Q: iTunes 11.1.2.31 Won't Finish Sync with iPad 3

I'll add a "me too" to the thread.  Late 2013 iMac OS X 10.9, iTunes 11.1.2 (32), iPhone 5s, iPhone 5, iPhone 4 and original iPad all experiencing the "stuck at finishing sync" issue when syncing via USB.

Per TigerClaw305 (thanks!) clicking on the "Sync" button again fixes it; causing it to go through a very fast sync and complete progress bar back to the Apple logo.

This is clearly an iTunes bug (deep cleaning or otherwise, it shouldn't hang for hours each time).  Hopefully they'll update it soon.

Click on this link and give Apple your feedback (link is also in your iTunes dropdown menu):

http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html

I had to click the Apply button to bring it out of 'stuck in sync' then the Sunc button cleared it quickly.

iPhone 4s, iOS 6, iTunes 11.1.2

Since the loss of Jobs Apple is becoming the new Microsoft.

Will I be forced to Linux?

Well...last night, I thought I had it all figured out. I had several successful syncs after I used the method in my post above. Even when making changes to playlists, everything synched successfully every time.

Tonight, however, it's back to the same crap. Hanging on "Waiting for changes..." and no changes being made. Sometimes iTunes crashes in the process.

The only thing that seems to complete correctly is the backup, as it logs it correctly under "Latest Backup"...but ****, who knows if THAT'S even working right.

Really frustrated, Apple. And yes...I've sent detailed iTunes feedback here and via the error box that pops up when iTunes crashes.

Same problems here.  I was about to do the restore from scratch and add everything manually.  The tip above about wi-fi sync made me think to simply turn off wi-fi on my phone. I was sync'ing via usb cable anyway.  The sync'ing of my library is now finishing and not getting stuck/cancelled.  THANKS!

I'll try adding new music/pics/video to see if they sync properly. I am just happy I have my music back now.

Just wanted to add my name to the list. Same issue w/ my iPhone 5 (iOS 6.1.4) when I plug it in to charge and sync. After a while I just click Sync again and all is well.

Same issue here:

  Windows XP (32 bit)

  iTunes 11.1.2.31

Unchecked sync over wifi, turned off wifi on iphone - getting stuck on "Finishing Sync" as well....

Same problem with my 4S.  My fix is to hit the sync button when the message says "waiting for sync to finish".  A new sync begins without any message indicating I had interrupted anything.  The new sync finishes in a few minutes and everything is fine til I reconnect and sync again.  (I sync with iMac.  Could the problem be that Apple is focusing on syncing over the cloud?  Or is it another step toward making the 4S obsolete?  Or is it simply a coding glitch?  We may or may not know with the next upgrade iOS.

Doesn't matter how many times I hit the sync button - it always will go all the way through and get stuck on "Finishing Sync" in my case....

Looks like alot of people have same problem but doesn't present identically.  Anybody know if bug reports have been made on this?

Yup same thing here. Stuck on "finishing sync."

It happens with all our iPhones & iPads (3 4S's, 1 3GS, and iPad 2) with the latest iOS & iTunes on our Mac. Not every time but quite often…

Thanks! Fixed if for me too. iTunes 11.1.2.32, iPad2 & iPhone4, Win 7 64Bit

This is the same as my "solution" but requiring the extra step (manually starting the extra sync) is not a real solution.  Several people have indicated that the sync does not always get stuck at the end, i.e., that the issue does not always occur.  I just synced my iPhone 4S with my iMac first by USB and then over wifi and in both instances the sync did not get hung up.  This suggests an epigenetic coding error - something else in addition to running a sync is a prerequisite either for the hangup occurring or not occurring.  If Apple is listening, I hope that helps find the error and fix.

Ok. This is what fixes it; at least with Windows 7 and iOS 7.0.3 on an iPhone 5. The problem appears to be with iTunes, not the phone.

In iTunes go to Preferences, under Advanced Reset then change the iTunes Music folder (You don't need to use another folder, just reselect it). Ok your way out and sync. No more endless Finishing Sync loop!!

Experiencing same glitches, quirky device behavior, and very noticeable slowing of all Apple devices (iPad, 2-iPhones, iMac) since all of the recent "updates".

Come on Apple; If I wanted to turn wrenches on a computer all day, I'd have paid half the price and stuck with crumby Microsoft devices!

Sorry to be rude, but I sort of thought I'd left all of this behind years ago...

OK, so this is not anything original:  But iTunes, which began a decade ago for music and drag-and-drop to your iPod, has become bloated by attempting to be a do-all -- a media player of several types, a store, and a sync app for various devices, all built on a decade old and unattractive platform.  Solutions have been offered all over the tech world for this sluggish, buggy, dinosaur of a program, but Apple plods along, which raises this question:  Why does a company that at one time, and in some areas still does (e.g. iOS 7), prided itself on replacing functional old products with revised new ones, which are more attractive and work better, still lumber on with this iTunes format?