AnyTrans

Despite the many advantages of iOS devices, managing their contained data with iTunes is not a comfortable experience. Fortunately, there are many alternatives out there, which make it much easier to copy files between a computer and a connected device. An excellent example is AnyTrans. It gives you the possibility of transferring songs, pictures and other data to and from an iOS device without any effort. What's more, the software incorporates a series of automatic features, which make it more convenient than other similar tools.

AnyTrans is free to try with a few limitations. It comes in different versions, for Windows and Mac OS X platforms and it can be installed in just a few seconds. The software does not require too much disk space, RAM or processing power, but you need to have iTunes on your computer if you wish to use it.

In terms of appearance, AnyTrans is similar to iTunes, but its controls are organized much better. Besides managing data on an iOS device, the software allows you to manage your iTunes library, on the same user interface, but on a different tab. Devices can be connected via Wi-Fi or direct cable. Once you connect an iPhone, iPad or iPod, you can browse through its music, ringtones, playlists, movies, TV shows, podcasts, apps, photos and other contents, which can be accessed via navigation tabs, on the left side of the interface.

You can explore your files in a similar manner, regardless if you are looking in your iOS device or iTunes library. A series of options are available on a toolbar, which can be used to copy files from one side to the other. While browsing through a device's data, you can select one or more files and click different options to copy them to a local folder or to send them directly to iTunes. It is also possible to delete existing files and to add new ones. Similar options can be found when exploring the iTunes library. You can either send your files to a local folder or to a connected device. Another way to copy files is to follow a wizard's instructions.

AnyTrans is not limited to copying files between computers and iOS devices. If you take a look in the general settings menu, you will find a few options which make the software's functionality shine in comparison to other similar tools. For example, you can set it to convert video and audio files automatically, to MPEG4, AAC, MP3 or other formats, when you transfer them to your device. In general, when you copy a song or video to a phone, the file's format may be incompatible with your device and you won't be able to play it, but thanks to this automatic conversion feature, you can be sure that your files will be playable on your device when you transfer them.