A Guide to Fix Computer is Not Recognizing iPhone: Top 6 Solutions You Must Know

For decades, Apple devices and Windows PCs have worked on separate ecosystems but offered communication through USB cable connections and other built-in or third-party apps. Individuals connect their iPhones to PCs to transfer data, create backups, update software through iTunes, etc. 

Although it facilitates greater convenience and accessibility, sometimes users face the “computer not detecting iPhone” error. If you are one of them, you should consider this guide to figure out why your computer is not recognizing an iPhone and explore some fixes.     

Part 1. Can’t Connect PC to iPhone? Discover Possible Reasons

When an iPhone doesn’t show on a PC or iTunes app, it simply means your computer doesn’t detect the iPhone successfully. It proves quite annoying when you are in a hurry and wish to transfer data from an iPhone to a Windows PC. For an effective solution, you must first comprehend the issue, so read the following points to figure out potential reasons for this error.  

1. Faulty USB Cable: A broken or damaged USB cable is the most common reason for iPhones not showing up on PC. Sometimes, the dirt in the Lightning/USB-C port of your iPhone or computer’s USB port prevents a good connection, which many users overlook.
2. Software Updates: Secondly, the iTunes app on the PC might be outdated and require an update to become compatible with your iOS version. Moreover, your PC may need the installation of the latest updates to detect your iDevice without any bugs.  
3. Inappropriate iPhone Settings: If you have locked your iPhone while connecting the iPhone and haven’t unlocked it once, your computer will fail to detect the data. Besides, the iPhone will require “Trust This Computer” confirmation to establish a connection; otherwise, the PC will not access data.
4. Software Issues: Maybe your iPhone or PC’s software is suffering from temporary glitches, leading to disrupting the connection. Additionally, your PC might block the connection between devices due to security reasons or other virus preventions.

Part 2. How to Resolve the "Computer Not Recognizing My iPhone" Issue [6 Reliable Solutions]

The above part discussed some potential reasons as detecting the exact cause of the “PC not recognizing iPhone” is impossible. Therefore, several fixes are explained in this section so you can try multiple solutions to resolve the “Computer not recognizing my iPhone” problem.

Solution 1. Restart Your Devices

Restarting devices remains the quickest and safest solution as it clears the cache memory and reloads the operating systems to fix temporary glitches. It will not harm your devices, but you need to save your unsaved work and close all the apps or tabs before rebooting. Once you are all set to restart the device, review the given stepwise instructions to ensure you are doing it correctly.

Reboot iPhone: Unlock your iPhone and open the “Settings” app to choose the “General” option. Then, scroll down to tap the “Shut Down” option at the end, slide the “Power Off” slider to the right side, and your iPhone will soon turn off. After a while, press and hold your iPhone’s Power/Side button to turn on your device.

Reboot Computer: Go to your computer's Start Menu and choose the “Power” icon to get an extended menu. Using that menu, click the “Restart” option and let your system reboot for efficient performance afterward.  

Solution 2. Check the USB Cable and USB Port

A broken or fragile Lighting/USB-C cable can lead to “iPhone not connecting to PC” errors. Therefore, you are advised to check if the cable is charging your iPhone when plugged into your computer. If it's not charging, it is evident that your cable is faulty, and you need to switch to a new cable, preferably an Apple-certified cable.

If your cable isn't faulty, the problem might be lying in your computer's USB port, which isn't detecting signals. Hence, you should try plugging the Apple-certified cable at a different port on your computer. Sometimes, dust inside your iPhone's charging port can block electrical signals over time, so use a toothpick or SIM ejector to clear any dirt.   

Solution 3. Trust the Computer

Connecting your iPhone to a PC means the device is trustworthy enough to exchange files without security threats. Hence, you should verify that you trust the connected computer and have no objections to the next process between iPhone and PC. For this purpose, you can look into the instructions and learn how to resolve the "computer not recognizing iPhone" issue by trusting the computer.

Instructions: Connect your iPhone to a Windows PC using an Apple-certified Lighting/USB-C cable. Meanwhile, unlock your iPhone to receive the “Trust This Computer” prompt, from which you have to press the “Trust” option. To authorize the action, you may be required to enter the iPhone’s passcode because it will permit the trusted computer to access your iOS data. 

Solution 4. Update System Version

Apple frequently sends updates to iOS users to tighten security, improve performance, fix bugs, and introduce new functionalities, even minor ones. Same as Windows launches software updates for better performance, which everyone must install to squish the error of “computer not seeing iPhone.” Let’s check for any updates available on your iPhone and Windows through the following steps so you can resolve the iPhone without detecting the issue.

Update Windows PC: Access your computer’s “Settings” app and choose the “Windows Update” tab from the left side panel. Following that, tap the “Check for Updates” button and hit “Download Now” if updates are available on your PC.

Update iPhone: Open your iPhone’s “Settings” app and tap the “General” option from the list. Then, press “Software Updates” and hit the “Update Now/Install Now” button if an iOS update exists.

Solution 5. Update iTunes

Using an older version of iTunes when a newer version is available can prove problematic and lead to an "iPhone not showing up on computer Windows" issue. There are two ways to update the iTunes app, and you can go through the tutorial to learn them.

Method 1: The simplest one is deleting the existing iTunes app so you can reinstall the latest version. For this purpose, search "iTunes" from your system's start bar and tap the "Uninstall" option to continue with the "Uninstall" button. This way, your iTunes app will be uninstalled, and you can download it from the "Microsoft Store" later.

Method 2: The second way to update iTunes is by accessing iTunes' main interface. Thus, launch iTunes and click the "Help" tab to choose the "Check for Updates" option from the extended list. Later, you will obtain a pop-up menu displaying a notification to install the latest version of iTunes. From there, you need to hit the "Download iTunes" button to update it to the newer version.

Solution 6. Check Mobile Device Support, Service, and USB Driver

Primarily, Apple Mobile Device Support provides a mechanism to help Windows devices automatically detect Apple devices when connected, so it must run properly to ensure your computer recognizes your iPhone.

For Windows 10/11 users, the following step-by-step can resolve the "iPhone is not connecting to computer" issue. In the steps, you will be assured that your Apple Mobile Device support, services, and USB drivers are installed and working.

Step 1: First, press the "Windows Logo" and "R" keys simultaneously from your keyboard to access the Run dialog box. There, type "appwiz.cpl" in the text box and hit the "OK" button to approach the next screen. 

Step 2: From there, scroll down the programs list and explore if "Apple Mobile Device Support" is installed. If yes, continue with the next steps, and if not, get the iTunes app to install it immediately.

Step 3: As the Apple Mobile Device Support is installed, hit the “Windows Logo” and “R” keys again from your keyboard. This time, you will have to enter the “Services.msc” command and press the “OK” button.  

Step 4: Now, locate and double-click the “Apple Mobile Device Support” option from the Services list to access its properties. There, check if “Startup Type” is set to “Automatic” and the “Service Status” is displayed as “Running.”

Step 5: Next, open the "Device Manager" of your system through the search bar and or by right-clicking the “Windows” icon from the taskbar. Expand the "System Device" category by tapping the "Forward" symbol before it and gain a new list. From there, ensure that the "Apple Mobile Device USB Driver" option is on the list.

Bonus Tip: Transfer Files Between iPhone and PC Wirelessly in Remote Connection

Have you failed to fix the "computer not recognizing my iPhone" issue after trying every method above? If yes, you should use Avica remote desktop software to transfer data across devices and eradicate wired cable connections. It's a wireless approach to migrate data from iPhone to PC by establishing a remote connection where the physical location of devices doesn't matter for transfer. 

Avica facilitates limitless data transfer opportunities and allows you to share files of any format or size. Additionally, this software features a patented protocol for high-speed transfer, which comes 100 times faster than HTTP/FTP. Besides, Avica offers end-to-end AES-256 comprehensive encryption to ensure your remote sessions are secure on all compatible devices such as Mac, Windows, iOS, Web, and Android.

Explore Limitless Abilities of Avica Remote Desktop Software: Key Features 

• Digitizer: Avica provides an external graphics tablet to users working on a high-end project, such as UI design in remote sessions. It increases the remote responsiveness to pressure and levelness to facilitate a smooth working experience.  
• Screen Recording: This remote desktop app offers screen recording features so you can capture complex on-screen tasks to watch later when required. Using it, one can record, pause, and restart the recording sessions to ensure a clean and to-the-point recording for archival.   
• Group Monitoring: Individuals looking for collaborative remote desktop software should try Avica's group monitoring ability. It lets you monitor multiple remote device displays using your single primary monitor and elevates productivity even from thousands of miles away.

Stepwise Guide to Share Data Wirelessly from iPhone to PC Through Avica 

As you know, Avica is more than just a file transfer application, and you can streamline your remote work through its user-friendly interface. Now, let's focus on file sharing with Avica and learn how it resolves the "PC not recognize iPhone” issue.

Feel free to download Avica software by clicking the button below or download Avica mobile app from Google Play and App Store. If you're seeking additional information about Avica product downloads, you can visit the Avica download page. Rest assured, Avica guarantees the safety and virus-free nature of all products obtained from the official website or app store.

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Step 1: Allow Remote Access from Your PC and Gain Credentials

Launch the latest version of Avica in your system and sign in using your credentials. Afterward, toggle the "Allow Remote Access to This Device via Your Credentials" option on your PC. Now, you will access "Avica ID" and "Password" to copy and switch to Avica on your iPhone.

Step 2: Use Credentials and Establish a File Transfer Connection

Head to the Avica on your iPhone and tap in the "Remote Connection" text box to insert the "Avica ID." As you insert "Avica ID," press the "File Transfer" button to access the next screen with the "Send Files" and "Download Files" features after providing the password.

Step 3: Choose Photos/Videos to Transfer Using Send Files Option  

After remotely connecting with the PC, choose the "Send Files" option followed by the "Photos" option next to the "Files." Next, pick images or videos from your iPhone's Photos app and hit the "Add" option to move forward.

Step 4: Transfer Files from iPhone to PC Through the Send Button

If you wish to migrate files, you need to tap the "Files" option instead of the "Photos" option. Then, select files from the documents on your iPhone and tap the "Open" option. Lastly, locate a folder on your PC to save the file and end the transfer process with the "Send" button.  

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Conclusion

In short, this article covered all the possible reasons why your iPhone is not connecting to your PC. Apart from these reasons, you have gained all the potential fixes so you can streamline data transfer after connection.

If any of the methods don't work, you should switch to Avica remote desktop software and eradicate from wired approaches of data transfer. This software facilitates wireless data transfer and elevates your remote communications with security, speed, and ease.