Installation failed: Can't install the software

Hello,

I've got the same problem since a few months, since I updated to High Sierra. I've updated last week to Mojave, and the issue was still there.

I've tried changing the cable to an official one, then to a licensed one, then I replaced my iPhone 7 with a new iPhone X, then I upgraded the OS to Mojave. Nothing worked.

The other day I did a search in google again, and I found a post speaking about an issue with Xcode. The post suggested as a solution to download Xcode and open it. The first time Xcode is run, it asks to install some components, and some if them are related to iOS. Actually, if iTunes is opened at the time of run Xcode for the first time, installing those support components will close and reopen iTunes.

Since I did so, I haven't had the issue anymore. I hope this helps!

I had this issue which caused my iphone to continuously connecting and disconnecting from the mac.

Finally apple support find a way to solve it :

After creating a new user, when connecting the iphone on the new user session, the problem was not reproduced.

We tried also to install a previous version of itunes but mac wouldn't allow us.

Finally this is what fixed the issue :

• go to finder
• choose go on the top left and select go to folder
• type the following : /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/MobileDevice.framework/Versions/Current/Resour ces/MobileDeviceUpdater
• Go inside the package called MobileDeviceUpdater
• Under the Mac OS folder you should see this :

then execute this unix executable. You should see some message about an update.

I did this when the phone was connected to itunes.

After that, when reconnecting the iphone, the pb was fixed.

Thanks

Romain

TL;DR Use a different cable.

I was having the same problem and I kept seeing the solution of using a different lightning cable show up. I've been in tech for 20+ years and I couldn't imagine that the cable I was just charging my iPad with from a wall adapter would be faulty for connecting it to my MacBook.

Turns out switching the cable worked. Note, however, that the one that didn't work is the Apple cable that came in the box brand new about 4 months ago. That cable is visually in perfect condition and has been treated gently. The cable I switched to was purchased alongside the highway at a gas station some ten months ago or more and it worked. There's no sensible reason why one works and the other doesn't.

It also doesn't make much sense to me that all these red-herring type messages and errors come up from a mere damaged cable. I hope this reply helps.

I had exactly the same issue, resolved right now !

Just be sure date and time preferences in both your macbook/imac and iphone/ipad are synched.

I started getting this message when I switched t a new lightning cable. The connection to from my iMac to my iPhone X and 8 would pop on and off and I would get the message to install new software which would fail to install. I switched lightning cables again and the connection problems stopped and no more message to install new software.

I had the same issue trying to install/restore backup to a brand new refurbished iPhone.

After a few unsuccessful attempts, instead of using the lightning to USB charge cable received with the new device, I've then tried with an "old" one (not even an apple one, just a no-name basic cable). And it worked perfectly fine.

So my advice is to try with a different cable and see if it's better and don't give up too soon.

By the way I had to setup the iPhone as a new iPhone and then only restore backup from previous device.

I've tried to use the "new" cable again afterwards and it keeps on connecting/disconnecting. So even if it looks new, obviously it has a defect.

Hope it helps those who are experiencing the same issue.

This thread is frustrating because the solutions were inconsistent and haphazard. Still, I tried several of them which did not work for me including rebooting all devices, and numerous cable swaps. I have Mac OS x 10.13.6, iTunes 12.8.0.150, iOS 12.0.1. Nothing worked until I downloaded and installed Xcode 10.1 and started it up, whereby it installed several components. Then everything worked. Thanks to all who contributed to possible solutions.

My daughter just upgraded her phone. We tried to restore her new iPhone Xs to a fresh, complete, encrypted backup on our iMac that was done this morning. We initially plugged her phone into the iMac using the reasonably new lightning cable that was already plugged into the Mac's USB, but iTunes wouldn't recognize the device and kept giving us a message that iTunes needed to install an update, but after clicking the "Ok" button, we got a message saying it was unable to download the update because it was not available on the update server. Then I tried using the lightning cable that came in the new phone case and voila, the phone immediately connected with iTunes and we could carry one with the restore. All went smoothly and she's up and running with her new Xs.

I had the exact same symptoms and setup as everyone, switched to an older Lightning cable, and the problem went away, connected to iTunes, didn't have to download anything. Who woulda thunk it was a stupid "New" cable from Apple.

*Attention, I solved the problem!!!*

Hopefully this will fix the problem for someone else too albeit I doubt everyone.

Did you have your iOS devices connected to another Mac or PC before? Did you use the backup on computer feature before rather than iCloud backup?

I connected the iPad Pro that had this problem to my previous Mac, thinking of backing it up there to restore it and then hope it would work on the Macbook Pro where it didn't. I deactivated the computer backup there and activated iCloud backup instead.

I knew that was it...I suspected that could be the problem. Now that the iPad isn't looking for the former computer to backup with...or the computer isn't attempting to back it up...now I can connect it to my new Macbook Pro, it shows it correctly on iTunes and it doesn't give me that silly popup anymore. Finally!

Works fine on both Usb ports on the 2015 Macbook Pro.

I'm not going to activate the computer backups for this device, which I don't want anyway. I like the iCloud backup. I also don't need to sync anything, so I don't guarantee it will work for that. "Prevent syncing" is on in iTunes' settings. I'm not gonna try, and I just don't need it. What I needed is using the iPad as a display with Duet, use it for development in the future (not sure there will be problems there) and most of all CHARGE it via the Macbook. Now it does.

I'm very happy I solved the problem, at least for now, and I hope this can help someone. Apparently the old computer backup set on iTunes messed things up a bit. Eventually not having to backup on computer doesn't force iTunes to attempt to install that piece that won't install. I tried all other solutions to no avail, including the Xcode one and the resets.

Hope this will help somebody else reclaim their devices.

Using another cable (Apple brand) instead of the other one I was using, seems to have resolved this issue for me.

What didn't work:

• Unplugging the third party Thunderbolt cable from a USB hub, and running it to the back of the iMac instead.
• Syncing time/date settings (they were already set to automatic).
• Software update (everything was already up to date).

Other notes:

• I was not using a beta version of iOS or macOS Mojave.
• Charging the iPhone and syncing photos from the phone in the Photos app worked. But every time I plugged in my iPhone, I would get the series of prompts and errors that the OP had (saying I needed to update the iPhone driver, but then saying it could not be downloaded).

[SOLVED] Hey guys, i had this problem too for a few days while trying to connect my iPhone 8 to iTunes. As you guessed it, click on install -> downloading item -> Installation failed. i am running the latest iOS 12.1 on my iPhone 8, latest MacOS Mojave 10.14.1 on my 27" iMac late 2013, and iTunes 12.9.0.164. All my Apps are updated as well.

Called Apple support, was told to Reset NVRAM and Systems Management Controller (SMC), and to check that my date and time was set correctly on my iMac. Was told to try different cables to connect my iPhone 8 to iMac, used my old original apple cable from my iPhone 6. All these DID NOT WORK.

I downloaded Xcode as well. DID NOT WORK too.

So i read here that some guys used different cables (no brand) and it worked. So i remembered i have another original apple cable in my car, gave it a last try and this time it WORKED. Finally i could connect my iphone 8 to iTunes. Previously i could have used my wife's iPhone 7Plus cable and it did not work.

So the moral of the story is -> try using different cables and try different methods because YOU NEVER KNOW!

Good Luck!!

I was having the same problem. I shut down iTunes, I turned off my Wi-Fi, then I turned everything back on. I was also using a cord that was not from Apple, so I used the original Apple cord after I did all of that everything worked just fine.

PROBLEM SOLVED

Like previous users have stated before, I solved this problem by unconnecting all peripherals besides power. Then I turned WiFi off (weird I know). Lastly, I plugged my iPhone back into my computer with an official lightning cable, and it worked like a charm.

The big thing that got this to work was turning off the WiFi.

I stumbled across another solution for the "Installation Failed - Can't install the software because it is not currently available from the Software Update server."

Solution: Make sure that your phone and laptop are fully charged before attempting the software update.

Further Details: In my case, my phone was at approximately 50% battery and my laptop was at 40% battery. I tried different Lightning cables (no luck), restarting the phone and laptop, confirming clock settings on both phone and laptop, reseting NVRAM, running MobileDeviceUpdater manually, and was only able to resolve the problem by charging the devices.

My devices:

iPhone XR - iOS v12.1.2, Model MT442LL/A

MacBook Pro, Retina, 15 inch, Mid-2015, Mac OS 10.14.2 Mojave, iTunes 12.9.2.5