In this article, we will show you how to transfer audio files from your computer to your iPhone without using iTunes. If you have a Mac running Catalina or later, use Finder to manage your media library. If you're on Windows and want to avoid iTunes, install the free MediaMonkey program. If you have a Spotify Premium account, use it on either Windows or macOS to copy tracks to your iPhone. If you just want to share a few files, upload them to the free Dropbox app, which includes an audio player.

Finder (macOS Catalina and Newer)

Step 1. Open a Finder Window

Step 1.

Open a Finder window by clicking the two-tone face icon in your dock at the bottom of your screen.

Step 2. Connect Your iPhone to Your Mac

Step 2.

Connect your iPhone to your Mac. When the system detects your device, its name will appear in the left sidebar under "Locations".

  • If prompted, click "Trust" to allow your iPhone access to your computer's data.

Step 3. Click on Your iPhone in the Sidebar

Step 3.

Click on your iPhone in the left sidebar. Information about your device will appear on the right pane.

Step 4. Go to the Music Tab

Step 4.

Navigate to the Music tab at the top of the right pane.

Step 5. Check the Box for "Sync Music onto Device"

Step 5.

Check the box for "Sync Music onto Device". This option is located at the top of the right pane.

Step 6. Select the Audio Files You Want

Step 6.

Select the audio files you want to sync. To sync all audio files on your computer, check the box for "Entire music library". To choose specific music, check the box for "Selected artists, albums, genres, and playlists". You will find these options in the right pane under the "Sync" section.

  • If you opted to sync specific content, check the boxes for the desired tracks at the bottom of the right pane.
  • If you also want to sync videos, check the box for "Add videos".

Step 7. Click Apply

Step 7.

Click Apply or Sync. You will find one of these options in the lower right corner of the Finder window (depending on your settings). The selected music will be synced to your iPhone.

Spotify Premium

Step 1. Subscribe to a Spotify Premium Account

Step 1.

Subscribe to a Spotify Premium account. This will allow you to sync MP3, M4P/AAC (DRM-protected audio files purchased from iTunes/Apple Music), and MP4 files to your iPhone, provided that Spotify is installed on both your computer and smartphone.

Step 2. Install Spotify on Your Computer

Step 2.

Install Spotify on your computer. Download it from http://www.spotify.com/download. Once installed, log in with your premium account credentials.

Step 3. Open Spotify Settings

Step 3.

Open Spotify settings by clicking the menu icon in the upper left corner of Spotify, then select "Edit" > "Preferences".

Step 4. Toggle the "Show Local Files" Option

Step 4.

Toggle the "Show Local Files" option. This is located in the "Local Files" section on the main panel.

Step 5. Add the Audio Files to Spotify

Step 5.

Add the desired audio files to Spotify by:

  • Toggling the "Show Local Files" option on the right panel.
  • Clicking "Add a Source".
  • Selecting the folder with audio files and clicking "OK". All music files in that folder will be imported into Spotify.
  • Imported files will appear in the "Local Files" tab under "Your Library" on the left panel. It may take a few minutes to import the files.

Step 6. Create a New Playlist with the Files to Sync

Step 6.

Create a new playlist with the files you want to sync. Your iPhone will access files on your computer only if they are included in a playlist. To create a playlist:

  • Click "+ New Playlist" in the lower left corner of Spotify.
  • Enter a name for the playlist and click "Create".
  • Go to the "Local Files" tab to view your local files.
  • Drag the desired songs into the new playlist on the left panel.
  • Click on the playlist in the left panel and modify it if needed.
  • Toggle the "Download" option in the upper right corner of the playlist to "On". The toggle will turn green.

Step 7. Install the Spotify App on Your iPhone

Step 7.

Install the Spotify app on your iPhone. This free app is available in the App Store.

  • Ensure both your iPhone and computer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Step 8. Launch the Spotify App on Your iPhone

Step 8.

Open the Spotify app on your iPhone. Tap the icon with three curved black lines on a green background. If you haven't logged in to your Spotify Premium account yet, follow the on-screen instructions to do so.

Step 9. Tap on Your Library

Step 9.

Tap on Your Library, marked with an icon of three vertical lines located in the lower right corner. By default, your library will open on the "Playlists" tab.

Step 10. Tap on the Playlist You Created on Your Computer

Step 10.

Tap on the playlist you created on your computer. The playlist's contents will be displayed.

Step 11. Toggle the "Downloaded" Option to On

Step 11.

Toggle the "Downloaded" option to On. The toggle will turn green. Spotify on your iPhone will download all the music files in the playlist so you can listen to them offline.

  • Syncing files may take some time, depending on how many there are. A green arrow icon will appear next to each song that has been downloaded to your smartphone.

MediaMonkey (Windows)

Step 1. Install MediaMonkey

Step 1.

Install MediaMonkey. This free music manager and player for Windows allows you to sync audio files with your iPhone. Download MediaMonkey from https://www.mediamonkey.com/language/en/.

  • Files copied from your computer to your iPhone can be played in the default "Music" app.

Step 2. Install iTunes on Your Computer

Step 2.

Install iTunes on your computer. Although you won't use iTunes to sync audio files, you need to install this program to access necessary services. If you have iTunes installed from the Microsoft Store, uninstall it and download it from Apple. To do this:

  • Press ⊞ Win+s to open the search panel, type store, and press "Microsoft Store". In the search bar of the Microsoft Store, enter "iTunes" and press Enter—if you see the "Install" button on the iTunes page, close the Microsoft Store window and proceed to the next step. If you see the "Launch" button, right-click on "iTunes" in the Start menu and select "Uninstall" to remove iTunes.
  • Go to https://www.apple.com/itunes/download/, click "Windows" under "Interested in other versions?", and then click "Download iTunes for Windows".
  • Run the downloaded installer to install iTunes on your computer. Once the installation is complete, launch iTunes.
  • Click "Edit" > "Preferences" > "Devices" and check "Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically".
  • Connect your iPhone to the computer, then click the phone icon in the upper left corner of the iTunes window. In the window that opens, scroll down and uncheck "Automatically sync when this iPhone is connected".
  • Click the "Music" tab on the left panel and uncheck "Sync Music". Do the same on the "Podcasts" tab if you want MediaMonkey to handle podcasts as well.

Step 3. Launch MediaMonkey

Step 3.

Launch MediaMonkey. You can close the iTunes window if you wish.

  • When you first run MediaMonkey, allow it to search for music files on your computer. When MediaMonkey finds audio files, they will be added to the library, which resembles iTunes' media library and can easily be synced with your iPhone.

Step 4. Click on Your iPhone

Step 4.

Click on your iPhone in the left panel of the MediaMonkey window. The iPhone "Overview" page will open.

Step 5. Choose the Sync Method for Files

Step 5.

Choose the method for syncing files. Click "Tools" > "Options" > "Sync with Mobile Device". Now do the following:

  • Go to the "Auto-Sync" tab to select music for automatic syncing. If you agree to have MediaMonkey automatically sync files with your iPhone when the smartphone is connected to the computer, leave the default settings unchanged. If you prefer to sync music manually, uncheck "Automatically sync as soon as device is connected".
  • Go to the "Options" tab to change some settings, such as how to handle ID3 tags and whether to convert files of certain formats.

Step 6. Sync Files with Your iPhone

Step 6.

Sync files with your iPhone. If you chose automatic syncing, skip this step. Otherwise, start the sync process after adding music and making changes to the settings. To initiate the sync process, do one of the following:

  • Right-click on a song and select "Send to" > "iPhone" from the menu.
  • Select a song, album, or playlist and drag it over to your iPhone in the MediaMonkey window.
  • Click on your iPhone, click "Auto-Sync", select the desired music, and then click "Apply".

Dropbox

Step 1. Create a Dropbox Account at https://www.dropbox.com

Step 1.

Create a Dropbox account at https://www.dropbox.com. You can add songs from your computer to Dropbox and then play them using the Dropbox app on your iPhone. A free Dropbox account provides 2 GB of storage, but you can upgrade to Dropbox Plus (2 TB), Dropbox Professional (3 TB), or Dropbox Business (5 TB) if you need more storage.

Step 2. Install the Dropbox Client on Your Computer

Step 2.

Install the Dropbox client on your computer. This will create a Dropbox folder in your menu bar (upper right corner on a Mac) or system tray (lower right corner on a Windows computer). Everything you copy into this folder will be uploaded to your Dropbox account.

  • Installing the client is not mandatory, but it makes things easier. If you don’t want to install the client or for some reason cannot, go to https://www.dropbox.com and log into your account to access the Dropbox web interface.

Step 3. Copy the Desired Music Files to the Dropbox Folder

Step 3.

Copy the audio files you want to the Dropbox folder. To open the Dropbox folder, click the Dropbox icon in the system tray or menu bar, then click the folder icon. Dropbox supports audio files in MP3, AIFF, M4A, and WAV formats.

  • If using the web version of Dropbox, click "Upload Files" on the right panel, select the files you want, and then click "OK" to start the upload.

Step 4. Wait for the Audio Files to Upload

Step 4.

Wait for the audio files to upload. This may take some time depending on the number of files and your internet speed. You can monitor the upload status in the Dropbox menu in the system tray or menu bar.

Step 5. Install Dropbox on Your iPhone

Step 5.

Install Dropbox on your iPhone. This free app is available in the App Store. After installing Dropbox, launch it and sign in to the Dropbox account you used on your computer.

Step 6. Tap on the Song You Want to Play

Step 6.

Tap on the song you want to play. Dropbox will stream any songs that are in your account as long as your smartphone is connected to the internet. If you minimize Dropbox, the song will continue to play in the background.

Step 7. Mark Songs as Favorites to Make Them Available Offline

Step 7.

Mark songs as favorites to make them available offline. While Dropbox typically streams songs online, marking them as favorites will allow access even without an internet connection.

  • To save a song to your device, swipe left to right across it.
  • Tap the star icon to save the song on your iPhone.