• Why can't my phone see my iPhone? An error appears when launching the Apple Mobile Device program. macOS computer doesn't see iPhone or iPad

    Hello! But really - what to do? Run for a new phone? Should I send the phone in for repair? Throw away your computer? The options are certainly interesting and almost certainly effective, but too expensive :) And you shouldn’t get so excited, because the problem with connecting the iPhone to the computer can almost always be solved without resorting to drastic measures.

    So what should you do? First, you need to determine what the “catch” actually is. Which device is failing? This is easy to do - take the gadget and go to a neighbor (friend, work, electronics store, etc.). In short, our main task is to find another PC or laptop. Found it? Great!

    We try to synchronize with it, if everything works out here, then...

    iPhone won't connect to computer. Reason - PC

    Yes, in most cases this is what causes connection problems. To eliminate them, we perform the following steps:

    • First of all, reboot both devices. So to speak, for prevention.
    • Let's try various USB ports and check, for example with a flash drive, their functionality. After all, one of them may burn out or simply not work.
    • We do not use adapters, splitters, extension cords or other devices for USB ports. We plug the cable directly into the system unit.
    • . Ideal option there will be, and the subsequent latest version from the site Apple.
    • Disable third-party software (antiviruses, firewalls). Don't forget to turn them on after checking!
    • The most radical step is reinstallation operating system, will most likely help, but it will take time...

    If the iPhone cannot connect to another computer, then the problem is clearly in the device...

    Why doesn't the computer see the iPhone? Reason: phone

    No matter how reliable and stable Apple products are, they can also be the cause of connection problems.

    Although most often, the owners of these devices are to blame, having brought them to such a state that it becomes surprising how they can still synchronize, let alone. I got distracted for some reason :)

    Returning to the topic, let's try the following steps:

    1. After connecting, unlock your phone, it is quite possible that you will see a pop-up window with the question: “Trust this computer?” Without an affirmative answer, no synchronization will occur, only charging.
    2. Change cable. Even if there is no visible damage, the wire may be faulty. Or it is quite possible that it is not original - but in this case, there is a possibility of a device with an “unsupported” accessory.
    3. devices. If you decide to take such a desperate step, remember backup information (using or ), otherwise you will lose all your data forever.
    4. Jailbreak, or more precisely the so-called tweaks installed with its help, can also contribute to synchronization problems.
    5. Update software. It's always useful!
    6. Clean the connector on the phone (it may have become oxidized or dirty). Important! Clean very carefully, ideally leave it to a professional. If you decide to do this yourself, look for information on the Internet, otherwise you may worsen the situation.
    7. The last point we have is the saddest one - the connector for charging and synchronization is broken or out of order. There is only one way - to the service center! If possible, contact only official workshops listed on the company’s website.

    By the way, there is another win-win option - contact Apple support. And torment them with the question: “Why doesn’t my iPhone connect to the computer using USB?” To be honest, I haven’t tried, but I don’t think I’ll hear anything new from them, and the conversation will take a lot of time.

    As you can see, in most cases you can get by with a little trouble and troubleshoot problems at home.

    The main thing is to be careful, consistent, take your time and check absolutely everything possible reasons, which may cause connection problems.

    We've tried everything, but the situation hasn't changed for the better - the iPhone still won't connect to the computer? Be sure to write in the comments - we’ll try to figure it out and solve your problem together!

    When connecting your iPhone to a computer or laptop to work with digital data, the user may encounter the problem of the device not being recognized. This may be due to malfunction software or a malfunction of the Apple gadget itself.

    Some breakdowns can be corrected yourself, otherwise you will have to contact a service center. Let's look at the reasons why iTunes doesn't see the iPhone and their solution.

    Common problems when syncing your Apple device with your computer

    Regardless of whether you connect your iPhone to a regular personal computer, laptop or MacBook, you may experience a lack of synchronization. To solve a problem, it is necessary to discover its cause.

    The main reasons for unstable operation:

    • failure or incompatibility of the USB port with the device;
    • non-working or non-original USB cable;
    • problems with the software or Apple work Mobile Device;
    • iPhone malfunction.

    Let's look at each one separately. It is necessary to adhere to a given procedure for diagnosing the performance of a PC and Apple device.

    Diagnostics of the functionality and compatibility of the USB port with the device

    If you plug your iPhone into a USB port and nothing happens, the port may be broken or the port may not be compatible with the device. Insert a flash drive or other USB device into this port to test functionality. If the device is detected and works stably, reconnect your iPhone to another port, preferably located on the back system unit. For stable operation USB 3.0 or higher is recommended.

    If reconnection does not give any result, move on to another diagnostic point.

    Diagnosis of a broken cable

    Connect the cable you are using to charger and try to charge your iPhone. If the device does not charge, the reason is the cable, replace it. Otherwise, let's move on to working with the software of iTunes and the Apple device.

    iTunes does not see iPhone: diagnostics of software functioning

    Check that the appropriate software is installed on your computer or laptop. iTunes is a universal media player that combines the functions of playing music, movies, text books, an online store and explorer that allows you to synchronize with other devices of the Apple family for data transfer. The program is available for installation on MacOS, Windows and Linux completely free of charge. It is recommended to download the software from the official Apple website (if you have a Mac, then AppStore), so you get latest version software and a guarantee of security from intruders.

    Operating system devices Windows family or MacOS have the Apple Mobile Device Service, which is required to detect a connected Apple device in real time. Failure to recognize device synchronization may be due to its inoperability. To fix this problem, restart the service.

    How to Restart Apple Mobile Device

    To restart the service in the Windows operating system, you must:

    1. Disconnect from computer Apple device and close iTunes;
    2. Go to the control panel, find the “Administration” item, then open the “Services” tab;
    3. Find the name of the service in the list and click on the “Stop” button;
    4. Wait a while, make sure the service is completed and turn it back on;
    5. After a successful launch, connect your Apple device and wait for synchronization.

    If nothing happens, the problem is in iTunes itself or with the technical part of your smartphone. Find the folder with installed program, uninstall it. Download and install the latest software for your operating system version from the official Apple website.

    Restart the Apple Mobile Device Service on devices running MacOS system regular means it won't work. To disable it, you need to do the following:

    1. Disconnect your iPhone and close iTunes;
    2. Delete icons and folders with iTunes contents located in the library;
    3. Find the AppleMobileDevice.kext and AppleMobileDeviceSupport.pkg files and delete them;
    4. Empty the recycle bin and reboot your devices;
    5. Reinstall iTunes;
    6. Connect your Apple device and wait for synchronization.

    Let's consider what to do if iTunes does not see the iPhone even after performing operations with the Apple Mobile Device service.

    Diagnostics of iPhone for USB port performance

    The problem with synchronizing your Apple device and computer may be hidden in unstable work the device itself. First, perform an external inspection of your smartphone. Check the charging connector for dirt and small objects; this often interferes with charging and connection to the computer.

    "Trust, but verify"


    iOS developers have come up with a unique “Trust in Connected Devices” system. For the first time transmitting information to third party computer or laptop, you will see the “Trust this computer?” prompt. Adding a computer adds it to the list of trusted devices. If you have not allowed the computer to trust your iPhone, then you will still have to do this to synchronize with iTunes, but first you need to do some manipulations that will allow the computer to “forget” its initial prohibition on interaction.

    If you have MacOS:

    1. Open Finder, in top menu press transition and choose go to folder;
    2. In the field that opens, enter the path /var/db/ and click go;
    3. Open the folder lockdown and delete its contents. If the folder is marked with a small “stop” icon, this means that you do not have rights to open it, but this problem is very easily solved. Right-click on it (folder) and select properties;
    4. Here we click on the padlock in the lower right corner and enter the account password;
    5. Now click on + in the lower left corner and select your account;
    6. Next, you need to expand user rights. To do this, opposite your “account” we change read only on read and write;
      1. Next we follow the path C:\ProgramData\Apple\Lockdown(if you have 7,8,10 Windows version), for XP - C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Apple\Lockdown
      2. Deleting the contents of the folder Lockdown.

      If this procedure on the Windows platform did not help, then you should try updating the driver.


      If none of the above helps, contact a service center, where highly qualified specialists will determine why iTunes does not see the iPhone.

      Even more interesting and useful in Telegram channel@proyabloko. Subscribe, it will be interesting!

    Despite the fact that all Apple products are quite high quality, they still cannot function correctly always and everywhere, without failures and errors. There are several options why the iPhone does not connect to the computer via USB. Let's look at them, and also look at methods for eliminating this problem.

    So, the device was connected to the PC using a cable, but iPhone connection didn't happen to the computer? This could happen for several reasons.

    • Perhaps on home computer installed old version iTunes programs. In this case, it is not at all surprising that she does not see the connected device.
    • Another problem is the non-working wire that connects the phone to the computer.
    • There could also be a malfunction in the PC software or, conversely, in the operation of the iPhone itself.
    • An equally common reason why a device may not be recognized is the operation of protective and antivirus programs installed on your computer, as well as Jailbreak on your phone.

    Methods for solving common problems

    In order to correct an error, you must first identify what exactly caused it. This is possible only after some manipulations have been carried out.

    Please note that the connection should only be made with the original cable. The copy will not be able to provide stable performance.

    • Be sure to connect your phone via USB cable to your home PC.
    • After that, download the latest iTunes version. This is really necessary, otherwise the manufacturer would not release updates.
    • Open the program, go to the “Help” section, and then to “Updates”. If there are any available, iTunes will find them on its own, all you have to do is click on the “Update” button.

    If downloading updates does not fix the situation, then you should try restarting your computer. This will be very important in the event of a malfunction in the operating room. Windows systems, since it is quite often unstable.

    If this does not help, inspect the cable itself.

    • Check the USB you are using, for example, connect it to another device to make sure it is working properly. The charging option will not work, because there are several thin wires inside the cable, but completely different ones are responsible for transferring files and voltages. It turns out that the phone may be charging, but the device will not be recognized on the PC.
    • Don't forget to look at the ports on your iPhone. If the phone was not purchased yesterday, then it is not at all surprising if it suddenly turns out that dust or dirt has collected at the cable connection point, which prevents the two devices from connecting properly. Use a thin needle or cotton swab to remove excess. It is recommended to do the same with PC connectors, because they also tend to become clogged.

    It happens that various antiviruses and “defenders” of the operating system from malware block the connection of other devices to the computer.

    It is necessary to temporarily disable their operation, connect to the iPhone via a cable, and after all manipulations with the smartphone are completed, turn them on again. You should not leave your PC unprotected for a long time - there are a lot of programs on the Internet that have a detrimental effect on the software.

    The Jailbreak program, which allows you to download almost any application to your phone completely free of charge, is also a protective application in some way. It may well prevent the phone from connecting to the PC.

    What to do if the above did not help solve the problem, and the connection was never established? First of all, you need to use another computer. This is done to understand what exactly the reason is - in the PC or in the phone. If the smartphone is not detected on another device, then most likely you will have to take it to the service.

    When to contact a service center

    You should take your iPhone to a service center for diagnostics by professionals when all independent steps have been taken to fix the problem.

    In most cases (with the exception of a maximum of 5%), the inability to connect the phone to the PC is associated precisely with the problems described above.

    The other five percent are due to breakdowns of the internal parts of the smartphone, which are almost impossible to repair without the help of service center employees.

    How to properly connect an iPhone to a computer via USB

    If you really want to produce correct connection iPhone to PC, first of all, download the latest version of iTunes. Only with this program the phone is guaranteed to work stably. In addition, it greatly simplifies the process of synchronization and uploading various content, and also eliminates many unnecessary actions.

    1. After the program is installed, connect the PC and phone using the original Apple product cable.
    2. Open iTunes, make sure it recognizes the device and it is now available.
    3. That’s it, now it’s possible to transfer various files between devices using iTunes.

    Of course, a PC connected by cable to a smartphone without using the program will still recognize the connection to the new device. You can find it in the list of all drives in the “My Computer” menu.

    In this case, it is possible to open a new drive and view images located on the iPhone, and even transfer them to the PC desktop. But that's all. You cannot delete or, conversely, download something to your phone. This is exactly why you should install iTunes, because this is the manufacturer’s program, and therefore it is the best option in case it is necessary to recognize an iPhone.

    Recently, a friend connected her iPhone 5s to her computer, but it stubbornly refused to see the photo. Tragedy? No.

    If your laptop or computer is stubborn and you can’t see the photo or the device itself, then the problem is most likely in the cable, computer or iPhone connector.

    Easy to check. Just try connecting a different cable or media (maybe a different smartphone).

    Also, this can be caused by the lack of a driver or incompatibility of standards.

    Why does the PC see the iPhone, but not the photo?

    What could lead to this? It’s rare, but the iPhone simply may not be recognized by Windows 10 or another version.

    One solution is to use a Mac OS emulator, which should give access to smartphone data. You can also log in to the service using your details Apple iCloud and download photos to PC.

    ATTENTION: your computer must have trusted status - on the screen of the unlocked device, confirm the trust request.

    Also, look to see if any applications that use the camera or directory with pictures are active - if you find them, close them.

    Why doesn't the computer see part or half of the photo from the iPhone?

    If you don’t see pictures from your iPhone in Stream or on Yandex disk on your computer, then make sure that you have active connection to the Internet. Without the Internet, My Photo Stream or Yandex disk will not display photos.

    Also check if there are missing photos in the deleted album (Trash) and make sure you are signed into iCloud with the appropriate Apple ID.


    WARNING: Photos or videos copied to your device from using iTunes, are not copied to iCloud Picture Library, so you may not see half or part of it.

    Have you ever experienced irritation because at an important moment it turns out that the computer does not see the iPhone via USB? Today you will learn about the causes of the phenomenon and how to eliminate them.

    We decide for ourselves

    Situation 1. The PC does not detect a new device, but Iphone screen There is no connection notification.

    Solution. Disconnect the smartphone cable from usb port and insert another media there. Successful reading of information and identification of a flash drive by a computer indicates problems in the cord or socket in the iPhone. Contact a workshop to diagnose, repair or replace the connecting cable. If the information is not read from anywhere, the computer port is inoperative.

    A similar problem occurs when using third-party cables. Inconsistency of standards, lack of drivers, minor defects are the main reasons why a gadget is invisible to a computer.

    Situation 2. Situation 1 is aggravated by management difficulties.

    Solution. Dust particles can disrupt the connection. Some users are careless with their favorite gadgets. Debris from your pants, trousers or bag gets inside through the USB cable connector, paralyzing the reliable operation of the device. Aggressive particles that can oxidize them also add problems. The situation will be corrected general cleaning the body of your favorite gadget.

    Situation 3: The computer sees the device, but does not see the contents of the memory.

    Solution. Reformatting your iPhone, replacing the operating system on your PC, or using an emulator.

    Apple devices are designed to work with the Macintosh operating system. By default, gadget memory modules are formatted in file system HFS. This system is not recognized by Windows installed on most computers. The problem can be resolved in the following ways:

    • Reformatting the gadget. The downside of this option is the guaranteed loss important information– music, photos and contacts.
    • Replacing the operating system on a computer. The step is quite risky - an installation error can damage the computer to the point of making it impossible to start both Windows and Mac OS Leopard.
    • Using an emulator. A rational solution for unsure users. The Mac OS environment emulator will allow you to access gadget data without serious consequences.

    Situation 4. The iPhone connects, a corresponding notification is displayed, but iTunes device not visible.

    Solution. Back up your media library and reinstall the program. Try installing the latest version and the old one in turn. The failure will be resolved and the smartphone will be identified.

    Don't go without a master!

    The situations discussed above can be resolved independently. Next on the agenda are situations that require professional intervention.

    Situation 5. The computer does not see the iPhone at point-blank range. Everything seems to work, but the contacts are wet.

    Solution. Stop using the device as soon as possible and take it to an authorized service center. The problem is caused by moisture getting inside the device. Drying it yourself is not enough; you need to check the functionality of the vital components of the smartphone. A qualified specialist will perform this procedure in a short period of time.

    Situation 6. The firmware was updated. Before the replacement everything worked, but now the computer does not recognize usb.

    Solution. Changing the firmware will help service center. The reason for the phenomenon is download failures, especially if the update was carried out on networks with unstable internet. At the moment of the break, fragments that are responsible for the operation of the connectors could be transmitted. As a result, the computer is deprived of important information that helps it identify the gadget.

    Situation 7. The iPhone fell. The case is intact, everything works, but the computer does not see it point blank.

    Solution. Replacing the power cable. The impact causes malfunction of the contacts and damage to the power cable that goes to the USB connector.

    Situation 8. Can't import photos from iPhone. The computer does not recognize the device as a camera.

    Solution. Use of alternative means. For example, log in with your account at cloud service Apple iCloud. Open the virtual interface of your gadget and download photos to your PC.

    Check whether the computer has trusted device status. To do this, then unlock the device and confirm the trust request on the gadget screen. The computer will have access to manage the iPhone settings.

    You can also take advantage of the built-in image management software. On Macintoshes this option is labeled “Photo Capture”, but on Windows environment– “Import photos” in the menu of portable devices.

    The problems described above will not eat a large hole in family budget. However, they can be avoided by taking good care of your gadget. To do this, just do 3 simple rules: put in your pocket only in a special case, use for connecting original cables and keep it away from sources of dirt.

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