How to Access iPhone in Linux

By Robert Schrader

You can access your iPhone through Linux.
i usb cable image by Doctor Kan from Fotolia.com

An alternative to Windows and Mac OS X that works on both types of machines, Linux (sometimes also known as "Ubuntu") is a so-called "open source" operating system--more flexible, in some ways, than its competitors--but is not without its difficulties. Among these is the fact that Linux does not, as of October 2010, support iTunes, which is the default means most iPhone users to access their iTunes libraries. If you use Linux and do need to access an iPhone, you can choose from several alternatives.

Access your iPhone's photos, songs and applications using Linux's "Home Folder." Connect your iPhone to your computer using the white "USB" cable that came with it, then launch the "Home Folder" by select it from Linux's "Places" menu. Click your iPhone's name in the left navigation panel, then browse through its folders to add and remove files.

Download and install one of the iTunes alternatives available for Linux, such as "Rhythmbox," "Banshee" or "Clementine." Click your choice of links under the "Resources" section, launch the file once downloading has completed and follow the installation instructions therein.

Access your iPhone using one of Linux's music programs. Connect your iPhone to your computer using its USB cable, at which point a dialog box will pop up, asking you whether you'd like to open your music program to access the iPhone. Click "Yes." Add music to your iPhone by dragging music files from your music library onto the icon representing your icon in the program's left navigation panel. Delete songs by double-clicking this icon, selecting files you'd like to delete and hitting your computer's "Delete" button.

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