iTunes iPad backup failed due to iPad disconnected

The only way to fix is:

- Disconnect the usb from the computer/iTunes

- Put your iPad on Airplane Mode

- Restart your iPad holding the power and home buttons

After the restart keep on Airplane Mode and connect the usb cable to the computer/iTunes.

Start your backup.

This will work.

I'm getting this error now for a second time with my iPad Pro (2016) (with a couple of correct backup's in between). My iPhone 6S has no problem whatsoever to backup to the same machine.

I have tried many solutions but none of them worked:

• Hard reset of the iPad Pro
• Wired as well as Wifi backup (wired directly to my 2013 Mac pro as well as using a hub)
• Backup to iCloud or my desktop (preferred) makes no difference
• Tried different cables
• Deleting iTunes preferences

Even when I try to install iOS 10.3.2 iTunes wants to make a backup frst which fails and stops the upgrade process. All very annoying.

My conclusion is the issue is with the iPad Pro software. The only solution that worked previous time (about 6 weeks ago) was to restore from a backup and reinstall all apps. It makes you lose all/most of your previously downloaded content which makes it all a hassle!

In the end it appeared that 3 last iPad backups (in Time Machine) were 'corrupt' and could not be used. I had to go back to a backup of March 28th to find one that was still usable. I'm making a backup every day for the time being to see whether the error appears again.

The only odd thing I have noticed is that I get a message when I connect my iPad: "A new network interface has been detected. The 'iPad USB' network interface has not been set up. ..." Could this have anything to do with the disconnected message?

I just did the solution by jmbr1, and it did not work at first. However, it did work after I deleted the backup on file and tried again.

I made a copy of the back up to another drive first. It generated a new backup, and then I added one app, and synced. It appears to be functioning proper now. (safe mode is running on mac, and airplane mode on tablet)

I also seemed to have a full iPad. I transferred all images to my computer and removed them from the tablet completely.

I tend to keep some messages for reference, and purged some of those, and deleted any with surplus images.

Even though I had no photos in the photos app, somehow the tablet still had a large chunk of data reserved for them.

So, now my iPad says it's used 26gb, 1gb available. iTunes says I have about 6.55 gb free, which doesn't seem logical.

I wonder if there is an iPad disk utility like the computer.

I had this problem too. I tried all the options given above. I was trying to update my IOS version but it was trying to back up first and wouldn't. So I simply updated my software on the iPad itself, wirelessly, while not connected to iTunes. When reconnected to iTunes, the iPad then backed up perfectly. It was my out of date iOS that seemed to be causing the problems.

Raffy, do you have another cable you could try? Cables have been notorious for this sort of behavior, particularly if they are not Apple branded.

I also found a reference to this solution:

Whenever you perform a backup from your iPad to your hard drive using iTunes, iTunes actually makes an INCREMENTAL BACKUP instead of a FULL BACKUP. What this means is that it only backs up the files which have changed since the last backup. So... if your last backup has gone corrupt in some way, then your new backup might not be successful.

So the solution is to get rid of the old backup altogether, and then perform a brand new FULL BACKUP from scratch.

To do this, go into iTunes, Preferences, Devices, click on your iPad, and check the date & time of your last successful backup. You can then either:

a) delete that backup right there from the Preferences screen, or

b) if you'd like to make a backup of the backup first, you can go into the Finder at Home>Library>Application Support>MobileSync>Backup, and find the folder that has the exact same date & time. Move that folder out onto your desktop.

Now, you'll need to quit & relaunch iTunes. After iTunes relaunches, choose your iPad in iTunes, and it should say that it has never been backed up to this computer before. From there, you can click on the Backup button, and you should be set.

Thank you, this worked like a dream.

It helped me as well !!!✅✅✅

Worked for me, too!

Thank you JMrbr1, and ELcpu. I followed both your tips, and got my Ipad Air to back up successfully on my Win PC Itunes.

Now sometimes hours later, doing nothing new, the backup disappears from the Itunes screen. This time I hope it stays for months until next needed. (with Apple's Elbonian PC programmers, you never know; I've had this backup/restore problem for years on multiple Ipads and PCs).

Thank You!!!

You should move the connection to the USB ports on the back of the PC. For some reason these seem to be more reliable for transferring data. It has worked many times for me.

Perfect, thank you!

FWIW, and YMMV, but using an Apple-certified cable solved the problem for me.