IPhone Not Showing Up On ITunes? Here’s How To Fix It

iTunes is the companion software for the iPhone that helps you update, sync data, or make an important backup of your iPhone. For whatever reason you use iPhone with iTunes, sometimes, the iPhone might fail to appear on iTunes.

The problem can stem from simple issues like not connecting the USB cable properly. Likewise, you can also face this issue if your iTunes is running on the older version or the iTunes driver is not functioning properly.

In this article, we will suggest several ways to fix the problem of the iPhone not showing up on iTunes. 

Why is the iPhone Not Showing Up on iTunes?

How to Fix the iPhone Not Showing Up on iTunes?

You need to properly check the USB cable and ensure it is properly attached to the Computer. Also, if there’s a physical cable on the cable, it may fail to work. For that, you need to test with a new one.

Once you plug the USB cable on the iPhone and the Computer, you need to click on Trust this Computer from your iPhone. If you don’t let your iPhone grant that permission, the iPhone will not be recognized by your Computer and fails to show up on iTunes. Besides that, you can try other fixes mentioned below.

Unlock Your Device

Most of the time, simple problems like this can make things difficult. If your device is locked, iTunes might be unable to recognize the device. It is like a security layer, and you can’t perform tasks like importing/exporting without unlocking it. So, if you unlock your device, iTunes might show up and be able to recognize your iPhone. 

Ensure Your iTunes is Up to Date

If you haven’t updated iTunes for a long time, it is possible that your iPhone is not recognized. Your iPhone and iTunes need to be updated for new features upgrade, better optimization, and compatibility. So, update iTunes and check if the issue is resolved.

On Mac

1. Open the App Store.
2. Go to Updates.
   
3. Tap on Install if any iTunes updates are available. 

On PC

If iTunes is downloaded from Microsoft Store you will automatically get new updates. Otherwise, if downloaded from Apple’s Website, follow these steps:

1. Open iTunes.
2. Go to Help and Click on Check for Updates.
   
3. Tap on Download iTunes if the new update is available. 

Reboot Your iPhone and Desktop

Sometimes, minor glitches on your iPhone or Desktop can hinder the process. So, the easiest thing you can do is Restart the devices. When you restart, all your current tasks will be forced to stop and begin fresh in the memory, resolving the issues. Thus, restart your devices and start from the beginning. It may help make your iPhone appear on iTunes once you restart.

On iPhone

1. Press and hold the Volume Down and Side button simultaneously.
2. Slide to the right to power off.
   
3. Once it is powered off, press the Side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

On Mac

1. Click on the Apple menu.
2. Then, click on Restart.
   
3. You need to tap again on Restart to confirm.

On Windows

1. Click on the Windows icon.
2. Tap on the Power icon.
   
3. Hit Restart. 

Update the iPhone and Apple Mobile Device USB Driver

The next thing you can do is update the driver. It might fix the issues once the driver is updated to the latest version. You have different steps for each if you have downloaded iTunes from the Microsoft Store or the Apple Site.

Follow these steps:

1. Right-click on your windows icon and tap on Device Manager.
2. Look for Portable Devices and tap on it.
3. Right-click on Apple iPhone and select Update Driver.
   
4. Select Search automatically for drivers.
5. Also, expand Universal Serial Bus Controllers.
6. Now, right-click on Apple Mobile Device USB Driver and select Update driver.
7. Click on search automatically for drivers.

Reinstall the Apple Mobile Driver

It is possible that when the driver malfunctions, you cannot see the iPhone on iTunes. Here’re the steps to uninstall Apple Mobile Driver:

1. Right-click on your windows icon and Tap on Device Manager.
2. Look for Universal Serial Bus Controllers.
3. Now, right-click on Apple Mobile Device USB Driver. 
4. Hit Uninstall Device.
5. Then, Tap Uninstall again to confirm.

Now unplug your iPhone from the computer and close the iTunes app. After some time, plug the iPhone back and check if it shows on iTunes.

Reinstall iTunes

If the iPhone is not showing on iTunes. Another way you can deal with it is by reinstalling iTunes. First, you need to uninstall the application and then reinstall it. If you do so, the iPhone might be able to pop up on iTunes.

To uninstall iTunes on Windows:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Apps.
3. Select Apps and Features.
   
4. Look for iTunes. Tap on three dots.
5. Click on Uninstall and Click again on Uninstall to confirm.

You can install iTunes from the official Apple site or the Microsoft store app. Simply type iTunes on the search engine and click on the official apple site, then you will be redirected to the download page. 

Reset All Settings on Your iPhone 

If you have mistakenly tweaked your iPhone’s settings and don’t know what you have changed, resetting all settings can get the job done in such a case. This will only reset the settings like Location, Privacy, etc., which can aid in helping to make your settings restored to normal.

Here’re the steps you need to follow:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to General.
3. Swipe down and Click on Transfer or Reset iPhone.
   
4. Click on Reset.
5. Tap Reset All Settings.
   
6. Enter the Passcode and Tap again on Reset All Settings.

Update Your iPhone

Running on the latest iOS is important. It might not be compatible if you are using the outdated version of iOS and the latest version of iTunes or vice versa. Also, updating can help to overcome the issues of bugs.

Therefore, if your iPhone has a new software update, you should consider updating it. 

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to General.
3. Tap on Software Update.
4. Swipe down and Click on Download and Install.
5. Enter the Passcode, and your iPhone will begin installing a new update.