Best PC programs, similar to iTunes, for managing and backing up data on your Android smartphone (Samsung, Huawei, LG etc.)
Google has never released a program like iTunes for Android, which can act as a smartphone manager from a PC.
But there are several alternative programs that allow you to see everything on your Android smartphone from your computer so that you can synchronize files, backup, open photos, transfer music, and perform operations like iTunes does for iPhone.
These programs or applications work on all Android smartphones, of any brand: Samsung, LG, HTC, Nexus, Chinese mobile phones and any other.
They are mostly based on WiFi connection, but they can also use the Phone-PC connection via the USB cable.
Let’s see together the best desktop managers for Android similar to iTunes.
1) AirDroid
AirDroid is definitely the best program to manage an Android smartphone as if we were on iTunes; we can download it for free here -> AirDroid.
With AirDroid you can do all smartphone operations from your computer virtually: send SMS messages, manage contacts, uninstall applications, open music and videos, transfer files from PC to phone and vice versa.
You can also: view, download and upload photos, import music and videos, manage ringtones and notification sounds, install applications via APK files, locate the lost phone, lock the phone remotely or erase the memory, take photos using the camera.
The app works with a direct WiFi connection (with mobile phone and computer connected to the same network) or even by connecting the smartphone to the PC with USB cable.
The application also works without a wireless network, through an internet connection and device recognition with code or barcode scanner.
You can definitely export photos and cell phone files to your PC, but only manually.
The management interface on the computer is a website that, therefore, can be viewed on any computer without installing any software; the site can be reached from here
-> AirDroid Web
If instead we want to download the real management program we can get it for free from here -> AirDroid Client (Windows and Mac).
2) MoboPlay
The real iTunes clone for Android is MoboPlay, a free PC program that works as a complete desktop manager for the smartphone; we can download the PC program from here -> MoboPlay.
In MoboPlay there is a convenient button to automatically backup all data on your mobile phone and restore, you can also set up data backup automatically every time you connect your phone to your PC, it supports screen mirroring so display the phone screen on the PC monitor and transfer any type of file to and from the PC or smartphone, complete with a preview of multimedia files.
It also works as an app store, which you can download from the dedicated store to install them on your smartphone in a single click.
MoboPlay requires a WiFi connection on the same network or USB cable.
For maximum integration we can install the MoboPlay app store on your smartphone using the link here -> MoboPlay App.
3) AirMore
Another very valid program to manage a smartphone with any operating system (Android or iOS) is AirMore.
Taking advantage of the Wi-Fi wireless connection or the supplied USB cable, it will be possible to explore each file saved on the mobile device, copy or move multimedia contents and contents such as messages and contacts between the PC and the smartphone or between two different smartphones.
This app also allows you to take screenshots, to show the screen in real time and to manage the backups of each connected smartphone so as to restore it with a single click.
AirMore does not have any kind of program, but the manager is available as a multimedia web page available from here -> AirMore Web.
Device management apps can be downloaded for Android and iOS from here
-> AirMore(Android) and AirMore (iOS).
4) ApowerManager
Another program to install on PC that we can try to manage an Android smartphone from PC as iTunes is ApowerManager.
This complete suite allows you to save images, photos and videos on the portable device, synchronize folders, create backups of the app and view the smartphone screen on the PC to record screenshots and screencasts.
The app works either via USB cable or using a WiFi connection, so you can manage the wireless device even if in different rooms.
To download the program we can use the link here -> ApowerManager Client.
Apps for Android and iOS devices are available here -> ApowerManager (Android) and ApowerManager (iOS).
5) Mobizen
Also to stay on the subject of management programs for Android we can try Mobizen, downloadable from here -> Mobizen.
With this program installed on PC we can manage all aspects of the smartphone as installed apps, multimedia files, folders, documents and record the screen, so you can make videos or photos of your smartphone for guides on YouTube or blog.
We can either download the recommended program from the page that I listed above and use the web interface.
The app to register and manage the smartphone can be downloaded from here
-> Mobizen App
6) PC Suite of the producers
In addition to the programs and Web services that we have recommended so far we can also use the PC Suite released by various smartphone manufacturers, which can work as iTunes if we have a fairly famous smartphone and a manufacturer that has released a specific program.
Below we can find the list of all the PC Suite that we can download according to the manufacturer of our device:
– Samsung
– Xiaomi
– Huawei
– LG
– Motorola
– HTC
– Sony
Using these programs we will get the features that we expect to find in a hypothetical iTunes for Android, although in many cases the programs discussed above can present additional features or greater convenience in connecting devices.
If we have a smartphone from one of the indicated manufacturers, we can first try out the proprietary solution and, if unsatisfied, switch to one of the services or softwares.