iExplorer is a desktop utility from Macroplant for copying content off an iPhone, iPad or iPod and out of iTunes backups. It runs on Mac and Windows. The iOS device connects to the computer with a USB cable. Nothing is installed on the phone or tablet itself. iExplorer installs as a free demo with some features limited or disabled, and a purchased license unlocks the full program.
The program fills gaps in Apple’s sync model. iTunes imports music back from a device only when it came from the iTunes Store. It syncs photo albums one way. It also keeps messages and voicemail locked inside backups that users can only restore whole. iExplorer reads that data and saves individual items on the computer.
Recovering a music library from the device
The music section lists the songs and playlists on the connected device whatever their source, including tracks ripped from CDs or bought elsewhere. Users can preview tracks, then drag them out individually or transfer them in groups, either into iTunes or to an ordinary folder.
Auto Transfer is the one-pass option, intended for rebuilding a library after a computer crash, a migration or a new machine. iExplorer checks which tracks iTunes already holds, skips them to avoid duplicates, copies the rest and rebuilds the playlists. Play counts, star ratings and artwork travel with the tracks, so the restored library keeps its listening history rather than starting from zero.
The same transfer tools handle movies, home videos, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, iTunes Extras and voice memos.
Messages, voicemail and contacts
iExplorer reads SMS and iMessage conversations either from a connected iPhone or from an existing iTunes backup. The backup stores messages in databases, which the program extracts and formats into readable threads. Users can sort conversations by name, date or message count, search them and preview them.
Export works at several levels: one conversation, all conversations in one pass, or only the message bubbles the user selects. Date controls narrow the export to a time range. The output formats are:
- PDF for a readable copy of the conversation
- TXT for plain text
- CSV for spreadsheet or database use
Users can filter and export attachments such as images, videos and vCards separately. iExplorer also shows how much storage attachments use in each conversation.
iExplorer can play and export voicemail from the iPhone or a backup at its original audio quality. In many cases, it can also find voicemails already removed from the device. iExplorer exports contacts from the address book as vCard files, which Outlook, Gmail, Apple Contacts and other services can import.
Notes, calls, calendar and Safari data
iExplorer parses several other personal data stores from the device or a backup. Users can browse, search, copy and export notes. iExplorer exports call history as CSV or TXT. It can export calendar events and copy Safari bookmarks and browsing history to the computer.
Built-in iTunes backup browser
iExplorer can open every iTunes backup on the computer, with or without the device attached. Each backup appears in two forms. The parsed sections present Messages, Contacts, Voicemail, Call History, Notes, Safari and Calendar as readable data. The Backup Explorer shows the raw files and folders, including data that apps saved into the backup, such as game saves.
Users can drag files out of either view to retrieve one file or thread from an old backup without restoring the device. With a device connected, iExplorer can create or refresh a backup before reading it. iTunes, or the Apple Music app, needs to be on the computer for device and backup access.
Photos without syncing back
The photo view shows DCIM, the Camera Roll, recorded videos, albums synced from a computer and albums created on the device. Users can export selected items to a folder. On a Mac, iExplorer can send them straight into the Photos app or iPhoto instead. This includes synced albums, which iTunes itself will not copy back to the computer. Photos can also auto-mount as a disk in Finder or Windows Explorer.
Disk Mode and file browsing
Disk Mode mounts supported directories of the iOS device as a native disk on the computer. Once mounted, the device’s folders open in Finder or Windows Explorer. Users can move, copy and organize files with the operating system’s own file tools. Mounting can be manual or automatic on connection.
Inside iExplorer, the Files area shows the media folder (with folders such as Books, Recordings, iTunes_Control and DCIM) and an Apps list. Each app appears in the list as its own folder containing the files available to iExplorer. iExplorer can access the full root file system only on jailbroken devices. Its AFC2 support on these devices reaches beyond the standard media and app areas.
Demo and license options
Buying an iExplorer license produces a 25-digit registration code that unlocks all features. Universal, Family Pack and Enterprise packs use one code for the number of computers and devices each license covers. iCloud access is available only in the Mac version of iExplorer.
