3/19/2014

iOS: Device not recognized in iTunes for Windows

iOS: Device not recognized in iTunes for Windows

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Your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch may not appear under Devices in iTunes after you connect it to your Windows PC.
Any of the following may also occur:
The device cannot be restored in iTunes.
An exclamation point, question mark, plug symbol, or "X" appears next to the device's entry in Device Manager.
During an update or restore, the device may no longer be recognized by iTunes.
Resolution
Note: If you have an iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, or any older model of iPod that is not an iOS device,
follow steps in iPod not appearing in iTunes instead of the steps in this article.
Follow these steps, testing to see if the issue is resolved after each section.

Collapse All Sections | Expand All Sections

1. Update iTune s
2. Che ck the USB cable
3. Ve rify that Apple Mobile De vice Support is installe d
iOS devices require Apple Mobile Device Support, which should be automatically installed with iTunes. To verify
whether it is installed, follow the steps appropriate for your Windows operating system below.
Windows XP: Click S tart and choose Control Panel. Open the "Add or Remove Programs" control panel
and verify that Apple Mobile Device Support is visible in the list of currently installed programs.

Windows Vista and Windows 7: Click S tart and choose Control Panel. Click "Uninstall a program" (or if
using Windows Vista's Classic View of the Control Panel, click "Programs and Features"). Verify that Apple
Mobile Device Support is visible in the list of currently installed programs.
Windows 8: Move the cursor to the upper right corner, click the magnifying glass, type Control Panel,
and press Return. Click "Uninstall a program". Verify that Apple Mobile Device Support is visible in the list
of currently installed programs.
If Apple Mobile Device Support is not listed, remove iTunes, QuickTime, Apple Software Update, Apple
Application Support, and then reinstall iTunes. Follow the steps appropriate for your Windows operating
system below:
Reinstall iTunes for Windows XP
Reinstall iTunes for Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8
If after reinstalling iTunes Apple Mobile Device Support is still not installed, follow steps in Trouble installing
iTunes or QuickTime for Windows.

4. Re start the Apple Mobile De vice Se rvice

5. Ve rify that the Apple Mobile De vice USB Drive r is installe d
F or Windows XP
F or Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
1. Connect the device to the computer.
2. Quit iTunes if it launches.

3. For Windows Vista and Windows 7:

Click the Start menu, right-click on Computer, and choose Properties.

In the upper-left corner, click Device Manager. The Device Manager window should open.
For Windows 8:
Move the cursor to the upper right corner, click the magnifying glass, type devmgmt.msc,and press
Return. The Device Manager window should open.

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4. Click the plus (+) icon (or disclosure triangle (

) (for Windows 7 and Windows 8) next to Universal

S erial Bus controllers to expand this selection.

5. Locate the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver in this list. If this entry is displayed without any downward
arrow, "!" or "?" symbols over it, then this driver is successfully installed. Proceed to the next section
titled "Check for third-party software conflicts".
If the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver is not listed, proceed to the section below titled "If the Apple
Mobile Device USB Driver is not listed".
A downward arrow appearing next to the device's entry in Device Manager indicates that this device is
disabled. To enable this device, right-click its entry in Device Manager and choose E nable from the
shortcut menu.

If the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver entry is listed, but has an exclamation mark or question mark over
it, continue to the next steps to reinstall the Apple Mobile Device driver.
Reinstall the Apple Mobile Device Driver
1. Right-click the Apple Mobile Device entry in Device Manager and choose Uninstall from the shortcut
menu.
2. When prompted, select the box "Delete the driver software for this device" and click OK.

3. In the resulting dialog box, click OK.

4. In the Device Manager window, right-click Universal S erial Bus controllers and choose S can for
hardware changes from the shortcut menu.

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Windows automatically reinstalls the necessary drivers and attempts to remount the device.
If the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver entry still has an exclamation mark or question mark over it,
right-click this entry and choose Properties. Under the General tab, look beneath "Device status."
If you see this error: "Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device.
A recent hardware or software change might have installed a file that is signed incorrectly or damaged,
or that might be malicious software from an unknown source. (Code 52)," see the section below for
Error Code 52.
If you see a different error code, continue to the next steps to manually update the Apple Mobile Device
driver. You can find solutions to common errors and error code numbers in this Microsoft article. You
may be instructed to reinstall the driver for this device. Follow the steps below to manually point to the
usbaapl driver file.
Update the Apple Mobile Device Driver
1. Right-click the Apple Mobile Device entry in Device Manager and choose Update Driver S oftware.
2. Select "Browse my computer for driver software."
3. Select "Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer."

4. Click the Have Disk button. Note: If the Have Disk option is not present, choose a device category such
as Mobile Phone or Storage Device if listed, and then click next. The Have Disk button should then
appear.

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5. Click the Browse button and navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device
Support\Drivers.

6. Double-click the "usbaapl" file. (This file will be called "usbaapl64" if you have a 64-bit version of
Windows. If you don't see "usbaapl64" here, or if there is no Drivers folder, look in C:\Program Files
(x86)\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\Drivers. instead).

7. Click Open in the Have Disk window. Then, click Next and then Click Finish. Windows will install the
driver.

Note: During installation, if a message appears stating that the software you are installing "has not passed
Windows Logo testing," click Continue Anyway to continue installing the drivers.
E rror Code 52
If the Apple Mobile Device US B Driver is not listed
1. Disconnect the device from the computer.
2. Save a screenshot by pressing the Home button and the Wake/Sleep button at the same time (the
screen should flash briefly). Note: Taking screenshots and saving images on iPod touch requires iOS
version 2.0 or later.
3. Reconnect the device to the computer.
4. Open the Device Manager in Windows as follows:
Windows XP: Click S tart > Run. In the resulting dialog type devmgmt.mscand press Return.
Windows Vista or Windows 7: Click S tart. In the dialog, type devmgmt.mscand press Return. If
Windows needs your permission to continue, click "Continue".
Windows 8: Move the cursor to the upper right corner, click the magnifying glass, type devmgmt.msc,
and press Return.
5. Expand all the sections labeled below (not all sections may be listed):
Imaging Devices
Other Devices
Portable Devices
Universal Serial Bus Controllers
6. Look for the entry that recognizes the device as a camera. This entry should be called Apple iPhone,
Apple iPad, or Apple iPod.
If only "Unknown Device" appears

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If only Apple iPhone, Apple iPad, or Apple iPod appears
If the device is not recognized while in Recovery Mode

6. Che ck for third-party softw are conflicts

I mpor t a nt : Mention of third-party websites and products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Apple assumes no
responsibility with regard to the selection, performance or use of information or products found at third-party websites. Apple provides this only as a convenience to our users.
Apple has not tested the information found on these sites and makes no representations regarding its accuracy or reliability. There are risks inherent in the use of any information or
products found on the Internet, and Apple assumes no responsibility in this regard. Please understand that a third-party site is independent from Apple and that Apple has no control
over the content on that website. Please contact the vendor for additional information.

Last Modified: Nov 4, 2013

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