How to Connect an iPhone to a Windows PC for Your Own Apps (2026)
Connect an iPhone to a Windows PC to install your own apps: drivers, the Trust prompt, Developer Mode, Wi-Fi after the cable, and the 7-day rule.
By Sigsten Gustavii· · 8 min read
To connect an iPhone to a Windows PC for your own apps, plug it in with a cable, unlock it and tap Trust This Computer, let Windows add the iPhone's driver, turn on Developer Mode on the iPhone, then install the app with a signing tool such as Borel Companion. After the opening install, updates can go over Wi-Fi.
| Step | Where | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cable and unlock | iPhone and PC | The iPhone only talks to a computer it's unlocked for |
| Tap Trust | iPhone | Lets this computer install and manage apps |
| Driver | Windows Update | Lets Windows see the iPhone; no Apple software needed for Companion |
| Developer Mode | iPhone Settings | Allows apps you build yourself to open |
| Sign in with your Apple ID | Companion on the PC | Apple signs the app for your iPhone |
| Install | Companion | Puts the app on the home screen |
| Wi-Fi updates | Same network | New versions install without the cable |
Most guides about connecting an iPhone to Windows are about photos and backups, which is what Apple's own Apple Devices app does. Installing an app you made yourself is a different job: the app has to be signed for your iPhone, and the iPhone has to allow apps from a developer. This guide covers that job, step by step.
What you need
- A Windows 10 or 11 PC, 64-bit.
- An iPhone and a cable that fits it.
- An Apple ID. A free one works for your own apps; see free Apple ID vs Developer Program.
- An app to install, such as one you built with Borel and tried in the iOS Simulator in your browser.
- Borel Pro, from $20 a month, since installing with Companion comes with Pro.
You don't need a Mac, iTunes or the Apple Devices app for this. Windows Update adds the iPhone's driver by itself, and Companion talks to the iPhone directly.
Step 1: Connect with a cable and tap Trust
Plug the iPhone into the PC, unlock it, and when it asks whether to trust this computer, tap Trust and enter your passcode. If the prompt doesn't appear, unplug, unlock the iPhone and plug in again. A cable that only charges, or a loose port, is the most common reason the PC doesn't see the phone; try another cable before anything else.
Step 2: Let Windows add the driver
When an iPhone is connected to a PC for the opening time, Windows Update installs its driver in the background. Give it a minute, and keep the iPhone unlocked while it happens. If the iPhone still isn't found after a restart of both devices, check Windows Update for optional driver updates and restart the PC.
Step 3: Turn on Developer Mode
Apps you build yourself only open on an iPhone with Developer Mode on. On the iPhone, open Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Developer Mode, and turn it on. The iPhone restarts and asks you to confirm. You only do this once per iPhone, and it stays on through updates of your apps.
Step 4: Install Borel Companion
Download Companion for Windows from the Companion page and run the installer. Companion isn't signed for Windows yet, so Windows may say "Windows protected your PC" when you open it; click More info, then Run anyway. The page lists each file's checksum if you want to check the download.
Step 5: Sign in with your Apple ID
Open Companion and sign in with your Apple ID. Companion signs in to Apple from your computer, and Borel never receives your password. With Stay signed in, the password is kept in Windows Credential Manager on your PC.
Step 6: Install your app
In Borel, press Run on your device. Companion fetches the app's build, signs it with your Apple ID and installs it over the cable. The app appears on your home screen. If iOS says the developer isn't trusted, trust your Apple ID in Settings, then General, then VPN & Device Management.
Step 7: Switch to Wi-Fi
After the opening install over the cable, your iPhone knows your computer. With the iPhone on the same Wi-Fi as the PC, each new version installs over Wi-Fi from borel.one or from the Borel app on your iPhone, and Companion installs new builds of your apps by itself while it runs.
The 7-day rule and the 3-app limit
| Free Apple ID | Apple Developer Program | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | $99 a year, paid to Apple |
| How long an installed app runs | 7 days, then it needs signing again | Longer, and TestFlight and the App Store become possible |
| How many of your apps at once | Up to 3 | Many more |
| Push, iCloud, Sign in with Apple, in-app purchases | Not available | Available with the right setup |
Companion handles the 7-day rule for you: while it runs, it signs each app again when it has less than 2 days left, and Reinstall gives an app a fresh 7 days without a new build. Keep your PC on now and then on the same Wi-Fi as the iPhone, and your apps keep opening. Updates of an app count as the same app, so the 3-app limit is about different apps.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| The PC doesn't see the iPhone | Unlock it, try another cable and port, check Windows Update for drivers |
| No Trust prompt | Unplug, unlock, plug in again |
| The app won't open | Turn on Developer Mode, then trust your Apple ID in VPN & Device Management |
| "Windows protected your PC" | More info, then Run anyway |
| The app stopped opening after a week | Open Companion so it can renew, or press Reinstall |
| Wi-Fi install doesn't start | Put the PC and iPhone on the same Wi-Fi, with Companion running |
More than one iPhone
Companion can install your apps on more than one iPhone, such as yours and a partner's, each connected by cable once. Each iPhone needs Developer Mode on and trusts the PC. Remember that a free Apple ID's limits apply to the Apple ID used to sign: up to 3 of your apps at once, each renewed every 7 days. For a family app shared by several people on their own phones, that works; for a team or the public, TestFlight and the App Store are the better route.
Keeping your PC and iPhone in step
Renewals happen while Companion runs on your PC and the iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi. If the PC is off for over a week, an app signed with a free Apple ID stops opening until Companion renews it; plug in or reconnect to Wi-Fi with Companion open, and it signs the app again. Companion keeps a copy of each app, so this doesn't need a new build from Borel.
When to use the App Store instead
Companion is for your own apps on your own iPhone, or a few phones you set up yourself. When an app is for other people, publish it: with Pro and Apple's Developer Program, Borel builds, signs and uploads it to App Store Connect from its own Mac, and testers can use TestFlight. See how to publish an app to the App Store without a Mac.
How to do it with Borel, step by step
- Build your app in Borel and try it in the simulator in your browser.
- Download Companion for Windows and sign in with your Apple ID.
- Plug in your iPhone, unlock it and tap Trust; turn on Developer Mode.
- Press Run on your device in Borel.
- From then on, new versions install over Wi-Fi while Companion runs.
The guide install an iOS app from Windows covers the same route in more depth, and iPhone apps on Windows explains how Borel builds without a Mac.
The Bottom Line
Connecting an iPhone to a Windows PC for your own apps takes a cable, a Trust tap, Developer Mode and a tool that signs the app with your Apple ID. Borel Companion does the signing and installing without iTunes or a Mac, moves to Wi-Fi after the opening install, and renews free Apple ID apps before their 7 days run out. It comes with Pro. Build something on Borel and put it on your own iPhone.
Questions people ask
Do I need iTunes to connect an iPhone to Windows?
Not to install your own apps with Borel Companion. Windows Update adds the iPhone's driver, and Companion talks to the iPhone directly. For backups and syncing music, Apple's Apple Devices app does that job.
Why doesn't my PC see my iPhone?
Usually the iPhone is locked, the cable only charges, or the driver hasn't installed yet. Unlock it, try another cable and check Windows Update.
What does Trust This Computer do?
It lets the computer manage the iPhone, including installing apps. You see it once per computer.
Do I need Developer Mode?
Yes, for apps you build yourself. Turn it on in Settings, Privacy & Security, Developer Mode; the iPhone restarts and asks you to confirm.
Can I install over Wi-Fi?
After the opening install over a cable, yes: with the iPhone on the same Wi-Fi as the PC and Companion running, new versions install over Wi-Fi.
Why does my app stop opening after 7 days?
Apps signed with a free Apple ID run for 7 days. Companion renews them while it runs, and Reinstall gives a fresh 7 days.
Is Borel Companion free?
The download is free, but installing apps with it comes with Borel Pro, from $20 a month.
Can I connect an iPhone to Windows without a cable?
Not for the opening install: the iPhone has to trust the computer over a cable once. After that, Companion installs new versions over Wi-Fi.
Does this work on a Windows laptop with ARM?
Borel Companion for Windows is built for 64-bit x64 Windows 10 and 11; check the Companion page for the current downloads before you rely on another kind of PC.
Will connecting to Windows erase anything on my iPhone?
No. Trusting the PC and installing your own app adds the app; it doesn't sync or remove your photos, messages or other apps.
Does Companion see my Apple ID password?
Your password stays on your computer: Companion signs in to Apple from your PC, and Borel never receives it.
I don't think a Windows PC should stand between you and your own app. Plug in once, and Companion takes it from there.
– Sigsten
Make your iPhone app in Borel
Describe the app you want and see its first screens before you pay anything.
See your app free