It can be really frustrating connecting your iPhone, iPod or iPad to your computer only to find that nothing happens - iTunes doesn't react to it at all.
The cause of this issue could stem from a number of locations including the device itself, and your iTunes installation on your computer.
In this guide, we'll break down the common causes of why iTunes is not picking up your device, and how to resolve them.
What to do if iTunes doesn't recognize iPhone, iPod or iPad
Connect your iPhone with your computer using your Apple USB cable, then open iTunes. When attempting to connect, ensure that your device is turned on, unlocked and is showing the Home screen. If iTunes does not recognize your device, here's what to do...
Any of these steps could be the fix for your particular issue, so try connecting your device again after each step.
If your iPhone, iPod or iPad shows a prompt asking if you would like to Trust this computer, simply tap Trust (you may need to enter your device's passcode).
Ensure your system is up to date. Perform any outstanding updates on your Mac or Windows PC. Additionally, ensure that you are running the latest version of iTunes:
iTunes downloaded from the Apple website (Windows): Open iTunes and go to Help > Check for updates.
iTunes from the Microsoft Store (Windows): Open Microsoft Store and go to More > Downloads and updates > Get updates.
If you use iTunes on Mac (usually for users of macOS Mojave and earlier): Open the App Store and click Updates.
Check the USB port on your computer. In case there is an issue with the port itself, try plugging in your USB cable to different ports to find a working one.
Restart your devices. It may sound cliche, but turning off your devices and switching them back on again can sometimes resolve issues which occurred on the last run. Turn off your computer and your iOS device, then boot them back up and try connecting again.
If the issue persists, read on for more technical steps.
Update Apple Mobile Device USB Driver (Windows only)
This driver tells your computer how to communicate with Apple mobile devices. So needless to say, if the driver is outdated or broken, this will prevent your computer (and by extension, iTunes) from recognizing your device.
For this process, as we did before, unlock your device and ensure it is showing the Home screen. Connect your device to your PC or laptop using your Apple USB cable - this time, if iTunes opens automatically, close the window.
Windows 10 and 11 users
Right-click the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner of your screen, then click "Device Manager".
Click the downward arrow next to "Portable Devices" from the list.
Right-click your connected device and choose "Update driver".
Select "Search automatically for updated driver software".
Launch iTunes and attempt to connect your device using your USB cable.
Other Windows users
Hold the Windows key on your keyboard and press R.
In the proceeding 'Run' window, enter this location: %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\Drivers
Click OK to go to this location on your computer.
Right-click the "usbaapl64.inf" or "usbaapl.inf" Setup Information file and choose "Install".
Once installed, restart your computer.
Launch iTunes and attempt to connect your device using your USB cable.
Apple Mobile Device USB Driver - Further checks (Windows only)
If iTunes still isn't recognizing your device after updating your drivers, check that it is correctly installed and running as expected:
Hold the Windows key on your keyboard and press R.
In the 'Run' box, enter devmgmt.msc and click OK to open the Device Manager.
Click the downward arrow next to "Universal Serial Bus controllers" from the list.
Locate the "Apple Mobile Device USB Driver" (AMD) item in this section.
AMD is missing: Try connecting your device using a different USB cable.
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