You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

💡 Did you know?

⏺ If you can't accept iCloud Terms and Conditions... Learn more >

⏺ If you don't see your iCloud notes in the Notes app... Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iTunes stopped recognising my iPhone14

I purchased an iPhone 14 and it is currently running iOS 16.6. I just set it up yesterday using my MacBook Pro 9.2 that is running MacOS Sierra 10.12.6 using a back up I did of my iPhone SE earlier. The set up went well, everything was transferred and the phone was working fine. I was using the physical SIM. After the install I went to my provider and they added my other number to the new phone using the eSIM. The eSIM phone number used to be on an Android phone.

Now when I plug the phone in to my Mac iPhotos can see the iPhone and the photos on the phone however iTunes gives me the following message:


iTunes cannot read the contents of the iPhone “Dziadzan (2)”. Go to the Summary tab in iPhone preferences and click Restore to restore this iPhone to factory settings.


On the left hand of the box containing the message it says Phone number and serial number. It sees the physical SIM number that I set the phone up initially however it does not list the eSIM number that was added today.


I have tried changing the USB port, the cable, I have removed the trusted devices and went through the trusting process again twice but that has not made a difference, I have searched for updates for my computer but there are none so I am running the latest versions available to me.


I am loathed to reset the phone completely as I will have to go through the set up and the eSIM set up again.


Any advice?

iPhone 14

Posted on Aug 22, 2023 1:43 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 22, 2023 11:34 PM

If you're experiencing difficulty connecting your iPhone to your Mac, there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:


  1. Check the USB cable and ports: Ensure that you're using a certified Lightning to USB cable and try connecting it to different USB ports on your Mac. Also, check for any physical damage or debris in the ports that may be preventing a proper connection. Use genuine cable --> Identify counterfeit or uncertified Lightning connector accessories ...
  2. Disconnect all other USB devices from your computer, except for your keyboard and mouse. --> Resolve USB-related alerts in iTunes/Finder - Apple Support
  3. Restart your iPhone and Mac: Sometimes, restarting your devices can resolve temporary connection issues. Restart both your iPhone and your Mac, and then try connecting them again.
    1. Restart the device. That's it.
    2. Still not solved --> Force restart iPhone - Apple Support
  4. Update your software: Make sure that both your iPhone and Mac are running the latest software versions. On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update, and on your Mac, go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Software Update.
    1. Update Over-the-Air (OTA) —> Update your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support (IN)
    2. Update using iTunes/Finder —> Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (IN)
  5. Trust the computer: When connecting your iPhone to your Mac for the first time, you may need to trust the computer on your iPhone. Unlock your iPhone and check for any prompts asking you to trust the connected computer. Confirm the trust request on your iPhone. About the “Trust This Computer” alert message on your ...
  6. Try a different port, cable, or computer. The issue could be related to your computer, its USB port, or the USB cable connecting it to your device. If possible, try a different computer, USB port, or USB cable. Also, check for any debris in the charging port on the bottom of your iPhone or iPad. --> If your computer doesn't recognize your iPhone, iPad, or iPod ...
  7. Reset your iPhone's settings: If the issue persists, you can try resetting your iPhone's settings. Go to Settings > General > Transfer & Reset > Reset > Reset All Settings. This will not erase your data but will reset your settings to their default values. After the reset, attempt to connect your iPhone to your Mac again. Return iPhone settings to their defaults - Apple Support (IN)
  8. Update iTunes or Finder (macOS Catalina or later): If you're using a Mac running macOS Mojave or earlier, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed. If you're using macOS Catalina or later, iTunes has been replaced with Finder for device management. Ensure that you have the latest macOS updates installed, which should include the latest version of Finder. Update macOS on Mac
  9. Check for conflicting software: Sometimes, third-party security software or firewalls can interfere with the connection between your iPhone and Mac. Temporarily disable any security software or firewalls and see if that resolves the issue.


If you are experiencing an issue not listed here, contact support as they can provide specific troubleshooting steps based on your situation.



Similar questions

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 22, 2023 11:34 PM in response to Krikor67

If you're experiencing difficulty connecting your iPhone to your Mac, there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:


  1. Check the USB cable and ports: Ensure that you're using a certified Lightning to USB cable and try connecting it to different USB ports on your Mac. Also, check for any physical damage or debris in the ports that may be preventing a proper connection. Use genuine cable --> Identify counterfeit or uncertified Lightning connector accessories ...
  2. Disconnect all other USB devices from your computer, except for your keyboard and mouse. --> Resolve USB-related alerts in iTunes/Finder - Apple Support
  3. Restart your iPhone and Mac: Sometimes, restarting your devices can resolve temporary connection issues. Restart both your iPhone and your Mac, and then try connecting them again.
    1. Restart the device. That's it.
    2. Still not solved --> Force restart iPhone - Apple Support
  4. Update your software: Make sure that both your iPhone and Mac are running the latest software versions. On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update, and on your Mac, go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Software Update.
    1. Update Over-the-Air (OTA) —> Update your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support (IN)
    2. Update using iTunes/Finder —> Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (IN)
  5. Trust the computer: When connecting your iPhone to your Mac for the first time, you may need to trust the computer on your iPhone. Unlock your iPhone and check for any prompts asking you to trust the connected computer. Confirm the trust request on your iPhone. About the “Trust This Computer” alert message on your ...
  6. Try a different port, cable, or computer. The issue could be related to your computer, its USB port, or the USB cable connecting it to your device. If possible, try a different computer, USB port, or USB cable. Also, check for any debris in the charging port on the bottom of your iPhone or iPad. --> If your computer doesn't recognize your iPhone, iPad, or iPod ...
  7. Reset your iPhone's settings: If the issue persists, you can try resetting your iPhone's settings. Go to Settings > General > Transfer & Reset > Reset > Reset All Settings. This will not erase your data but will reset your settings to their default values. After the reset, attempt to connect your iPhone to your Mac again. Return iPhone settings to their defaults - Apple Support (IN)
  8. Update iTunes or Finder (macOS Catalina or later): If you're using a Mac running macOS Mojave or earlier, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed. If you're using macOS Catalina or later, iTunes has been replaced with Finder for device management. Ensure that you have the latest macOS updates installed, which should include the latest version of Finder. Update macOS on Mac
  9. Check for conflicting software: Sometimes, third-party security software or firewalls can interfere with the connection between your iPhone and Mac. Temporarily disable any security software or firewalls and see if that resolves the issue.


If you are experiencing an issue not listed here, contact support as they can provide specific troubleshooting steps based on your situation.



Aug 23, 2023 7:43 AM in response to SravanKrA

Hello and thank you for your response.

1) done, not helping. Use the same cable and port and it sees my older iPhone SE. I was able to set up my new iPhone 14 using my computer and it restored the backup form iPhone SE to the iPhone 14. Issue started after the eSim was installed and I attempted to move over data from the android phone I had that was associated with the phone number that was now an eSIM.

2) No other devices are connected via USB

3) I tried the restart for both and the forced restart on the iPhone but it did not help

4) All the software is up to date - iPhone 14 (16.6), MacBook Pro (OS Sierra 10.12.6) and iTunes (12.8.2.3)

5) I have trusted the computer and even went back and reset the phone to ask to trust again so that has been done multiple times.

6) I have tried another iPhone (the older SE I had and it is working using both USB ports). I have tried the iPhone 14 on both USB ports with the same result, I do not have another apple computer to try another computer, I have tried three different USB cables of which two are Apple cables.

7) I tried doing the reset Settings > General > Transfer & Reset > Reset > Reset All Settings. This did not make a difference, still getting the same message

8) I have the latest version of iTunes installed 12.8.2.3 for my laptop that is running OS Sierra

9) I do not have any security sortware or firewall software.


Any further thoughts. Should I try wiping the iPhone and doing a completely fresh install? Is it possible that the eSIM is part of the problem?



iTunes stopped recognising my iPhone14

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.