Quick Links

  • Check the Lighting Cablevision
  • Effort a Different USB Port
  • Update or Reinstall iTunes
  • Update Your Windows PC
  • Fix Driver Problems on Windows
  • Reset Your iPhone and Windows PC or Mac
  • Contact Apple tree Support
  • Apply an iTunes Alternative
  • Utilize Your iPhone and Mac Together

If your iPhone won't connect to your reckoner, you're not lonely. Many people confront this frustrating consequence. It can be something as simple equally a busted cable, a driver issue, or a buggy instance of iTunes.

When iTunes or your calculator won't recognize your iPhone, or if you're getting the "0xE" or "unknown" fault, follow the steps beneath to fix the upshot.

1. Check the Lighting Cable

If your Lightning cable is broken or frayed, this tin lead to connexion issues and result in your iPhone not connecting to your Windows PC or Mac. Beginning, test if your iPhone will charge when plugged into your reckoner (or a different source similar a wall outlet). If it doesn't charge, information technology'southward definitely the cable's fault.

Lightning cable for the iPhone.

In this case, attempt switching to a new Lightning cablevision. If you don't want to buy a new cable from Apple, get an MFi-certified Lightning cablevision from AmazonBasics. Alternatively, you can borrow a cable from your friend to test if yours is bad.

2. Endeavor a Different USB Port

If it's not the cablevision, it might be the port. It's quite possible that a USB port on your computer has stopped working.

To rule this out, try connecting your telephone using a dissimilar port, with a cable you know is working. If information technology connects, you've got a bad USB port on your machine.

3. Update or Reinstall iTunes

Once you've ruled out cable and USB port problems, your result may prevarication with the iTunes software. It'due south possible that the version of iOS on your device isn't supported by the iTunes version y'all have installed.

You should thus update iTunes to eliminate bugs and software incompatibility. On macOS Mojave, iTunes comes arranged with macOS software updates. Head to System Preferences > Software Update to cheque for and install the latest updates. For earlier versions of macOS, open the App Shop and get to the Updates section to bank check for new iTunes updates.

On macOS Catalina and subsequently, however, your iPhone connects to your Mac via Finder. The only way to update Finder is by updating the Mac'due south system software.

Updating the system software for the Mac.

To update iTunes on your Windows PC, open the iTunes app and become to Aid > Cheque for Updates. If yous downloaded iTunes from the Microsoft Shop, you'll have to get to the Shop's Download and updates section to check for and install iTunes updates.

If y'all're on Windows, you should likewise try reinstalling iTunes if updates don't make a difference. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features and uninstall everything related to iTunes, iCloud, and Bonjour. You can so download a fresh copy of iTunes from the Microsoft Store or the Apple website.

4. Update Your Windows PC

The latest version of iTunes for Windows is compatible with Windows seven and higher. If you're however using an onetime version, such as Windows XP, y'all can't use the electric current version of iTunes.

Information technology's besides possible that your Windows build has a problems that'south preventing your iPhone from connecting. Endeavor installing all available updates for Windows (acquire more in our commodity nearly managing Windows updates). You tin can practice that by selecting First > Settings > Windows Update.

Updating the system software on the PC.

While it's unlikely to exist an issue with modern systems, you should also review the iTunes for Windows system requirements on Apple's website to make sure your reckoner tin can run iTunes properly.

5. Set Driver Issues on Windows

If applying Windows updates didn't solve your problem, drivers might be the underlying crusade of your consequence. For the uninitiated, drivers are responsible for how external devices communicate with your Windows PC. And if the drivers are damaged or outdated, they might stop iTunes from recognizing your iPhone (which is why you should larn how to notice and replace outdated Windows drivers).

In that location are two means to fix this trouble, depending on where you lot installed iTunes from (Apple's website or the Microsoft Store). Either way, you need to reinstall the Apple Mobile Device USB driver.

If You lot Downloaded iTunes From Apple's Website

Follow these steps:

  1. Disconnect your iPhone from the computer.
  2. Unlock your iPhone, go to the Home Screen, and reconnect your device. If iTunes opens upward, quit the app.
  3. Open a File Explorer window.
  4. In the address bar at the summit of the File Explorer, enter the post-obit location and press Enter:
    %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\Drivers
  5. Right-click on the usbaapl64.inf or usbaapl.inf file, and choose Install.
  6. Disconnect your iPhone and restart your PC. Then, reconnect information technology and open iTunes.
Windows 10 Apple Driver Install Files

If Yous Downloaded iTunes From the Microsoft Store

Windows ten and xi users take the option to install iTunes from the Microsoft Store, which nosotros recommend as it makes updates much simpler. If you lot have the Microsoft Store version installed, follow the instructions beneath to reinstall the Apple Mobile Device USB commuter:

  1. Disconnect your iPhone, unlock information technology, and and so reconnect it once more to your PC. If iTunes opens, quit the app starting time.
  2. Right-click on the Commencement button and cull Device Manager.
  3. Find and expand the Portable Devices section.
  4. Look for your iPhone, correct-click on the device, choose Update driver, and select Search automatically for updated commuter software.
  5. After the update is done, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and brand sure no other updates are pending.
  6. Open up iTunes and run across if your figurer recognizes your iPhone.
Windows 10 Device Manager Update Drivers

Troubleshooting the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver

If your iPhone won't connect to your calculator even subsequently following the steps above, y'all'll need to troubleshoot the Apple Mobile Device USB driver further. To exercise this:

  1. Right-click on the Start button and cull Device Director.
  2. Find the Universal Serial Bus controllers section and await for the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver.
  3. If you don't see the commuter, try connecting your iPhone with a different cable or use a different PC to sync your iPhone.
  4. Assuming you see the commuter, check to meet if third-party security apps are blocking your device from connecting. Try turning off any antivirus tools and attempting the connection again. After doing this, information technology's worth reinstalling the usbaapl64.inf or usbaapl.inf file again (as discussed to a higher place).
Windows 10 Device Manager Find Apple Driver

6. Reset Your iPhone and Windows PC or Mac

If nothing above has worked, the last step is to reset your iPhone and your Windows PC or Mac.

To reset your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.

This volition wipe all data on your iPhone. As y'all're not able to support using iTunes, you should make an iCloud backup before proceeding and then yous don't lose whatever data.

Similarly, you can reset your Windows PC by going to Settings > Organisation > Recovery > Reset PC. For more details, refer to our Windows manufactory reset guide. Once again, make sure to create a fill-in before doing this because doing and then will erase all the data on your machine. If you use a Mac, you can use macOS Recovery to reset macOS to factory defaults.

If the event persists, you'll need to contact Apple Support. Use the Apple Support page to talk to a client care representative and ask for help.

8. Utilize an iTunes Alternative

iMazing on the Mac.

If iTunes or Finder continues to fail to recognize your iPhone, y'all may want to use a third-party iPhone manager to sync your iPhone.

In some cases, an app like iMazing offers better features, like two-style sync, one-click backups from any device, and more. You tin also selectively sync individual items similar photos and music.

Download: iMazing (Free, premium version available)

Apply Your iPhone and Mac Together

Hopefully, the solutions above fixed your issue and you're dorsum to using your iPhone with your Mac or PC. If not, it'southward best to become your iOS device looked at by an Apple Genius at the nearest Apple tree Store.

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