[Solved] iPhone Not Showing Up in iTunes on Windows 10/11

iPhone not recognized in iTunes? We will explain why iPhone not showing up in iTunes and what to do in such cases.

Lena

By Lena / Updated on March 4, 2024

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Problem: iPhone Not Showing Up in iTunes

iTunes is a good assistant to help us manage our iPhone. We can let it help us update iPhone, sync data to iPhone, make a backup of iPhone, and so on.

For whatever purpose, first we need to connect the iPhone to iTunes. Usually, iPhone should appear in iTunes as soon as it is plugged into computer. However, now you find that iPhone not showing up in iTunes, which means you can't perform any operations.

Don’t worry too much, there are ways that can help you fix the iPhone not showing up in iTunes error on Windows 11/10. You can follow the methods in this guide to resolve it.

Why Won’t My iPhone Appear in iTunes?

Here are some of the reasons that will prevent iTunes from recognizing iPhone. When we know the cause of the problem, we can know how to solve it quickly.

● Have not trusted the computer. You do not select Trust option so iTunes cannot recognize your iPhone.
● Faulty USB port or cable. There is something wrong with the USB port or cable so your iPhone cannot connect to computer.
● Outdated iTunes versions. The older version of iTunes is not compatible with your latest iPhone system.
● Software problems on iPhone and computer. Minor glitches and software bugs will also lead to iPhone not detected in iTunes issue.

5 Fixes to iPhone Not Showing Up in iTunes on Windows 11/10

Here are some proven methods that can help you fix the iPhone not showing up in iTunes problem. You can try the following methods in turn to troubleshoot the problem.

Tip 1. Trust the Computer

First of all, please make sure that you have selected Trust on home screen when you plug in your iPhone. Otherwise, iTunes will not detect your iPhone.

  • If you haven’t trusted the computer, you can unlock iPhone screen and the notification will pop up within seconds.
  • If you have selected Don’t Trust option inadvertently, you can go to Settings > General > Reset (Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset in iOS 15) to choose Reset Location & Privacy to change the settings.

Trust Computer

Tip 2. Check USB Cable & USB Port

Faulty hardware will lead to the iPhone not showing up in iTunes problem. You can try a different USB cable or USB port. In addition, you can try to connect iPhone to a different computer. If a different computer can recognize your device, then this indicates that the cause of the problem lies with your computer.

Tip 3. Restart iPhone and Computer

This method is worth a try when you have any problem. It can help fix system glitches that caused the iTunes not showing up in iTunes issue. You can try to hard reset your iPhone.

iPhone 8 or later: Press the volume + button and then quickly release. Press the volume - button and then quickly release. Press the side button for seconds until you see the Apple logo.

iPhone 7/7 Plus: Press both the power button and volume - button for seconds until you see the Apple logo.

iPhone 6s or earlier: Press both the power button and the Home button for seconds until you see the Apple logo.

Force restart iPhone

Tip 4. Update iPhone and iTunes

There may be some problems with iTunes or iOS that prevent iPhone from being detected. You can update iTunes and iOS to the latest version.

- Update iTunes on Windows: Open iTunes > Select Help from the menu bar > Select Check for Updates.

- Update your iPhone: Go to Settings > Tap General > Tap Software Update > Tap Download and Install if there is a new version available.

Tip 5. Reinstall Apple Mobile Device USB Driver

The iPhone not showing up in iTunes issue will occur when Apple Mobile Device USB driver is not installed properly on computer. You can go to update the driver to have a try.

>> If you downloaded iTunes from Microsoft Store:

1. Connect your iPhone to computer and unlock it.

2. Click Start and type device manager.

3. Choose Device Manager on the popup window.

4. Find Portable Devices and click it > Right-click Apple iPhone and choose Update driver.

Update Driver

5. Choose Browse my computer for driver software option on the pop-up window.

6. Choose Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer option on the pop-up window.

Let Me Pick

7. Choose the device driver and click Next to continue.

Choose Driver

8. It will begin to install the driver on your computer. When it is finished, click Close to quit the window.

9. Close Device Manager and restart your computer. Check whether your computer can recognize your iPhone.

>> If you downloaded iTunes from Apple:

1. Connect your iPhone to computer and unlock it.

2. Press the Windows key and R key at the same time to open Run box.

3. Copy and paste %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\Drivers to the box and press Enter.

4. Right-click usbaapl64.inf or usbaapl.inf  > Choose Install option to make it.

Install

Bonus Tip: Get An Easy Way to Backup and Transfer iPhone Data

iTunes is not the only option for iPhone backup and restore. There are many third-party tools that offer such functions to manage your iPhone, such as FoneTool. Compared to iTunes, it offers more features to help you backup and transfer data in different situations.

● iTunes only supports full backup while FoneTool supports full backup and custom backup. You can choose to backup the whole iPhone content or only the selected files as per your needs. In addition, you can restore selected files and it will not erase any existing data on device.
● iTunes only allows you to sync data from computer to iPhone while FoneTool supports data transfer between iPhone and computer. You can let it help you transfer purchased and non-purchased data with different Apple IDs.

FoneTool

Besides data transfer and backup, it also provides many useful tools to help you manage your iPhone in the way you like. Click the download button to get FoneTool and explore it by yourself!

Download Freeware Win 11/10/8.1/8/7
Secure Download

Final Words

Various reasons can lead to the iPhone not showing up in iTunes on Windows 11/10 problem, such as outdated software, technical glitches, corrupted drivers, etc. Hope one of the methods in this guide can help you get out of trouble.

If all methods do not work, before contacting Apple Support, you can let FoneTool help you backup or transfer data as an alternative way.

For more queries, suggestions, and feedback, please feel free to contact us.