iPod touch not recognized in iTunes for Mac OS X
Symptoms
Note: This article is for Mac OS X users. If you are using a Windows PC, please refer to iPod touch not recognized in iTunes for Windows.
If you are experiencing a symptom where iPod touch does not appear in the Source list in iTunes after you connect it to your Mac, refer to the troubleshooting suggestions below.
Products Affected
iTunes 7 for Mac, iPod touch, iTunes 8 for Mac
Resolution
Check the iPod touch Display
When you connect iPod touch to your computer, the iPod touch should display an image or message on the display. If you do not see any image refer to iPhone and iPod touch: Frozen and unresponsive.
In some cases, you may see a message on the screen that says "Charging... please wait." This indicates that the iPod touch 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 iPod touch requires service. In this case contact AppleCare or schedule a service appointment with an Apple Retail Store.
Verify Mac System Requirements
iPod touch requires iTunes 7.4 or later. Be sure that your Mac meets the minimum system requirements to use iTunes and iPod touch. This is particularly important if you are connecting iPod touch to your Mac for the first time. To make sure you have the latest version of iTunes, choose iTunes > Check for Updates.
Check USB Connections
iPod touch requires USB 2.0 to function properly. If you are not sure if your Mac has USB 2.0 ports, refer to the Apple Tech Specs page. Try connecting iPod touch to a different USB port, preferably a port that is built-in to the computer instead of an external USB hub. Connecting iPod touch to your keyboard's USB ports is not recommended.
Restart your Mac
In some cases, the USB ports on your Mac may become temporarily disabled or you may experience other software related issues. Restarting your Mac is an easy troubleshooting step that may resolve this issue.
Reinstall Apple Mobile Device Service
If iPod touch is not recognized in iTunes on a Mac, the Apple Mobile Device Service may need to be removed and reinstalled.
Reinstall iTunes
iPod touch requires iTunes 7.4 or later. Apple recommends using the latest version of iTunes. You can check the version of iTunes you are using by choosing About iTunes from the iTunes menu. Visit the iTunes download page to download and install the latest version.