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iBrowse Help

iBrowse is now part of iExplorer: The Ultimate iPhone, iPad, and iPod File Transfer Utility for Mac and Windows

All of the iBrowse functionality is available in iExplorer for free. iExplorer is a free download.

F.A.Q.

Does iBrowse work with my iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch?

Yes! iBrowse works with all iOS devices ever made and all iOS versions.

Do I need to Jailbreak my device before using iBrowse?

No Jailbreak required! iBrowse gives you file system access to any iOS device.

Does iBrowse work with older non-iOS iPods such as iPod Classic and iPod Nano?

iBrowse does not officially support regular iPods, but our iExplorer app does.

Is iBrowse available in the Mac App Store or the Windows Store?

iBrowse is only available through our website as a 100% free download.

How do I transfer files between my device and computer with iBrowse?

You can simply drag/drop any files or folders and hold Command (Mac) or Control (PC) to select more than one. Another option is to right-click a directory in iBrowse and choose "Add Files..." to transfer to that directory or "Export to Folder..."to transfer files to your computer.

Why is my Backups data not appearing in iBrowse?

This usually happens if your device is setup to encrypt its backup or to backup to iCloud, so please look on the Summary tab for your device in iTunes to check these settings. iBrowse requires the backup to be unencrypted and stored on your computer.

If your device was set to backup to iCloud or to Encrypt the backup, please correct it, and iTunes should make a new backup automatically. Then, click on Backups in iBrowse again, and you should see your files appear.

My device is connected to my computer with its USB cable, but iBrowse is still asking to connect a device. What should I do?

iBrowse uses the iTunes interface to connect with a device so make sure that you've opened iTunes at least once and that your device is appearing as connected in iTunes first. If it is appearing as connected in iTunes but not in iBrowse, then I would close/reopen iBrowse or disconnect/reconnect your device.

How do I transfer my text messages to my computer?

Our iExplorer app makes transferring text messages to your computer really simple. It will even parse the text message database for you and allow you to export any SMS, MMS, and iMessage conversations as PDF, TXT, or CSV files. The PDF format looks remarkably close to the way the Messages app on your device displays the conversations with the bubbles and images and all.

Why can I no longer modify or add files to the .app (dot app) subdirectory of an app in iOS 6 and 7?

Apple made some changes to file permissions in iOS 6 and 7 where the .app (dot app) folder within an app directory is now read-only which means you can no longer add files or modify its contents, but you still have read/write access in any other app subdirectory such as Documents and Library, same as in previous iOS versions. Our developers are looking into ways around this new Apple restriction, but for now, the only way to gain write access to that folder is by jailbreaking your device. Since it's a file permissions change, any other iOS transfer utility will have the same read-only access to that folder in iOS 6 and 7.

How do I transfer apps from my device to my computer?

iBrowse lets you transfer and save app data such as game saves, documents, and other personal data, but to transfer the apps themselves, you'll need to use iTunes. Just click on iTunes File menu > Devices > Transfer Purchases from "device name".

Does iBrowse let you transfer game saves between devices?

Yes! With file system access to your device, you can do a lot of cool things including game save transfers from one device to another. Game saves are in most cases going to be in the Documents folder of an app, though each app places the file in a slightly different location with a unique file name. Once you transfer it to your computer, just transfer the gave save file to the 2nd device in the same location you found it on the first one, and it's recommended to make sure the app is not running in the background when manipulating its files. You may also want to back up each device in iTunes in case you need to revert the changes.

How do I mount my device like an external drive into Finder or Windows Explorer?

iBrowse only lets you explore and modify files within its UI, but our iExplorer app does allow you to mount any iOS directory to your computer's native file system and have it appear in the open/save dialog of desktop apps.

How do I transfer my music, playlists, and other iTunes media from my device to my computer?

Our iExplorer app specializes in this and makes iTunes media transfers incredibly quick and easy. It has an Auto Transfer feature which will rebuild your entire iTunes library from any iDevice in a single, one-click transfer and include your playlists, play counts, ratings, and other metadata. It can also transfer any of your photos, videos, podcasts, text messages, ringtones, books, notes, voicemails, contacts, calendars, voice memos, and more to a Mac or PC.

iExplorer does a lot of the difficult work for you by parsing the databases on your device and displaying your data in a straight forward, easy to understand format like the way it appears in the apps on your device which makes extracting your data a whole lot easier than working with the raw database files yourself.