askingalan
Level 1 (5 points)
iTunes

Q: Iphone 6 won't connect to iTunes

I have a fairly new iPhone 6 that won't connect to iTunes when it is plugged into my Macbook. The pop up message says this iphone requires an updated version of iTunes and then it directs me to go to itunes.com to download the update. The problem is I've already updated! The IOS on my phone is up to date, itunes is up to date, and my OS shows no new software updates. The macbook is currently running 10.6.8, and my older iphone 6 plus connects to iTunes just fine. What is going on here? Any ideas?

iPhone 6, iOS 9.3.2

Posted on Jul 5, 2016 1:08 PM

by ChrisJ4203,Solvedanswer
ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203
Level 9 (58,087 points)
iPhone
A:

I'm guessing this is the only computer you own? If that is the case, then I'm sorry I'm not aware of anything else you could do except to upgrade. Good luck with however you decide to deal with it.

Posted on Jul 10, 2016 1:47 PM

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askingalan

Q: Iphone 6 won't connect to iTunes

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Carolyn Samit,

    Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit Jul 5, 2016 1:18 PM in response to askingalan
    Level 10 (122,069 points)
    Apple Music
    Jul 5, 2016 1:18 PM in response to askingalan

    The update is not just for iTunes. it's not possible to sync an iPhone on a Mac running v10.6.8.

     

     

    Syncing with iTunes on a Mac or PC requires:

    • Mac: OS X v10.8.5 or later

     

     

    Instead of trying to install v10.8.5, see if your Mac can run the latest OS X available v10.11 El Capitan >  Upgrade to OS X El Capitan - Apple Support

     

    Then you would have the latest version of iTunes installed in order to connect your iPhone to iTunes.

  • by askingalan,

    askingalan askingalan Jul 5, 2016 1:32 PM in response to askingalan
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 5, 2016 1:32 PM in response to askingalan

    I already have the latest version of iTunes, 11.4. Plus, my other iPhone (a 6 plus) has no problems connecting to iTunes and syncing.

  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Jul 5, 2016 1:34 PM in response to askingalan
    Level 9 (58,087 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 5, 2016 1:34 PM in response to askingalan

    As you were told earlier, the latest version of iTunes is not 11.4, it is 12.4.1, which requires a newer version of OS X. The newer iPhone and iOS 9.3 requires the latest version of iTunes.

  • by askingalan,

    askingalan askingalan Jul 5, 2016 1:49 PM in response to askingalan
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 5, 2016 1:49 PM in response to askingalan

    Thanks for the attitude Chris, that's really helpful. I didn't see anywhere in Carloyn Samit's reply where she said the version of iTunes I have isn't actually the real latest version. What still doesn't make sense is my iphone, which is running the exact same iOS as my wifes iphone, connects to iTunes no problem. I guess the new requirements must have come into effect between me buying my iPhone a year ago and my wife buying hers a month ago.

     

    So i guess my wife has an iPhone with no way of connecting it to iTunes without pretty much buying a new mac. There is no sense in upgraded the OS on a 9 year old macbook.

     

    Dandy.

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jul 5, 2016 2:05 PM in response to askingalan
    Level 9 (53,971 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 5, 2016 2:05 PM in response to askingalan

    The first response was not very clear. Of course you can sync phone with a computer running OS X 10.6.8, you just can't sync a phone running iOS 9.

     

    iOS9 on a mobile device requires iTunes 12.3 or higher which in turn requires a computer running OSX 10.8.5 or higher.  System Update only checks for updates for the current system version you are running but that itself may be out of date.  It may or may not be possible to upgrade your computer to the required system. Find your computer model on the http://www.everymac.com web site and near the bottom of the system specification section it will say what OS versions it is capable of running. If you cannot run a newer system you will not be able to sync this phone to your present computer. If it can run 10.8.5 or higher you can either buy a download code for OSX 10.8 Mountain Lion from Apple online, or you can try installing the free El Capitan OSX 10.11.  El Capitan may run slower on older machines and require additional RAM purchase.  Doing a big jump in system versions is also more likely to affect old software.

     

    Snow leopard to el capitan, will it cause my macbook to be slow?  - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7412959

     

    Mountain Lion 10.8 purchase link U.S.A. - http://www.apple.com/shop/product/D6377Z/A/os-x-mountain-lion

     

    Mountain Lion 10.8 purchase link U.K. - http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/D6377ZM/A/os-x-mountain-lion

     

    Current OSX general upgrade information, including system requirements - http://www.apple.com/osx/how-to-upgrade/

     

    If your wife's computer is indeed nine years old you will not be able to upgrade to the required OS X. There are workarounds to enable her to use the phone in a limited capacity using iCloud.

     

    If any part of your home technology is older than five years it is critical you read the fine print on any equipment you purchase. It is standard for Apple devices to require the current version of iTunes at the time of purchase of the device. Recently Apple has been doing annual software upgrades which is why the requirements for your device that you purchased a year ago and the requirements for your wife's device are very different.

  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Jul 5, 2016 2:02 PM in response to askingalan
    Level 9 (58,087 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 5, 2016 2:02 PM in response to askingalan

    I'm sorry you felt that my response was perceived as an attitude, I did not intend it that way. Carolyn said that you were going to have to update things, that your OS X version would not work. Unfortunately, the latest version of iOS will only work with the latest version of iTunes, which will only work with the newer version of OS X.

  • by askingalan,

    askingalan askingalan Jul 8, 2016 3:04 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 8, 2016 3:04 PM in response to Limnos

    First off, a huge thank you for all the help.

     

    Ok, I've checked it all out and it looks like the highest version of OS my macbook with run is 10.7.5, so I'm out of luck there. How can I use iCloud to get at least some music on my wifes phone. She probably would've never upgraded to an iPhone if she knew we'd never be able to put music on it.

  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Jul 8, 2016 7:32 PM in response to askingalan
    Level 9 (58,087 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 8, 2016 7:32 PM in response to askingalan

    If you have purchased music from iTunes, with the Apple ID used on her device, you can go to the iTunes app and download the purchased music again. She can also purchase new music from iTunes on the phone itself. The problem will arise if she needs to restore the phone, or you have trouble with OTA updates and you have to try and update via iTunes. While you can do most things without the computer, there are several things that require the computer and the compatible version of iTunes.

  • by askingalan,

    askingalan askingalan Jul 10, 2016 9:14 AM in response to ChrisJ4203
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 10, 2016 9:14 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

    This is my wifes first iPhone, so she has not ever had an apple ID until very recently. Our problem is that pretty much our entire CD library is stored on itunes, and that is what we want to transfer to her iPhone. I'm really trying to avoid having to purchase songs and albums from the itunes store that we already own.

  • by ChrisJ4203,Solvedanswer

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Jul 10, 2016 1:47 PM in response to askingalan
    Level 9 (58,087 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 10, 2016 1:47 PM in response to askingalan

    I'm guessing this is the only computer you own? If that is the case, then I'm sorry I'm not aware of anything else you could do except to upgrade. Good luck with however you decide to deal with it.

  • by askingalan,

    askingalan askingalan Jul 10, 2016 1:47 PM in response to ChrisJ4203
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 10, 2016 1:47 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

    Yes indeed it is. We've put off getting a new one for years now. It looks like apple is going to force us to upgrade. Thanks for all the help

  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Jul 11, 2016 10:05 AM in response to askingalan
    Level 9 (58,087 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 11, 2016 10:05 AM in response to askingalan

    You're welcome.

  • by Cinderellaucd,

    Cinderellaucd Cinderellaucd Jul 11, 2016 6:08 PM in response to Carolyn Samit
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 11, 2016 6:08 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

    Thank you for the info! Very frustrating that my old iphone 5 connected just fine to Mac running v10.6.8 but it fell in the water and I had to upgrade to an iphone 6 and it's just now I'm having issues. I'll try to the OS X El Capitan. Appreciate the answer, especially since I spent 45 min on the phone waiting for an apple representative and still was on hold when I had to give up the wait!!!!