Although the issue can cause quite some panic, the fixes to this are actually pretty simple. In this article, we have listed the potential causes behind your computer not recognizing your devices and viable solutions you could try all for yourself. Keep reading and get your devices connected in no time!
Why is My Computer Not Recognizing My iPod?
How to Fix Computer Not Recognizing iPod?
Depending on the nature of the issue you’re dealing with, the solutions to your computer not recognizing your iPod are pretty straightforward. This article discusses eight fixes that can help you with this issue on both Windows and Mac computers. If these solutions don’t work for you, there may be a deeper issue, and you may want to contact Apple Support.
Unlock Your iPod
Your computer might not recognize your iPod because it is locked. When your device is passive, your computer will fail to establish a connection with the iPod for the process of data retrieval. Unlock your device and try connecting your iPod to your computer again to see if it recognizes it.
Plug in Your iPod Firmly
It is possible that you have loosely connected the USB to your computer. If you have loosely connected the devices on any or both ends, your computer will not recognize your iPod. You can try plugging the USB firmly into both ports and see if the issue is fixed.
Enable “Trust This Device”
When you’re connecting your iPod to a new computer, you need to enable the Trust this device option. This confirms that you want to share the information in your iPod with another device. This option is presented to you as a pop-up on your iPod right when you connect it to your computer. On the “Trust This Computer” pop-up, select Trust. Your computer should recognize your device after this.
Use a Different Port
You could also be dealing with a problematic port if your computer does not identify your iPod. You could test this out by connecting your iPod to a different port. Unplug all peripherals and use other ports to connect your iPod. If your computer recognizes your iPod, the issue is with the port you used.
Replace USB Cable
If your ports are working fine, the issue could be in your USB cable. USB cables are sensitive and could easily get damaged. You could inspect the USB cable for any damage, especially at the end. However, your USB could still be damaged even if you do not see visible damage. Use a different USB cable to connect your iPod to your computer. If your computer recognizes your device, the issue is with the USB cable.
Restart Your Devices
Many users have reported that restarting their devices help resolve this issue. You can first try restarting your computer and then see if it recognizes your iPod. If it does not, restart your iPod as well and connect the devices again. This could fix the connectivity issue.
Update iTunes (Windows)
You must update your iTunes application if you’re trying to connect your iPod to a Windows device. An outdated iTunes application might fail to recognize your iPod. If you have installed iTunes from the Microsoft Store, then you don’t have to worry about updating it, as the store automatically updates the application. However, if you have installed iTunes from Apple’s website, you will have to periodically check for updates. Here are the steps you can follow to update iTunes on your Windows device:
Update System
It is possible that your computer is not recognizing your iPod because it is outdated. When you leave your device outdated for a long time, it fails to perform its tasks. Your computer may be failing to establish a bridge between itself and your iPod. Updating your system should fix most of these issues. New updates not only introduce new features that help with the regular functioning of the system, but it also resolves pre-existing bugs from the previous updates. Follow these steps to update your Windows and Mac operating systems: On Mac On Windows
Update Device Drivers (Windows)
You could be dealing with an outdated device driver. Device drivers are the main gateway that establishes communication between the devices. When these utilities are left outdated, communication fails, and hence, problems as such arise. Windows offers the feature to manually update device drivers. If you’re a Mac user, don’t worry all drivers are updated with the system update. Follow these steps to update your device driver on Windows: