also you aren’t in a position to repair it, then your solely possibility will probably be to reset your iPhone to its earlier state. While your iPhone comes with a Reset perform itself, this feature received’t be of any use to you in case your device shouldn’t be booting otherwise you need to change to an older iOS model. To get that completed, you can be required to attach your iPhone to your Mac with a USB cable. 

That’s all it’s essential to find out about connecting an iPhone to a Mac with out a USB cable. 

Check out more article on – How-To tutorial and latest highlights on – Technical News

Tags: