Computer/iTunes Not Recognizing iPhone? Tips to Fix It

The other day one of my friends told me that iTunes was not recognizing his iPhone. He also added that both Mac and Windows PC failed to recognize his iOS device. What could have caused the iTunes or computer to not work with iPhone?

There could be several reasons why iTunes won’t recognize your iOS device. As for instance, your device would be running the old version of iOS, the iTunes version running on your computer would be too old to work with your new iPhone, the ill-functioning of USB cable etc. Here are some of the possible solutions that can help you resolve this issue!

iTunes/Computer Won’t Recognize iPhone and iPad? Try Out These Tips

Quick Tip

• Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer. Also, ensure that you have the latest software on your computer.
• Make sure your iOS device is running the latest version of iOS. Go to Settings → General → Software Update and check out if there is any update available. If yes, update your device.
• Unplug all the USB accessories from your computer.
• Try different USB port to check out if it works. Also, give a different Apple USB cable a try.
• Reboot both your iPhone and computer.

Solution #1: Update iTunes on your Mac

It’s always advisable to keep iTunes up-to-date on Mac. To update iTunes, open it on your Mac and then click on iTunes. Then, click on Check for Updates. If there is an update available, make sure to update it.

At times, Apple launches an update for iTunes via Mac App Store. Hence, go to Mac App Store → Updates and update it.

Update iTunes on Windows PC

Step #1. Open iTunes on your Windows PC.

Step #2. Next, you need to select Help. Then, click Check for Updates.

Step #3. Now, go ahead with the instructions to install the latest version of iTunes on your computer.

Solution #2. Update Your Device Driver on Windows PC

Updating the Device Driver on your Windows PC can do the trick.

Step #1. Click on Start, type Device Manager and select it on your Windows PC.

Step #2. Click on Update Driver Software.

Step #3. Now, click on Browse for driver software on your computer.

Step #4. Next, click on Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.

Select the device and Click on Next.

If this fails, then, you need to select Have Disc or a device category → Click Next and then double click on usbaapl or usbaapl64 → In the Have Disk window, you need to click Open → Now, click Next → Finish.

Solution #3: Reset Location and Privacy on your iPhone

When you connect your iOS device to the computer, you need to Trust the computer. Just in case, you forgot to trust your computer, unplug your device, wait for some time and connect it again. If you are not getting the option to trust the computer, reset location and privacy on your iOS device.

Open Settings → General → Reset → Reset Location & Privacy.

Solution #4: Delete and Reinstall iTunes on Mac

Step #1. Open Finder window on your Mac and choose Applications from the sidebar.

Step #2. Control-click on iTunes and click on Get Info.

Step #3. Now, you have to click on the padlock icon at the bottom right corner of the info window.

Step #4. Enter your administrator password and click OK.

Step #5. Click on Sharing & Permissions in order to expand the window. Now, you need to choose Everyone. Make sure to change the permissions to allow everyone to Read & Write and Click on the Padlock again.

Step #6. Next, close the Get Info window.

Then, drag iTunes into the trash. Now, re-download iTunes.

Delete and reinstall iTunes on Windows PC

Open the Control Panel on your Windows PC and uninstall iTunes along with its related software components such as Apple Software Update, Apple Mobile Device Support, Bonjour, Apple Applications Support 32-bit, Apple Application Support 64-bit along with iTunes.

Head over to Apple’s support guide for more information, if you aren’t able to delete iTunes on Windows.

Once you have deleted iTunes, re-download it.

Solution #5: Restore Your iPhone

If all the above solutions haven’t clicked for you, then try restoring your iOS device. Make sure to back it up before going ahead with the restoration process. Connect your device to your computer → Open iTunes → Select your device → Click on Restore iPhone and confirm it.

Wrapping Up

Hopefully, these solutions help you in fixing the problem. In most cases, it’s fixed by just updating iOS device, computer, and iTunes. At times, it would be resolved just by restarting the iPhone and computer.

If nothing has worked for you, it would be better to contact Apple for help.

You may want to read some other helpful posts like tips to fix the Bluetooth not working issue, how to improve battery life on iOS 10, and how to fix the slow-moving macOS Sierra etc.

Have any question? Shoot it in the comments and stay connected with us via Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus to read more such handy guide. Also, make sure to download iGeeksBlog iPhone app on your device.