This is one of those things that just didn't make sense to me. I understand that since the iPhone also holds music it has somewhat of a need to sync via iTunes. But going by that logic, it also has photos, why not also sync via iPhoto.

I don't see why Apple bothered making a syncing software "iSync" and then never bothered using it to sync their products. There's no reason why iSync couldn't sense an iPod and then in the device options allow you to select playlists which it could poll for. Likewise, there's no reason why if the iPhone were to show up in iSync, it couldn't poll for libraries in iPhoto and iTunes.

It seems like the most ridiculous way to sync a phone to me. Other freewares out there can poll iTunes and iPhoto, why doesn't Apple do the same to make the whole experience a bit more sensible.


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Apple probably uses iTunes because it is already cross-platform. If they were to use iSync, they would have to port it to Windows. I doubt that would be difficult, but why spend the man-hours when they don't have to.

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iSync? I though they removed it from the System... ;)

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works well for me:
- in iTunes, uncheck "automatically sync when this iphone is connected"
- in iSync preferences, check "show status in menu bar".
- quit iTunes, connect iPhone via USB, then sync from the menu bar and your contacts/calendar items will be updated.

this is great for quick little updates throughout the day.

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I wasn't able to use iSync with my iPhone. I have an intel MacBook Pro, and when I connected the iPhone, quit out of iTunes, and launched iSync, it recognized the device but said it was unable to pair with it.

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same here, doesn't work...

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Were you able to sync the iPhone using iSync when it's plugged in via USB or via bluetooth?

The 3rd and 4th people who replied seemed to be trying over bluetooth, which it's not supposed to do.

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The author should describe the steps taken to get this hint to work. I have turned off automatic syncing to the iPhone in iTunes, added iSync to the menu bar (although I don't think that would be important), connected the iPhone using the cable. The iPhone is not showing up in iSync and it is not detected. Hence, I have not been able to reproduce this hint.

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I got it to work by adding iSync to the menu bar and choosing to "Sync Now". The iPhone is not added as a device in the iSync program, nor will it let you. Also, it doesn't seem like you can sync directly within the iSync application, just the menu bar.

A cool benefit I noticed is that it let's you continue listening to music when it syncs as the iPhone does not enter into its normal "Sync in Progress" screen.

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You need to have the iPhone synced to that computer's iTunes account for the items you want to sync. Example: Address Book, iCal. You must also sync from the menu bar when the phone is plugged into the computer with the USB ipod 30 pin cord. Hope that helps.

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This does not work at all. Any further help appreciated!

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It works fine. I use it everyday. Just follow the instructions.

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I have my iPhone 3G configured to sync addresses and calendars in iTunes.

With the iPhone connected with the USB cable to my Mac (with OS X 10.5.4):
- Syncronizing from the iSync button doesn't work.
- Syncronizing from the menu bar item that can be enabled from iSync prefs *does* work.

The exact same menu bar item can also be enabled from the MobileMe preference pane in System Preferences, which is where I first noticed it.

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As far as I can tell, iTunes DOES use iSync to sync the iPhone, but iTunes tries to hide this from you.

Obviously iSync has all the contact/calendar sync capabilities we need (maybe not video/audio/photos), and it looks like when iTunes syncs, the iSync icon starts spinning - ie. iTunes is really telling iSync to do the calendar/contacts work for it.

As another poster mentioned, the iPhone does not show up in the 'devices' list; it must be intentioanlly hidden, but it appears to still be there invisibly since you can use the "Sync" button from the iSync menu (found in /System/Library/CoreServices/MenuExtras/Sync.menu - just double-click it).


Why? my first question exactly, the moment i saw that iTunes (a music program, right?) has the prefs for calendar/address book syncing.... totally not where I expected them to be. But I suppose this way a Windoze user can use a Mac, and their iPhone/iTunes experience will be Identical (i don't think there's an iSync on Windoze); iTunes behaves and acts exactly the same on both OS's (as opposed to using a separate prog, iSync, on the Mac side only), so a Windoze user need not feel like switching to/using Macs invalidates their entire knowledge of how to use a computer!

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