How to Fix iPhone Not Showing Up on PC in Windows 11/10

You often connect your iPhone to a computer to manage or transfer photos, but sometimes the iPhone doesn't show up on the PC. As a result, you can’t view your iPhone photos in Windows File Explorer or sync data from iTunes, which can be quite frustrating.

"Why can't I see my iPhone when I plug it into my computer?" You may ask. In this article, In this article, we will explore why your iPhone is not appearing when connected to the PC as well as effective ways you can try to fix this problem.

Why Is My iPhone Not Showing Up on My PC?

Before we dive into solutions, it's important to understand some common causes of the iPhone not showing up on PC issue:

• The Apple Mobile Device drivers installed on your computer could be outdated or corrupt.
• You accidentally clicked "Don't Trust" when the "Trust This Computer" prompt appeared the first time you connected your iPhone.
• The USB/lighting cable you are using could be damaged or fake.
• The USB port you are trying to connect to the iPhone is broken or damaged.
• There are no photos or videos stored in your iPhone Camera Roll.
• If your computer or iPhone has software issues, your iPhone may not show up on your computer.

How Do I Get My Computer To See My iPhone?

The following are some simple steps you can take when your computer fails to detect your iPhone:

• Ensure your iPhone is turned on, unlocked, and select "Trust" when prompted to trust the computer.
• Connect your iPhone to the computer with an original Apple USB cable and ensure the cable isn't broken.
• Try using a different USB cable or USB port.
• Ensure that the latest version of iOS is installed on your iPhone. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check if an update is available.
• Ensure that the latest version of iTunes is installed on your computer.
• Ensure that there are photos or videos in your iPhone's Camera Roll, as an empty Camera Roll can prevent the iPhone from appearing in Windows File Explorer.
• Restart both your iPhone and computer to resolve any software issues on the devices.

Advanced Ways to Fix iPhone Not Showing Up on PC

If your iPhone is still not showing up on your PC or iTunes after trying the above steps, you may need to try some other solutions. Below are some more steps you can take to resolve the issue.

Update Apple Mobile Device USB Driver

Outdated Apple iPhone drivers can often cause problems and make it difficult for the computer to recognize the iPhone. You can update the drivers to fix the issue:

• Connect your iPhone to your PC and press Win + X, then select Device Manager.
• In Device Manager, find and expand the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section. Look for an entry named Apple Mobile Device USB Driver.
• Right-click it and choose Update driver. Select Search automatically for updated driver software.
• After updating, restart your computer and check if your iPhone now appears in Windows File Explorer or iTunes.

Get iPhone to Show Up on Computer via Driver Easy

You can also use Driver Easy to get your iPhone connected to a computer. Driver Easy can detect your device system automatically and find the corresponding driver. Here’s how you can do that:

• Download and install Driver Easy on to your computer, then run the program.
• Click on Scan Now. Driver Easy will scan your computer and detect any problems with drivers.
• Click on Update next to the Apple Mobile USB Drivers you need to update, or simply click Update All to update every driver on your system.

Now, connect the iPhone to the computer to see if it shows up in Windows Explorer.

Install Windows Updates

This problem can also occur when Windows is not running the latest version. To install Windows updates, follow these simple steps:

• For Windows 10: Click on Start menu > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates, then the system will be updated automatically.
• For Windows 8/7: Open up Control Panel and click on Windows Update > select Check for Updates, then tap on Install updates to update the computer system.

Once the Windows Update process is complete, connect the iPhone to the computer again to see if it appears in Windows Explorer.

Fix iPhone Not Showing in Computer via Control Panel

To fix the iPhone not appearing in computer problem using the Control Panel, follow these simple steps:

• Click on Start on your PC and search for Devices and Printers. Click on it when it appears in the search results, and the Control Panel will open.
• In the Unspecified column, find Apple iPhone. Right-click on it and then select Troubleshoot.
• When the problem is detected as the device was not enabled, select enable device.

Windows should now be able to detect the connected iPhone without any problems.

Check Device Manager

If you still can’t see your iPhone when you plug it into the computer, you should check whether the driver is installed properly.

Step 1. Right-click on the Start button and select the Device Manager option.

Step 2. Click on Universal Serial Bus controllers and select Apple Mobile Device USB Driver.

• If the driver is not listed or you see Unknown Device, you can use a different USB cable to connect the device.
• If you see the error icon next to the driver, you should restart the Apple Mobile Device Service.

If the iPhone is still not showing up on pc, you would probably have to contact Apple support for assistance.

Alternative Way to Transfer iPhone Data to Computer

If all the above solutions don't work, you can choose to use a third-party tool like FoneGeek iOS Backup & Restore to transfer iPhone data to your PC to free up space or create a safe backup. It is very easy to use and could be the best alternative to iTunes, allowing you not just to transfer data from your iPhone to your computer, but also easily restore the backup onto the device.

The following simple steps will guide you to transfer and backup data from your iPhone to a computer:

Step 1: Download and install the program on your computer. Launch it, and then in the main window, select Backup & Restore.

Step 2: Connect the iPhone to the computer using the lighting cable, and the software will automatically detect the device; then click on Backup.

Step 3: In the next window, select the file types you would like to transfer from the device to the PC. Click on the Backup button to begin the process.

Once the transfer & backup process is complete, you will be able to check the contents in the backup file and export them to your computer.

FAQs about iPhone Not Showing Up on PC

Can I manage my iPhone data using 3rd-party software instead of iTunes?

YES. Some 3rd-party tools may be available to manage your device data without iTunes. However, you need to select the most reliable one to avoid data loss.

What if my iPhone is not showing up in Finder on my Mac?

The troubleshooting methods above could apply to Mac systems as well. Make sure that the Mac system is updated, and try to use different USB ports.

What if multiple iPhones cannot show up on a PC?

If the issue happens with multiple iPhones, the problem may be with your computer's configuration. In this case, contact technical support to diagnose and fix any potential hardware issues.

Wrap Up

You shall successfully connect your iPhone to your computer after reading this article. If your computer still fails to recognize your iPhone, you can use a different computer and try again. You can also use FoneGeek iOS Backup & Restore to transfer data from your iPhone to your computer. It supports all types of iOS data, including photos, videos, notes, contacts, and more.