Copying PC Photos to an iPhone

Q. How do I transfer pictures from Windows PC to an iPhone 4s?

A. If you have images in your computer’s Pictures folder or in albums in the Adobe Photoshop Elements program, you can sync the photos from PC to iPhone through Apple’s iTunes program. You can use a USB cable connection for the synchronization process, or, if you have already set it up, the iTunes Wi-Fi Sync feature that copies content between iTunes and your iOS devices over your home wireless network.

Once you make the connection between the iPhone and your PC, click the iPhone icon when it appears in the iTunes window. On the next screen, click the Photos tab and turn on the “Sync Photos from” checkbox; use the drop-down menu to select the program or folder of pictures you want to copy to the iPhone and click the Apply button.

When you click the Sync button, copies of your PC’s pictures are transferred to the iPhone, where you can find them in the device’s Photos app. Apple has detailed instructions for syncing photos with iTunes, and a guide to setting up iTunes Wi-Fi Sync.

Third-party apps like PhotoSync are another option. Or, if you use an online-storage service like Dropbox or Microsoft’s OneDrive, you can move pictures from the PC to the phone by storing them in your online account and then downloading them to the iPhone with the service’s corresponding app.

Apple’s iCloud service also works with Windows to share photos between phone and computer, either through a browser or with the iCloud for Windows software. The iCloud Photo Stream feature syncs pictures and iCloud Drive in the new iOS 8 system stores many types of files.

Backing Up an Android Tablet Online

Q. What data does the Android Backup actually restore to a Nexus tablet?

A. If you have the Android Backup Service working on your Nexus tablet, it should restore much of your Google account-related data, like your Gmail and Google Calendar settings. Your saved Wi-Fi networks and their passwords should also be restored. Other device settings, like those for the display, language and clock are also saved, as are home-screen wallpapers and content that you installed through the Google Play Store.

If you had them set to back up, the settings for some apps may also be restored when you reinstall the program. Google’s site has more information and instructions for turning on (and using) the Android Backup Service — which can come in very handy if you need to erase or replace the tablet.

Google has online backup options for other content you may have on your tablet. For example, files that you have uploaded to Google Drive (or other cloud-storage services) are stored online and can always be grabbed again when you need them, and the optional Auto Backup feature of Google Plus uploads copies of the photos and videos you take on the Nexus.