Eriias

Q: iPhone 5s, can't sync, can't use iTunes app

Hi all. I'm at wits end. I've found threads on both of my two really big problems but none of the solutions listed seem to work. First I will explain what's happening and then possible factors that may have led to this state. I am using an iPhone 5s with iOS 9.3.5.

 

Issue 1.

 

iTunes will not sync with my phone: When I attempt to do so, I get an error that says: "The iPhone failed to sync because the sync session failed to start."

 

To resolve this I have tried, to no noticeable effect:

  • Resetting the phone
  • Restarting iTunes
  • restarting my computer
  • restoring my phone from a previous backup, then trying to sync
  • restoring the phone to factory settings, then to a backup, then trying to sync
  • Praying

 

Issue 2.

 

Perhaps the cause of the first problem, or somehow related, is that the iTunes app on the phone is now unusable. This is especially odd because after all of these restores, the other apps all work just fine! Mail, various games, Safari, Line; they all work perfectly (well, as well as they always have).

 

But after each restore, when I attempt to open the music app, it would crash. After restarting the phone, the app would open, but when I attempt to play a song, or even press any button (like switching from "library" to "playlists" on the bottom panel, the app immediately closes.

 

As per some threads on this issue, I've tried (again, to no avail):

  • turning "show Apple Music" on and off (under Settings>Music)
  • Clicking "Join Apple Music" in the same section to access the app from there (despite not having Apple Music nor any interest in it)
  • force-closing the app
  • restarting the phone
  • all the above restores etc.

 

But I can't try any of the other suggestions, because they all involve trying to syncing the phone. For example, one suggestion was to delete all the music off the phone and then put it back on, but I can't do that because I can't sync in the first place.

 

Likely cause/factor

 

All that said, a likely cause of all of this was that recently I upgraded to iOS 10. I hated it immensely and searched for a way to revert to iOS 9. I followed this guide, using the first method: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/mobile-phone/how-downgrade-ios-10-ios-9-reinst all-ios-uninstall-3618122/  and it seemed to work perfectly, until I checked iTunes and encountered the above problem.

 

Now iTunes has been downloading iOS 10 in perpetuity for some time and the "restore" button is no longer even available on my iTunes (on the computer) screen, so even if I wanted to give up and just upgrade to iOS 10, I can't. I also really, really don't want to do that.

 

Please, is there any way to get my phone back to just functioning like it used to? The music is one of the most important functions for me. Any insight past what I've tried would be greatly appreciated. I just want this thing to work...

iPhone 5s, iOS 9.3.5

Posted on Sep 23, 2016 2:36 PM

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Q: iPhone 5s, can't sync, can't use iTunes app

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  • by kylefrommississauga,Helpful

    kylefrommississauga kylefrommississauga Sep 25, 2016 1:42 PM in response to Eriias
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Sep 25, 2016 1:42 PM in response to Eriias

    I'm having the EXACT same problem, only with an iPhone 6S.  It all started with iOS 10.  Hated it, tried to revert to backup and iTunes had stopped communicating with my phone, because it needed to be updated to 12.5.1, which was beyond the capability of my OS (10.7.5).  Long story short, I've installed 10.9.5 now and updated iTunes to try and fix my phone, but it's giving me the message above "sync session failed to start".

     

    Admittedly, getting any message from iTunes is a slight improvement over what WAS happening, but this is ridiculous.  A fix needs to be had, and QUICKLY or we'd better start seeing some sort of compensation.  $1600 iPhone and $3700 iMac and neither are doing what they should be, what they WERE doing a mere day ago.