I've been trying to back up and sync my iTunes library with my iPhone 8. I have both iTunes and iPhone 8 to the latest revisions and when I try to "Sync" it tries for a moment and then I get a message that the back up failed and can't sync the rest. I am using Windows 10 on a PC with plenty of space available.
iTunes - version 12.10.5
iPhone 8 - version 13.4
Date - 3-25-2020
iPhone 8, iOS 13
Well, I stayed up late tonight and this is what I did?
I opened Task Manager and saw that iTunes appeared 3 times on the list of Processes still active.
I stopped all 3 of them. This removed my shortcut to iTunes on my desktop.
I went to the Apple Store and was looking for the correct version of iTunes to install and it
show that it was already installed.
I launched iTunes that it said was already installed and it opened but got a message that it
couldn't view my iPhone 8 because the drivers were not installed? It also said to update
Windows 10 and the drivers would be installed.
I tried to updated Windows 10 but it didn't look like it would, so out of frustration I just
restarted my computer.
As it restarted I saw that it was installing some Windows updates?
After restarting I plugged in my iPhone and it came up in iTunes again.
For the **** of it I went to the Backup page and saw that my iPhone was
trying to back up (STEP 2) so I waited to see if it would really backup and
go on to the next STEPS. In the past, this is when it would tell me that the
backup failed and it couldn't sync until it could back up the phone.
It finished all of the STEPS of backing up and syncing contacts and iTunes.
So now, everything works like it should except that now I can't find iTunes in any
of the Programs folders to create a shortcut on my desktop.
I can always go to the START button and click on the iTunes icon there.
Any comments? Where is iTunes.exe hiding?
No Longer Frustrated Charlie
Thanks again for your help.
Hey Charlie,
Thanks for those additional details. Are you able to use these steps to back up your device using iCloud rather than iTunes?
"Back up iPhone using iCloud
> [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.If not, or you don't have enough storage available to do so, please reply back with the following details:
To clarify, the backup is failing, but you're not seeing an error, correct?
If you're not seeing an error what is indicating the backup failure?
Are you able to test with another USB cable or port on your PC?
Best Regards.
Hi Charlie-
Thanks again for the great details. In order to allow for a larger portion of your iCloud storage to be used for a backup, you'd likely need to upgrade the storage amount you're using: Buy more iCloud storage
If you don't intend on using iCloud for a backup in the future, it may not be necessary to upgrade. Let's keep looking into the behavior you're seeing with iTunes; I'd like for you to follow these steps next:
Let me know what you find after using these steps.
Take Care.
Hi SJCharlie,
Thanks for reaching out in Apple Support Communities. I understand that you're having trouble backing up and syncing your iPhone with iTunes on your PC. I know it's important to be able to create a backup and manage the content on your device; I'd like to help. I'd recommend starting with the steps in this resource to troubleshoot backing up first: If you can't back up your iOS or iPadOS device to a computer or restore it from a backup
Try to back up the iPhone separately from syncing. If you're successful, try syncing again: Use iTunes to sync your iPhone, iPad, or iPod with your computer
If you're seeing an error number when you attempt to sync music, take a look here next: If you see error -5000, -69, 13010, or 13014 when you sync music from your Mac
Let me know what you find.
Best Regards.
Joseph,
Thanks for your response.
I did what you said up to Step 3 but from there, I didn't know to back up my iPhone without using iTunes. It shows up on my "C" drive but there was no obvious way to back up without using iTunes. I tried iTunes again and got the same results, back up failed and can't sync the rest. No error messages shown.
Sorry for being so dense.
Charlie
Thank you again for giving me hope,
Since in the near future I don't intend on using iCloud for backup, I disconnected my iPhone
I restarted both iPhone and PC computer.
I then connected the iPhone using an Apple high speed cable to the PC directly into the motherboard USB.
I allowed my iPhone to Trust my PC.
I allowed the PC to make changes to the iPhone with my passcode number.
Then I waited, iTunes did not show the iPhone.
Then I disconnected the wire to the iPhone and plugged it back in.
My iPhone finally appeared.
I went to the page where "Backups" were shown.
I selected "This Computer" (I noticed that the box was checked for "Encrypt local backup"
and I didn't know how to uncheck that box. )
Once there all of the available "buttons" were de-highlighted and I was unable to
activate any of them, especially the "Back Up Now" button.
In the bottom right corner, there was a "DONE" button which was blue and
next to it was a "Sync" button that was de-highlighted and was unusable.
What I did notice was that the "waiting" circle would occasionally come on for a
second and then disappear.
At the bottom of this page was "Options" and the only one selected was "Automatically
sync when this iPhone is connected"
In the past, I have done all of this many times with this and different iPhones without
any problems. But since I installed Windows 10 and updated iTunes to the latest version
all these problems have started. I mentioned before that when searching in the Apple
Store online for the correct version of iTunes it shows a different version than the latest
version that I have installed.
Since the "Back Up Now" button doesn't highlight it can't even try to backup like it did
before.
I do appreciate your attempts at helping. Don't give up on me yet.
Frustrated Charlie
Hi Charlie,
You're most welcome! It's great to hear that iTunes is working as expected after all of the great troubleshooting you did. To locate the iTunes.exe file on your PC, I'd suggest taking a look at the Apple Recommended reply here: Create desktop icon for iTunes on Windows 10
Should you need additional assistance, I'd suggest reaching out to Apple here: Get Support
Have a great weekend!
Thank you all for your help in getting this frustrating problem solved.
I now have a desktop icon for iTunes and you were right, it looks funny.
I was able to get a regular iTunes icon on my "Task Bar" by going to the START menu and
right-click the iTunes icon under "Recently Added".
So, if I get iTunes from the Apple Store, it does not get loaded into any of my "Program" folders.
If I download it from any other place, or purchase it from a brick and mortar store it does get
loaded into one of my "Program" folders.
Thank you again for the wonderful help!
Charlie Adaysh, California
Joseph,
One other thing. I thought about uninstalling iTunes and re-installing. Before doing anything, I went to Apple store and asked for ther latest version of iTunes I should use on Windows 10 PC, using the latest software on my iPhone 8 (13.4).
It recommended the iTunes software version 12.05, but the latest iTunes software version I was already using was 12.10.5, which seems to be a much later version of the iTunes software Apple recommended.
Charlie
On my iPhone 8 when I go to iCloud Storage, under Backups there is 0 KB of space allocated so when I go to "iCloud Backups" and turn it ON, it tries to do a backup but quickly runs out of space, no error message except that I don't have enough space to back up this iPhone.
How do I allow a larger portion of my iCloud to be used for "Backups".
So far I am just using the 5GB free iCloud.
When I am in iTunes "Manually Back Up and Restore" neither the "Back Up Now" nor the "Restore Backup" is highlighted for use.
Lots of questions, need lots of help!
Charlie
Can't sync iTunes with iPhone 8
