Install Apple Mobile Device Support Without iTunes on Windows 10
If you use an iPhone, you probably also have to use iTunes with it. It is one of the few ways you can add music from your desktop system to your phone. In many cases, you cannot even access the camera roll on an iPhone unless you have iTunes installed. Most problems that you have when you connect an iPhone to a Windows 10 system can be fixed by installing iTunes.
iTunes isn’t the greatest app. In fact, there are third-party apps that allow you to manage the files on an iPhone. The only reason everyone on a non-Apple desktop is forced to install iTunes is that it installs drivers necessary to connect an iPhone.
Install Apple Mobile Device Support without iTunes
If you want to install Apple Mobile Device Support on Windows 10 without iTunes, there are two things you can try.
1. Apple Mobile Device Support – Windows update
Windows 10 automatically installs drivers when new hardware is connected, and an iPhone is no exception. Make sure you have an authentic Apple or Apple-approved data cable for your iPhone on hand.
- Make sure your Windows 10 system is connected to the internet.
- Connect the iPhone to your Windows 10 system.
- You will hear the familiar new-hardware detected sound, and Windows 10 will download drivers.
- Wait for a desktop alert/notification to tell you the device is ready to use.
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to Apps>Apps & features.
- Scroll through the list of installed apps and look for Apple Mobile Device Support. It should be installed.
2. Apple Mobile Device Support – iTunes executable
If Windows 10 doesn’t install Apple Mobile Device Support when you connect your iPhone to your system, you can install it from the iTunes executable file without actually installing iTunes itself.
- Download and install 7-zip.
- Download the iTunes executable file from Apple. Click Download iTunes 12.4.3 for Windows and save the executable file.
- Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder the iTunes executable has been saved to. Right-click it and select Open With>7-Zip.
- In the 7-zip window that opens, select AppleApplicationSupport.msi and AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi. Click the Extract button at the top and choose a folder to extract the files to.
- Run the AppleApplicationSupport.msi and allow it to install files.
- Next, run AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi and allow it to finish installing the driver.
- Restart the system.
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to Apps and look for Apple Mobile Device Support. It should show up, and you will be able to connect to the iPhone easily.
Conclusion
The Apple Mobile Device Support drivers are needed even if you use a non-Apple app to manage files on your iPhone. Some apps may be able to install this driver when they’re installed, but it’s a good idea to know how to manually install them.
Worked like a charm! I didnt have to install Itunes (which I dont use and its basically Bloatware for old devices).
If you turn off Javascript for the iTunes download page, it reverts an Accessibility Device friendly page letting you download the installer directly and not being redirected to a non-accessibility friendly Microsoft page. I really appreciate that.
A bunch of junk in the AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi is for supporting things for iTunes like calendar and mail integration links including a “phone home” service for Apple. I don’t appreciate that at all.
If all you are after is the bare network driver and usb attach functionality, you can take it a step further and use 7zip to extract the AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi to another folder.
When you are prompted for the driver, choose have disk, and point it at the directory you extracted the files to.
If you find later that you want the extra crap, you can just install the MSI. All I wanted to do was tether my work iPhone to my home laptop. I did not want apple making assumptions about and tracking the usage of my system.