iPhone not recognized in iTunes for Windows
Symptoms
Note: This article is for Windows users. If you are not using Windows, please refer to one of the following articles, depending on the product:
If you are experiencing a symptom where iPhone does not appear in the Source list in iTunes after you connect it to your Windows PC, refer to the troubleshooting suggestions below. Note that iPhone requires a specific minimum version of iTunes.
Products Affected
iTunes 7 for Windows, iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iTunes 8 for Windows, Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 7
Resolution
Check the iPhone Display
When you connect iPhone to your computer, the iPhone should display an image or message on the display. If you do not see any image, refer to this article to troubleshoot issues where the iPhone won't turn on. In some cases, you may see a message on the screen that says "Charging... please wait." This indicates that the iPhone does not have sufficient battery charge to operate and will need to be charged for several minutes before it can be recognized in iTunes. In other cases, you may see a message that indicates that your iPhone requires service. In this case, see the iPhone Service FAQ for information.
Verify Windows PC System Requirements
iPhone requires a specific minimum version of iTunes. Be sure that your Windows PC meets the minimum system requirements to use iTunes and iPhone. This is particularly important if you are connecting iPhone to your computer for the first time.
Ensure the computer's drivers are up to date
Refer to Updating the drivers on your Windows PC for information on checking to make sure your computer's drivers are up to date.
Check USB Connections
iPhone requires USB 2.0 to function properly. Refer to the documentation for your computer to verify that the USB ports are high-power USB 2.0 ports. Try connecting iPhone to a different USB port, preferably a port that is built-in to the computer instead of an external USB hub. Connecting iPhone to your keyboard's USB ports is not recommended. Find more information on troubleshooting your USB connection.
Restart your PC
In some cases, your computer's USB ports may become temporarily disabled or you may experience other software related issues. Restarting your PC is an easy troubleshooting step that may resolve this issue.
Verify iPhone Driver/Service Installation
iPhone requires two important pieces of software to operate properly on Windows. First, the driver must be installed; for iPhone the driver is USBAAPL.SYS. Second, Apple Mobile Device Support must be installed as a Windows Service. If these are not installed, see the Reinstall iTunes section below.
Verify that the driver is installed by connecting iPhone to the computer and following these steps:
- On the Start menu, click Run. (For Windows Vista and Windows 7, click the Windows Start button
and click inside the Start Search field to place the cursor there.) - Type devmgmt.msc and click OK. A list of devices will be displayed.
- Scroll down to Universal Serial Bus controllers and click the small plus sign to expand this group. iPhone will be listed as either Apple iPhone or Apple Mobile Device depending on the version of the driver installed.
- Right-click Apple iPhone (or Apple Mobile Device) and choose Properties from the shortcut menu.
- When the Properties window opens, select the Driver tab.
- Click Driver Details to view more information.
Verify that the Apple Mobile Device Service is installed and running using the Services MMC snap-in:
- On the Start menu, click Run. (For Windows Vista and Windows 7, click the Windows Start button and click inside the Start Search field to place the cursor there.)
- Type services.msc and click OK. You will see a list of services.
- View the list In alphabetical order and verify that the "Apple Mobile Device Service" status is "Started."
- If the status does not indicate the service is started, right-click Apple Mobile Device Service and choose Start from the shortcut menu.
- If the service is installed and started, right-click the service and choose Restart from the shortcut menu.
- On the Start menu, click Run. (For Windows Vista and Windows 7, click the Windows Start button and click inside the Start Search field to place the cursor there.)
- Type eventvwr.msc and click OK.
If the driver is installed and the service is installed and started, check the Event Viewer for error messages.
For more information on viewing or interpreting event logs in Windows, refer to Microsoft Knowledge Base article, How to view and manage event logs in Event Viewer in Windows.
Reinstall iTunes
iPhone requires a specific minimum version of iTunes. Apple recommends using the latest version of iTunes. You can check the version of iTunes you are using by choosing About iTunes from the Help menu. Visit the Apple Support Downloads page at support.apple.com/downloads to download and install the latest version or choose Help > Check for Updates in iTunes.
While you do not normally need to remove iTunes before reinstalling it, in some cases this is recommended. If you see a message stating that "The software required for iPhone is not installed. Run the iTunes installer to remove iTunes, and then install iTunes again," then iTunes should be removed before reinstalling.
For more information on removing iTunes, see one of the following articles, depending on the operating system you're using:
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