iExplorer (PC) - FAQs
How do I perform a one-click automatic transfer of all my iTunes media into iTunes?
- Click on Auto Transfer in the Device Overview screen.
- You'll see a new window come up showing you the number of tracks on device minus the number of tracks already in iTunes. By default, it will include all of your playlists, but you can uncheck any you don't want.
- Click on Start Auto Transfer in the confirmation window.
Does my iOS device need to be jailbroken to use iExplorer 3?
No, our software works without having to modify (jailbreak) your device.
Why do I not see any Backups data appearing in iExplorer 3?
Please make sure you have iTunes set to back up your iOS device to your computer and not iCloud. Also, make sure you have the box unchecked to Encrypt local backup. This is found on the Summary tab for your device when it's connected and highlighted in iTunes.
If it was set to iCloud or to encrypt local backup, please make the change, and iTunes should make a local, unencrypted backup automatically. Then, click on Backups in iExplorer again, and you should see your data appear. If not, please right-click Backups in the left panel and choose Refresh.
How do I transfer my photos or recorded videos to my computer in iExplorer 3?
- Click on Photos in the left panel or Photos & Videos in the Device Overview screen.
- Use the Export options at the bottom of the window. Hold the Control key to select multiple. To export a specific album, Camera Roll, or Recorded Videos, just select one below Photos in the left panel, and you'll see a 3rd button appear to export only that one (if you don't see them, click on the disclosure triangle to the left of Photos). You can also drag and drop any photos or videos you want to transfer.
iTunes is asking to sync or restore my device. What should I do?
Do NOT initiate an iTunes sync or restore until after you are done transferring your data with iExplorer 3 to avoid any dataloss. iTunes will delete any data on your device that's not already in iTunes. Just cancel any of those prompts, and to prevent them, you can go into iTunes Preferences, and on the Devices tab, check the box to "Prevents iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically".
I am getting a Runtime Error (at 31:1151) during the install of iExplorer 3. What should I do?
You'll need to install Microsoft .Net Framework 4, a free application that's required to run our software in Windows. Then, restart your computer and try again.
I can't install iExplorer and get an error about "Sorry, the files could not be downloaded. Click Retry to try downloading the files again or Click Cancel to terminate setup". What should I do?
This can happen when installing on a network that connects through a proxy server. During the install of iExplorer 3, it will download QuickTime and Microsoft .Net Framework 4 if they aren't installed already.
To resolve this, please try downloading QuickTime and .Net directly from the links below:
If you are able to download and install those separately, please try installing iExplorer 3 again. A restart may be required after the .Net install.
My iPod is appearing and then disappearing in iExplorer 3. How can I get it to stay connected?
If iExplorer is going to the connect device screen while your iPod is plugged in, you'll want to check the box to "Enable Disk Use" on the Summary tab for your iPod in iTunes. Then, try iExplorer again.
Why can I no longer make changes to the .app (dot app) subdirectory of an app in iOS 6?
Apple made some changes in iOS 6 where the .app (dot app) folder within an app directory is read-only and cannot be modified or written to, but you still have read/write access in any other app subdirectory such as Documents or Library, same as in previous iOS versions. Our developers are looking into ways around this limitation imposed by Apple, but I don't currently have an ETA on when an update might happen. You'll find that any iOS transfer utility software will have the same limitation with iOS 6, and jailbreaking your device is the only way around it currently.
How do I transfer my music, videos, and other iTunes media to my computer in iExplorer 3?
- Click on Media Library in the left panel or Music in the Device Overview screen.
- Choose from the two transfer buttons below your list of media files. You can either use Auto Transfer to import all media and playlists into iTunes at once, or use Transfer from Device to only transfer selected tracks or playlists. Hold the Control key to select multiple files. Another transfer option is to drag and drop. If you don't see your playlists and specific media categories listed below Media Library in the left pane, click on the disclosure triangle to the left of Media Library.
How do I view and transfer Backups data in iExplorer 3?
- Click on Backups in the left panel or click on the backup datatype under the Data tab in the Device Overview screen.
- If you haven't created an iTunes backup yet on this computer, you will be asked whether to initiate a backup. If you did already have an iTunes backup, and it's been more than 24 hours since it was made, iExplorer will ask to Use Last Backup or Refresh to create a new one.
- Choose from the export options below each backup data type.
iExplorer crashes on startup. What's going on?
If you recently installed or updated iTunes, you may also need to run iTunes at least once before running iExplorer. In some cases, restarting your computer is also needed.
How do I access the real root?
Accessing the real root requires your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad to be Jailbroken, and in many cases you will also need to download afc2add from Cydia or Rock. You still have read/write access to the Media and Apps directories in iExplorer 3 without having to jailbreak, and you can also access a lot of other data close to the root in the Backups Explorer section under Backups.
How do I mount my device as a disk into Windows Explorer with iExplorer 3?
- Right-click a directory and choose Mount as Disk.
- A prompt will come up asking whether you'd like to mount this directory automatically when iExplorer is running and your device is connected.
- Once confirmed, Windows Explorer will open with that directory mounted as an external drive. You'll see your device listed with the directory name in the left panel of Windows Explorer under Computer.
Why does it keep saying that I've exceeded the number of connections to the various app directories in iExplorer 2?
Please download and use iExplorer 3 instead to resolve this.
What happened with the program's name?
This program was originally created in 2009 and named iPhone Explorer. So if you read something on a blog or saw a link referencing "iPhone Explorer," you've found the right place.
In August 2011, after two happy years and several million downloads, we were informed by Apple Inc., that we can't use the word "iPhone" in our product's title so re renamed the program "iExplorer." You can learn more about the changes made here.
In August 2011, after two happy years and several million downloads, we were informed by Apple Inc., that we can't use the word "iPhone" in our product's title so re renamed the program "iExplorer." You can learn more about the changes made here.
How do I copy files from or to the device in iExplorer 2?
Everything is drag and drop.
How do I transfer apps from my device to my computer?
You can copy apps to your computer using iTunes. Just right-click on your device and choose "Transfer Purchases." Or, in iTunes 11, use iTunes File menu > Devices > Transfer Purchases.
What are the main differences between Phone Disk and iExplorer 2?
The main differences between Phone Disk and iExplorer 2 are:
- Phone Disk mounts the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch to the native file system of the computer. Thus, with Phone Disk you can access files on your iDevice directly through any program installed on your computer (such as Word, Power Point, Photoshop, etc...). iExplorer 2 uses its own custom interface to view and modify files. iExplorer 3 allows you to do either one.