4 Easy Ways to Get Windows to Recognize Your iPod

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Troubleshooting steps for when Windows doesn't recognize your iPod
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Is your computer not recognizing when you connect an iPod? Problems with the Apple Mobile Device Driver can cause Windows to have trouble recognizing your iPod. This is easily fixable, though. Read on for a list of troubleshooting steps that can solve the problem.

Getting Windows to Detect Your iPod

  • Connect your iPod to your computer using a different USB cable, or try a different USB port.
  • Make sure the iPod is charged.
  • Make sure iTunes or Windows is updated to the latest version.
  • If basic troubleshooting steps don’t work, you might need to fix your Apple Device Driver .
Section 1 of 4:

Basic Troubleshooting

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  1. It is possible that the cable you are using is defective. In some cases, using an uncertified charging cable can result in reduced functionality. [1]
    • Your iPod should vibrate when it's connected.
  2. It is possible that the USB port you are using is defective. Try both different ports and buses on the computer.
    • If you are using a desktop (tower) PC with both front and rear USB ports, you can often use one set even if the other is malfunctioning, since they are usually connected to a different bus.
    • If you have both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, they usually utilize separate USB chips and will function separately.
    • If you are using a USB hub, try using a root port on the computer instead. This will tell you whether the hub or the computer bus is at the heart of the problem.
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  3. If the iPod battery is completely depleted, it may not be detected until it is charged enough to power on.
    • Connect the iPod to a wall charger for a faster charge than via USB.
  4. In iTunes, open the “Help” menu and select “Check for Updates”. [2]
    • You may need to hit Ctrl + B to make the menu bar appear.
    • You can also download the latest version of iTunes from [3] .
    • Later versions of iTunes may utilize a newer version of the Apple Mobile Device Driver.
  5. Open Windows Settings and Select “Update and Security”. Click “Check for Updates” to receive the latest updates to your operating system.
    • Updates to Windows may include updates to USB chips or other relevant software.
    • On older versions of Windows, look for Windows Update in the Control Panel.
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Section 2 of 4:

Troubleshooting the Apple Mobile Device Driver

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  1. Plug the USB cable that you use to charge the iPod into one of the USB ports on the computer. [4]
    • If an alert box appears on your iPod or computer saying “Trust This Computer”, choose “Yes”.
    • Make sure that the USB cable is firmly plugged into both the iPod and the computer.
  2. Press the Win key and enter “Device Manager." Select Device Manager from the results.
    • Alternatively, press Win + X and select Device Manager .
  3. Click the arrow next to the list item to expand. This is located at the bottom of the list, and you should see “Apple Mobile Device Driver” displayed in the expanded list. [5]
    • If you do not see Apple Mobile Device Driver listed here, try disconnecting and reconnecting your iPod. If you still do not see it, check for an “Apple” device listed in “Imaging Devices” or “Portable Devices” and proceed to the manual update steps .
  4. You may see a down arrow, an exclamation/question mark, or no icon at all.
    • If you see a down arrow icon, right-click the Apple Mobile Device Driver and select Enable .
    • If you see an exclamation/question mark, proceed to the manual update steps .
    • If you see no icon, then try restarting the Apple Mobile Device Service .
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Section 3 of 4:

Updating the Apple Mobile Device Driver

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  1. 1
    Right-click “Apple Mobile Device Driver” and select Update Driver . You can continue from the previous section to find this in Device Manager under "Universal Serial Bus controllers."
  2. 2
    Select Browse my computer for drivers . This will take you to another page with more options.
  3. This is located at the bottom of the page and will take you to a new page with browsing options.
  4. This is located in the lower right, just below the list of hardware.
  5. This is located in the bottom right corner of the “Browse” pop-up window.
  6. The most common filepath for this is: “C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\Drivers”.
    • On newer 64-bit operating systems, the likely filepath is “C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\Drivers”.
  7. Once selected, click Open to return to the “Have Disk” page with the full filepath displayed.
    • If you do not see the file listed here, then you may be in the wrong folder location. Double-check your filepath.
  8. Click Next , then Finish as prompted. Windows will now install/update the driver.
  9. Once the download is complete, your device will appear in iTunes.
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Section 4 of 4:

Restarting the Apple Mobile Device Service

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  1. Click the red X in the upper right corner.
  2. If you still have the device manager open, the listing for the Apple Mobile Device Driver will disappear.
  3. This will open up the Windows “Run” command.
    • Alternatively, press Win + X and select Run.
  4. This will open up the Windows Services console.
  5. All services appear on the right in descending alphabetical order.
  6. This menu is located about halfway down the “General” tab.
  7. This button is located below the dropdown menu. After a moment, the Service Status will display “Stopped."
  8. This button is located to the left of “Stop." After a moment, the Service Status will display “Running."
    • Click OK to save your settings and close the window.
  9. This ensures that your changes will take effect.
  10. Once booted into the OS, connecting the device will launch iTunes automatically and appear listed in the software. [6]
    • You may need to launch iTunes manually, but the device should still successfully appear listed among your devices in iTunes.
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      • Reinstalling iTunes may also repair issues with the Apple Mobile Device Support software. iTunes and Apple Mobile Device Support are displayed separately in the “Programs and Features” section of the Control Panel. Uninstall both and restart your computer before installing a fresh version of iTunes.
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      • These steps should work for similar issues with iPhones and iPads as well.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204566
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/118290
      3. ↑ https://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204095
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204095
      6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/ht203188

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