iTools Alternatives for Managing an iPhone on Windows and Mac

iTools is an iPhone and iPad manager from ThinkSky for Windows and Mac, long used as a lighter replacement for iTunes. It still downloads: the iTools product page offers Windows version 4.5.1.9 and Mac version 1.8.3.4. The same page still lists iOS 16 as the newest supported system and notes that photo export is not supported on iOS 18, while current iPhones run iOS 27.

That gap is the main reason to move. Backups, photo exports and app installs are exactly what break first when an iPhone tool falls behind Apple's updates. The picks start with the most complete paid manager, then Apple's free tools for Windows and Mac, then Windows-focused and budget options.

Prices below are as of November 6, 2026. Our method is on How we review tools.

Quick comparison

iMazing

iMazing is what most former iTools users settle on. It does everything iTools did, file browsing, app management, ringtones and photo export, and adds the parts people pay for: automatic encrypted backups over Wi-Fi, backup snapshots you can browse, and export of Messages and WhatsApp chats to PDF, Excel or CSV.

Version 3 brought a redesign and support for Apple Vision Pro, as MacRumors reported in April 2024. The developer, DigiDNA, keeps separate Mac and Windows builds, plus business and education stores.

Best for: People who want one app for backups, chat exports and file transfer on Windows or Mac.

Pricing:

• Free download with limited features
• Personal licences priced by number of devices; price shown at checkout
• Separate business and education pricing

Watch out for:

• Licences are sold by device count, so a family with several iPhones needs a larger licence than one user.
• It is the most expensive option here for someone who only wants to copy photos now and then.

Official site: iMazing.

Apple Devices app

On Windows, Apple now ships its own device manager. The Apple Devices app replaced the device part of iTunes and comes free from the Microsoft Store. The Apple Devices user guide says it transfers photos, music and movies, syncs files from specific apps, and backs up and restores an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

Backups made here are full iOS backups that Apple supports, which matters if you ever need to restore to a new phone. It also installs iOS updates and can restore a phone that will not start.

Best for: Windows users who mainly need reliable backups and restores at no cost.

Pricing:

• Free from the Microsoft Store

Watch out for:

• You cannot open a single message, contact or photo inside a backup. Restoring is all or nothing.
• There is no file browser for the phone's storage and no chat export, two things iTools users often relied on.

Official site: Apple Devices app.

Finder

Mac users already have a free iPhone manager. Since macOS Catalina, Finder shows a connected iPhone in its sidebar and handles what iTunes used to: backups, restores, software updates, and syncing music, films, photos, books and files.

Apple's guide to backing up an iPhone with a Mac covers encrypted backups, which also save saved passwords, Health data and Wi-Fi settings. Sync can run over Wi-Fi once you turn it on with a cable.

Best for: Mac owners who want official backups and simple sync without installing anything.

Pricing:

• Free, part of macOS

Watch out for:

• Sync replaces content on the phone with what is on the Mac, so mixing manual and synced music can remove tracks.
• No way to export Messages or browse inside a backup.

Official site: Finder.

CopyTrans

CopyTrans splits the iTools job into separate Windows apps. CopyTrans Photo moves pictures, CopyTrans Contacts edits and exports contacts and messages, Shelbee backs up and restores, Backup Extractor pulls data out of existing backups, and Cloudly downloads an iCloud photo library.

Three apps are free on the CopyTrans site: CopyTrans Manager for music, Filey for app documents and HEIC for opening Apple's photo format in Windows. The paid apps can be bought one at a time or as the CopyTrans 7 Pack.

Best for: Windows users who need one specific job done, such as exporting contacts or photos.

Pricing:

• Free: CopyTrans Manager, Filey, HEIC
• Paid apps and the 7 Pack: prices shown in the CopyTrans store

Watch out for:

• It is built for Windows only, so it does not help on a Mac.
• Separate apps mean switching windows for tasks iTools handled in one place.

Official site: CopyTrans.

AnyTrans

AnyTrans from iMobie is built around moving data, between an iPhone and a computer, between two iPhones, or from Android to iPhone. It also manages backups, downloads apps to a computer and makes ringtones, which covers most of iTools' feature list.

The AnyTrans store lists a one-time licence for one computer at $59.99, a Family licence for 5 computers at $79.99, a 1-year plan at $39.99 and a 1-month plan at $35.99. All cover unlimited devices.

Best for: People switching phones who want a guided transfer of everything in one go.

Pricing:

• 1-Month: $35.99, renews monthly
• 1-Year: $39.99, renews yearly
• One-Time Purchase: $59.99, 1 computer
• Family Plan: $79.99 one-time, 5 computers
• Prices shown as discounts from $55.99, $59.99, $79.99 and $109.99

Watch out for:

• The monthly plan costs almost as much as a year, and both renew automatically, so cancel or pick lifetime if you need it once.
• Check whether sales tax is added at checkout.

Official site: AnyTrans.

3uTools

3uTools is the free tool closest to how iTools looked and worked. It shows detailed device information such as battery health and part checks, makes backups, flashes iOS firmware and offers its own app downloads.

It is actively updated: the 3uTools site lists Windows V9.13 from November 3, 2026, Mac V9.07 from September 20, 2026 and a Linux build, V9.03, from October 9, 2026.

Best for: Technicians and buyers of used iPhones checking device details and firmware.

Pricing:

• Free download

Watch out for:

• Apple does not make or support it. In a June 2021 Apple Community thread, a senior member warned that its app installs and jailbreak tools bypass iOS security features.
• Avoid signing in with your Apple Account inside the app and prefer Apple's own tools for backups you will rely on.

Official site: 3uTools.

How to choose

When to stay with iTools

Keep iTools only if it still does what you need on your current iPhone and iOS version, for example managing files on an older device that will not be updated. On a phone running iOS 18 or later, test photo export and a restore before you trust it with your only backup, because the vendor's own page lists photo export as unsupported there.

Frequently asked questions