This article shows you how to share files between your Mac and your iPhone and iPad using the new route in Catalina.

  • How to Transfer Files From Mac to iPhone/iPad
  • How to Transfer Files From iPhone/iPad to Mac
  • How to Delete Files on Your iPhone and iPad

With the release of macOS Catalina, Apple said goodbye to iTunes and broke it up into separate Mac apps for Music, Podcasts, and Apple TV, meaning the functions for managing a connected ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌ or iPod touch needed a new home.

macoscatalinafinder
It's not immediately obvious, but Apple chose to integrate these device functions into the Finder, so now you can choose transfer files, manage iCloud and local backups, and restore or update your iOS device without even opening another application on your Mac.

How to Copy Files From Mac to iPhone and iPad

  1. Plug your ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or ‌iPod touch‌ into your Mac using the supplied cable. If you have a USB-C Mac, you may need an adapter.
  2. Open a Finder window by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock.
  3. Click your iOS device's name in the sidebar.
    finder
  4. If this is the first time connecting your device to your Mac, click Trust in the Finder window.
    finder
  5. Tap Trust on your device when prompted, then enter your passcode to confirm.
  6. Click the Files tab to see a list of apps that can share files. If you don't see a Files section, your device doesn't have any apps that can share files.
    finder
  7. Open another Finder window (Command-N) and select the files on your Mac that you want to copy to your ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or ‌iPod touch‌. Only select files that work with an app on your iOS device. (Check the app's user guide to see which ones work.)
  8. Drag the file(s) to the compatible app on your iOS device.

Finder will automatically copy them across to your iOS device. Depending on the size of the file(s), you may have to wait a while for the transfer to complete.

How to Copy Files From iPhone and iPad to Mac

  1. Plug your ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or ‌iPod touch‌ into your Mac using the supplied cable.
  2. Open a Finder window by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock.
  3. Click your iOS device's name in the sidebar.
    finder
  4. If this is the first time connecting your device to your Mac, click Trust in the Finder window.
    finder
  5. Tap Trust on your device when prompted, then enter your passcode to confirm.
  6. Click the Files tab to see a list of apps that can share files. If you don't see a Files section, your device doesn't have any apps that can share files.
    finder
  7. Click the triangle next to an app to see the files that you can share.
  8. Open another Finder window (Command-N) and navigate to the location on your Mac where you'd like to copy the files on your iOS device to.
    finder
  9. Select the files on your iOS device that you want to copy, then drag the file(s) to the open location on your Mac in the other Finder window.

Finder will automatically copy the files to your Mac. Depending on the size of the file(s), you may have to wait a while for the transfer to complete.

How to Delete files on your iPhone and iPad.

  1. Plug your ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or ‌iPod touch‌ into your Mac using the supplied cable.
  2. Open a Finder window by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock.
  3. Click your iOS device's name in the sidebar.
    finder
  4. Click the Files tab to see a list of apps that contain files. If you don't see a Files section, your device doesn't have any apps that can share files.
    finder
  5. Click the triangle next to an app to see the files it contains.
  6. Select the file that you want to delete, then right-click (Ctrl-cick) it and select Delete.
  7. Click Delete to confirm.

There are often other ways to delete files from an app. See the app's user guide to find out more.

Popular Stories

Apple AirTag Linked to Increasing Number of Car Thefts, Canadian Police Report

Apple's AirTags are being used in an increasing number of targeted car thefts in Canada, according to local police. Outlined in a news release from York Regional Police, investigators have identified a new method being used by thieves to track down and steal high-end vehicles that takes advantage of the AirTag's location tracking capabilities. While the method of stealing the cars is largely ...

Elon Musk Urges Customers to Buy 'Tesla Cyberwhistle' Instead of Apple Polishing Cloth

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has encouraged customers to buy the "Cyberwhistle" for $50 instead of Apple's much-discussed Polishing Cloth. The product page, which Musk shared on Twitter on Tuesday evening, offers a limited edition stainless steel whistle with the same distinctive design of the Tesla Cybertruck:Inspired by Cybertruck, the limited-edition Cyberwhistle is a premium collectible made from ...

Five Features to Look Forward to in the 2022 MacBook Air

Tuesday November 30, 2021 1:51 pm PST by Juli Clover

In 2022, Apple is going to release an updated version of the MacBook Air with some of the biggest design changes that we've seen since 2010, when Apple introduced the 11 and 13-inch size options. In the video below, we highlight five features that you need to know about the new machine. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. No More Wedge Design - Current MacBook...

Apple Reveals the Most Downloaded iOS Apps and Games of 2021

Thursday December 2, 2021 12:05 am PST by Juli Clover

Along with naming its editorial picks for the top apps and games of 2021, Apple today shared charts for the most downloaded free and paid apps and games in the United States across 2021. The number one most downloaded free iPhone app was TikTok, followed by YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. The top paid iPhone apps included Procreate Pocket, HotSchedules, The Wonder Weeks, and Touch...

New iPhone SE Reportedly on Track for Release in First Quarter of 2022

Tuesday November 30, 2021 8:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple plans to release a third-generation iPhone SE in the first quarter of 2022, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce. If this timeframe proves to be accurate, we can expect the device to be released by the end of March. As previously rumored, TrendForce said the new iPhone SE will remain a mid-range smartphone with added support for 5G:In terms of product development, Apple is...

Apple Planning to Replace the iPhone With AR Headset in 10 Years

Apple is planning to replace the iPhone with an augmented reality (AR) headset in 10 years, a process that is apparently due to start as soon as next year with the launch of a head-mounted device, according to a recent report. Concept render of Apple's rumored AR headset by Antonio De Rosa In a note to investors seen by MacRumors, eminent analyst Ming-Chi Kuo explained that "Apple's goal is...