How to Control Multiple iPhones from Your PC over USB (2026)
Need to run several iPhones from one computer? This article walks through the whole process of using DrakoCtrl to control the iPhones you own or manage over USB — software prerequisites, installation, configuration, troubleshooting and advanced tips.
1. Who this guide is for
This guide is for anyone who needs to operate more than one iPhone from a single Windows PC — and who owns those devices or is authorized to manage them. Instead of picking up each handset by hand, you see every screen on your monitor and control them with your mouse and keyboard.
Typical setups include a QA and app-testing lab that has to check a build across many real devices, a support or operations team running company-issued handsets, a retail or demo floor driving kiosk devices, and developers automating repetitive on-device steps. DrakoCtrl connects over USB and needs physical access to each unlocked iPhone; it does not unlock, activate, or remove any lock from a device.
Everything below works on iPhones in the supported range (iPhone 6s — iPhone 8 Plus, iOS 15 — 16.7). The setup path differs slightly by iOS version, which the compatibility table in section 3 lays out.
2. Why control iPhones from a PC?
Driving your iPhones from a computer has clear advantages over handling each device by hand:
Manage many devices
Instead of picking up each iPhone in turn, you can view and control dozens of iPhones at once from one PC screen. A large multiple of the time saved.
Broadcast control
Send the same action (tap, swipe, keystroke) to many iPhones simultaneously. Ideal for rolling out the same configuration, running the same test, or applying an update across a fleet.
Automation
Record a sequence of actions and replay it automatically on one or many devices. Cuts the repetitive effort out of routine tasks.
Faster typing
Use your computer keyboard to type on the iPhone — 5-10× faster than the on-screen keyboard. Especially useful for heavy data entry.
Common use cases for managing a fleet of iPhones from one PC:
- ● App & QA testing: run the same build across many real iPhones and iOS versions at once to confirm it behaves everywhere before release.
- ● Device fleet management: keep a set of company-issued iPhones configured, updated and in sync from a single console.
- ● Customer support & demos: reproduce a customer’s steps on a matching device, or drive kiosk and demo iPhones on a stand.
- ● Retail operations: run several in-store devices from one place — product demos, order handling, in-app tasks.
- ● Repetitive on-device work: record a routine once and replay it across your own devices instead of repeating it by hand.
3. iOS compatibility table
DrakoCtrl supports iPhone 6s — iPhone 8 Plus running iOS 15 — 16.7. The installation path differs by iOS version. Here is the detailed compatibility table:
| iPhone type | iOS version | Requirement | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| No jailbreak needed | iOS 15.0 — 16.6.1, 16.7 RC | Automatic install via DrakoCtrl | ✓ Full |
| Jailbreak required | iOS 16.7.0 — 16.7.x | Must jailbreak first | ✓ After JB |
* iPhone 6s — iPhone 8 Plus. iOS 15.0 — 16.6.1 and 16.7 RC: no jailbreak needed. iOS 16.7.x: jailbreak required to install iPhoneControl.ipa. iOS 17 and later are not supported yet — from iOS 17 Apple moved the debug services behind a RemoteXPC tunnel, so DrakoCtrl cannot yet launch the on-device control app.
ⓘ Note: the simplest setup is on iOS 15.0 — 16.6.1, where no jailbreak is required. iOS 17 and later are not supported yet — from iOS 17 Apple moved the debug services behind a RemoteXPC tunnel, so DrakoCtrl cannot launch the on-device control app.
4. What you need before you start
Before you begin, make sure you have all of the following:
Hardware
- ● A Windows 10/11 PC (64-bit): at minimum a 6th-gen Core i5 and 8GB RAM. For 10+ iPhones at once, a Core i7 with 16GB RAM is recommended.
- ● USB cables: Lightning cables — every iPhone in the supported range (iPhone 6s — iPhone 8 Plus) uses a Lightning port. Use genuine Apple or MFi-certified cables. Cheap cables are a common cause of dropouts, especially with several devices.
- ● A USB hub (for multiple devices): a USB 3.0 hub with its own power supply (5V/2A or more per port). Anker, Ugreen and Orico are solid choices. Use unpowered hubs for no more than 2-3 devices.
Software to install on the PC
- ● iTunes: download from apple.com or the Microsoft Store. iTunes provides the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver, which the PC needs in order to talk to an iPhone over USB. You do not need to keep iTunes open while using DrakoCtrl — it just has to be installed.
- ● 3uTools: download from 3u.com. Needed for the initial setup (Step 1 of installing the control app). You can uninstall it afterwards if you prefer.
- ● DrakoCtrl: download from our download page. This is the main software you will use to control the iPhones.
Settings on the iPhone
- ● Developer Mode (iOS 16.x): go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Developer Mode → On. The iPhone restarts to enable it. This step is required on iOS 16.x; iOS 15 has no such setting.
- ● WiFi (optional): if the iPhone itself needs internet — signing into apps, browsing — connect it to WiFi first. Control actions travel over the USB cable, so the iPhone needs no internet for those (the PC still needs a connection for license verification).
5. Installing DrakoCtrl on your PC
Installing DrakoCtrl is straightforward and takes about two minutes:
Download the installer
Go to the Download page and download the Windows installer (about 60MB). It always carries the latest version.
Run the installer
Double-click the .exe → accept the licence terms (EULA) → choose an install folder (the default is recommended) → click Install.
Open the app and activate
Launch the app from the desktop shortcut or Start menu. On first run you can choose “Start free 15-day trial” (up to 5 devices, no credit card) or enter a licence key you have purchased.
6. Connecting the iPhone over USB
DrakoCtrl works entirely over USB — no WiFi, no shared network, no exposure over the network. It is the most stable and secure way to connect.
Plug in the USB cable
Connect the iPhone to the PC with a USB cable. If you use a hub, plug it into a USB 3.0 port (the blue one) on the back of the motherboard for the best bandwidth.
Tap “Trust” on the iPhone
The first time you connect, the iPhone asks “Trust This Computer?” → tap Trust → enter the passcode if there is one. If the prompt never appears, unplug and replug the cable, or go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Reset Location & Privacy.
Verify the connection in iTunes
Open iTunes and check that the iPhone appears in the device list. If iTunes sees the iPhone, the USB driver is working and DrakoCtrl will see it too. If iTunes does not, check the cable or reinstall iTunes.
DrakoCtrl detects it automatically
Open the app — it automatically finds and lists every iPhone connected over USB. Each device shows with an index number and a status (Detected, Ready, Streaming…).
⚠ If the Trust prompt never appears: try (1) restart the iPhone, (2) Reset Location & Privacy in Settings, (3) a different USB cable.
7. Installing the control app on the iPhone (3 steps)
This is the most important part. DrakoCtrl ships with a built-in 3-step setup wizard that walks you through the whole process. Click “Install Control App to iPhone” in DrakoCtrl to open it.
Step 1: install the support app on the iPhone
This step puts a helper component on the iPhone to prepare it for the control app. Do it on the PC:
- Open 3uTools on the PC → go to the Toolbox tab → select the iPhone → click “Install 3uTools” to install the 3uTools app onto the iPhone.
- Back in DrakoCtrl, in wizard Step 1 → tick the iPhones to set up → click “Install”.
- Wait for it to finish. The iPhone restarts automatically when done.
- After the iPhone restarts: unplug the USB cable and plug it back in.
ⓘ If you are setting up several iPhones, select them all and click “Install” — DrakoCtrl processes them one after another.
Step 2: set up on the iPhone (by hand)
This step happens on the iPhone itself, no PC needed:
- Open the Tips app on the iPhone (shown as Mẹo if your iPhone language is Vietnamese).
- Follow the on-screen steps to install the app manager.
- Open the app manager you just installed and wait for its automatic setup to finish (about 1-2 minutes).
- Important: in the app manager’s Settings, tap “Install Persistence Helper”. This keeps the app manager from disappearing after the iPhone resprings.
⚠ Warning: if you skip “Install Persistence Helper”, the app manager may be removed when the iPhone restarts and you will have to start again from Step 1.
Step 3: copy and install the iPhoneControl app
The last step — copy the control app onto the iPhone and activate it:
On the PC (DrakoCtrl):
- In wizard Step 3 → select the iPhone → click “Copy App”.
- Wait until each device shows “Success”.
On the iPhone:
- Open the app manager (installed in Step 2).
- Tap + → choose “Install IPA File” → choose “On iPhone” → open the 3uTools folder.
- Select iPhone Control → tap Install.
Back on the PC:
- Click “Activate Control App” in the wizard.
- Wait 15-30 seconds. When the iPhone shows “Automation Running”, the setup is complete.
- The iPhone screen appears in DrakoCtrl automatically. You can start controlling it.
ⓘ Tip: if the app does not start within 30 seconds, try unplugging and replugging the USB cable. If it still does not, right-click the device in DrakoCtrl and choose “Restart WDA” to restart the control service.
8. Start controlling the iPhone from your PC
Once setup succeeds, the iPhone screen appears live inside DrakoCtrl. These are the basic controls:
| Action | How | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tap | Left-click | Same as tapping with a finger on the iPhone |
| Swipe | Hold and drag the mouse | Swipe up, down, left or right on the iPhone |
| Long press | Hold left-click for 1-2 seconds | Long press, e.g. to delete an app or open a context menu |
| Type | Use the PC keyboard | Text goes to whichever app is open on the iPhone |
| Home button | Right-click → Home | Return to the home screen |
| Fullscreen | Double-click the device | Zoom into one device for a closer look |
Every action reaches the iPhone in real time over USB with very low latency (typically under 50ms), so it feels much like using the iPhone directly.
9. Broadcasting to many iPhones at once
This is DrakoCtrl’s most powerful feature — sending the same action to many iPhones simultaneously. Extremely useful when the same task has to run on dozens of devices.
How to use broadcast control:
- Select several devices: hold Ctrl + click on each device, or use “Select all” in the left-hand panel.
- Broadcast turns on: with 2 or more devices selected, broadcast mode activates automatically. A “Broadcast” badge appears on the selected devices.
- Work as usual: every tap, swipe or keystroke on any device in the group is sent to all selected devices.
A real example: you have 20 iPhones that all need the same app installed. Select all 20 → open the App Store → search for the app → tap install. All 20 iPhones perform the same steps at once. Instead of 40 minutes device by device, it takes 2.
Broadcast control is available on every plan, including the trial.
10. Recording and replaying actions automatically
Action recording lets you capture a sequence of actions (taps, swipes) on one iPhone and then replay it automatically on one or many devices. A simple but very effective automation tool.
How to use it:
- Start recording: press Record on the toolbar.
- Perform the actions: tap, swipe and type as usual. Each action is captured along with the wait time between steps.
- Stop recording: press Stop when finished.
- Replay: select one or more devices → press Play. DrakoCtrl replays the whole sequence automatically.
DrakoCtrl also has auto swipe — swiping on a repeating cycle, handy for scrolling TikTok, Facebook or Instagram feeds on many devices without touching them.
Action recording and auto swipe are available on every plan, including the trial.
11. Installing IPA files over USB
DrakoCtrl can install .ipa files directly onto an iPhone over USB, without the App Store or third-party tools. Especially useful for internal or pre-release builds that are not on the App Store.
How to install an IPA:
- Right-click the device (or select several devices) → choose “Install IPA”.
- Pick the .ipa file from your computer.
- DrakoCtrl transfers the file over USB and installs it. The IPA goes straight from the PC to the iPhone over the cable; it is never uploaded to the internet.
When installing to several devices, DrakoCtrl runs them in parallel to save time. The IPA travels over the USB connection only.
IPA install is available from the Starter plan.
12. Troubleshooting common problems
Here are the problems people hit most often with DrakoCtrl, and how to fix them:
The iPhone does not appear in DrakoCtrl
Cause: the USB driver is missing, the cable is faulty, or the iPhone has not trusted the computer.
Fix:
- Check whether iTunes sees the iPhone. If it does not, reinstall iTunes.
- Try a different USB cable (a genuine one for preference).
- Tap “Trust” on the iPhone. If the prompt never appears → Settings → Reset Location & Privacy.
- Try another USB port (ports on the back of the motherboard for preference).
- Restart the iPhone and try again.
Step 1 fails when installing the support app
Cause: 3uTools is not installed on the iPhone, the iOS version is unsupported, or the iPhone screen is locked.
Fix:
- Make sure the 3uTools app is on the iPhone (installed from 3uTools on the PC: Toolbox → Install 3uTools) before pressing “Install” in DrakoCtrl.
- Check the iOS version is in the supported range (see the compatibility table in section 3).
- Keep the iPhone unlocked for the whole process.
- On iOS 16.x, make sure Developer Mode is enabled.
Black screen / no video
Cause: the control app on the iPhone is not running, or the USB connection dropped.
Fix:
- Check whether the iPhone shows “Automation Running”. If not, open the iPhone Control app on the device.
- Unplug and replug the USB cable to force a reconnect.
- Right-click the device → “Restart WDA” to restart the service.
- If it still fails, reinstall the control app (repeat Step 3).
Taps and swipes do nothing
Cause: the control service on the iPhone has hung, or you are clicking outside the screen area.
Fix:
- Make sure you click inside the video area (the iPhone screen), not the surrounding background.
- Check that “Automation Running” is still showing on the iPhone.
- Right-click → “Restart WDA”.
- If broadcast is on, check that the device is actually selected.
Video stutters with many devices
Cause: not enough USB bandwidth, or the PC is short on resources.
Fix:
- Use a powered USB 3.0 hub. USB 2.0 tops out at 480Mbps, which is not enough for 5+ devices streaming video.
- Lower the video quality in DrakoCtrl’s Settings panel.
- Close other heavy applications (Chrome with many tabs, Photoshop, and so on).
- Spread devices across different USB controllers (for example 5 on the front ports, 5 on the back).
- Add RAM if you are running less than 16GB.
13. Advanced tips for power users
⚡ Tuning the connection for 10+ devices
With 10+ iPhones, USB layout matters. Use 2-3 separate USB hubs, at most 7-10 devices each, plugged into different USB controllers on the motherboard (front and rear ports usually sit on separate controllers). Make sure each hub has its own power supply delivering at least 2A per port.
⚡ Numbering and arranging devices
DrakoCtrl lets you assign an index number to each iPhone. With many devices, numbering makes them far easier to recognise and manage. Click the number on a device to change it. You can also drag and drop to rearrange the layout.
⚡ Getting the most out of the PC
Each streaming device uses roughly 50-100MB of RAM plus a little CPU. For 20 devices the PC needs at least 16GB of RAM. Close Chrome (a well-known memory hog), pause Windows Update while you work, and keep at least 10GB of free disk space for cache.
⚡ Record your setup before changing anything
Once everything is stable, avoid updating iOS on a device that is working — a new iOS version may fall outside the supported range or change behaviour. Write down the current iOS version and configuration of each device so you can restore exactly that version if you ever need to reset.
14. Frequently asked questions
Is DrakoCtrl free?
Do I need an internet connection to control the iPhone?
Which devices am I allowed to use it on?
How many iPhones can I control at once?
Does DrakoCtrl work on a Mac?
Do I need to jailbreak the iPhone?
15. Conclusion
Controlling multiple iPhones from a computer is no longer complicated thanks to DrakoCtrl. With a straightforward interface, support across the full iOS 15 — 16.7 range, and features like broadcast control, action recording and IPA install over USB, it is an essential tool for anyone managing a fleet of iPhones.
Setup is three simple steps with the wizard built into the software. No deep technical knowledge is needed — follow the steps and you can be controlling your iPhones from your PC within minutes.
If you are looking for software to control multiple iPhones from a PC that is stable, easy to use and handles many devices at once, try DrakoCtrl today with the free 15-day trial.
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