How to Connect iPhone to Linux PC Using KDE Connect

However, if you own an iOS device, you cannot use KDE Connect and must use other applications to sync iPhone with Linux computer. But this eventually changed. Now, with the release of the KDE Connect app on the App Store, you can connect your iPhone to your Linux PC.

Here's how to pair your iPhone with a Linux computer and perform various operations using KDE Connect.

How to get KDE Connect on iPhone and Linux

To connect your iPhone or iPad to a Linux PC, you need to first download and install the KDE Connect app on your iPhone and Linux computer.

On iPhone, download and install KDE Connect from the App Store.

Next, you also need the KDE Connect client on your Linux desktop. If you are using one of KDE's Plasma distributions, you may already have KDE Connect installed on your system. In that case, you just need to update it from Software Manager.

Otherwise, if you are using any other Linux distro, go to your respective software manager, search for KDE Connect and KDE Connect Indicator, install them on your system.

How to Connect iPhone to Linux PC

Once you've installed the app and KDE Connect client on your iPhone and Linux computer, here's how to connect them:

1. Connect both your iPhone and Linux PC to the same network.

2. Activate the KDE Connect app on your iPhone and the KDE Connect client on your Linux computer. In some cases, you won't see the KDE Connect client on your desktop right away, so you need to right-click its icon in the system tray and press Configure to make it visible. .

3. Now check your device name in KDE Connect application on Linux PC.

4. Go back to the KDE Connect app on your iPhone and you should see the name of your Linux PC in the Discovered Devices section. In case you don't see your PC here, pull down the screen to refresh. Or tap the three-dot icon in the top right and select Refresh Discovery.

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5. Click the PC name and press the Pair button in the following prompt to start the pairing process.

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6. Immediately after doing that, you will see a prompt on your PC asking you to confirm the pairing request from your device. Click Accept.

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7. KDE Connect will pair your iPhone with your Linux PC now. You can confirm the pairing is successful by having your PC's name appear in green on the KDE Connect app on iPhone and vice versa.

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How to perform operations between devices over a KDE . connection

Now that you've set up KDE Connect on your devices and paired them together, here are all the things you can currently do between your connected devices via KDE Connect:

1. Ping

Before you do any work between your PC and your paired iPhone, you must verify if both are paired and can be connected. KDE Connect allows you to do this via the Ping action.

To use it, go to the KDE Connect client on your PC and tap on the name of the paired iPhone. Next, click the Send ping button in the upper right corner. If the devices are paired properly, you will get a ping alert on your iPhone.

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2. Copy clipboard content

Copying clipboard content on one device and using it on another is quite easy with KDE Connect. For this, if you are using an iPhone, copy the text you want to use on Linux. Then, go back to KDE Connect, click on the connected PC and select Push Local Clipboard. You should now have the copied text copied to your PC's clipboard.

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On the other hand, to copy text from PC to mobile device, just copy text on PC and it will be there on iPhone or iPad clipboard.

3. Send media content

KDE Connect allows you to send media content (photos, videos and files) between your paired computer and iPhone. If you want to send something from your mobile device, tap the name of your PC and choose Send Photos and Videos or Send Files. Then, select the media you want to share and it will be sent to your PC and saved in the Downloads folder.

Otherwise, to share files from your PC, right-click the KDE Connect icon and select Send file(s). This will open your file manager. Select the file you want to share and press Select to send it. On iPhone/iPad, open the Files app and navigate to the KDE Connect folder to access this file.

4. Find the device

If you keep your iPhone somewhere and forget it, KDE Connect can help you locate it. To use this feature, right-click the KDE Connect icon in the system tray and select Find my phone. This will sound an alarm on your phone until you find it.

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5. Remote input

Finally, you can also use KDE Connect to turn your iPhone/iPad into a touchpad for your Linux PC. For this, go to the KDE Connect app on your mobile device and tap PC. Next, click on Remote Input and start moving your finger around the screen to move the cursor on the PC. To select something, tap the screen.

If you want to perform a right-click, tap with two fingers. Besides, you can tap on the three-dot icon in the top right corner and choose an input action from there.

KDE Connect makes it easy to perform basic everyday tasks between your mobile device and your PC. If you're an iPhone and Linux PC user, you can use the brand new KDE Connect app for iOS and iPadOS to greatly simplify your interactions between these devices.

Also, if you are looking for a simpler tool to quickly transfer files between your Linux PC and iPhone/iPad, Snapdrop is an option worth considering.

Marvin Fry

Update 21 May 2022