How to Fix iPod Not Showing Up in iTunes

This is a complete guide on how to fix iPod not showing up in iTunes.

iPod not showing up in iTunes could be a result of the software not detecting your device.

iTunes allows you to add to, organize and play your digital media collection on your computer. It has apps available for you to use on a Mac or Windows machine.

The feature was developed to automatically detect apple devices connected to a system where it has been installed. It was developed by Apple Inc. for the iTunes Store.

iTunes serves as a media player, media library, Internet radio broadcaster, mobile device management utility, and client software.

So, what happens when you’ve got your iPod connected to your PC with your iTunes installed and open? And after the connection, your iPod isn’t getting detected?

Not looking good right?

Now just take a chill pill and relax; all the psychological stress is not necessary.

Here are some simple procedures to take when your iPod is not showing up in iTunes.

Fix iPod Not Showing Up in iTunes

Content outline

As discussed earlier, iTunes helps you sync your media playlist with portable devices like your iPad, iPhone or iPod.

An iPod, on the other hand, is a line of portable media players and multi-purpose pocket computers designed by Apple Inc.

An iPod helps you listen to media files on the go after you import them to the device using your iTunes app.

So, what now happens when you can’t sync your iPod with a list on your iTunes?

In a world of unlimited wireless technology, iPod users must connect their devices to their computers frequently using a USB cable.

If they try to avoid connecting to their PC, they’re opting out of backups, quick music or video transfers, and many other important processes.

Now, the following steps should be taken when you notice that your iPod is not showing up in your iTunes:

Check your USB cord
Ensure multiple Apple devices are not connected to your device
Restart your device
Update your iTunes software
Update iPod drivers

Step #1: Check Your USB cord

iPod not showing up in iTunes could be a result of faulty connections with the USB cord to your device.

Start by verifying if your USB cord is functional.

A damaged cord would prevent your PC from detecting the iPod device entirely.

If the iPod isn’t detected by your PC, it wouldn’t show up in iTunes.

Now you can easily connect your cord to your iPhone or iPad to see if it is detected by your PC.

If it’s not detected, then try reconnecting with another cord.

However, if it is not detected, try the next step and hopefully, it should fix your iPod not showing up in iTunes.

Step #2: Ensure Multiple Apple Devices are not connected to your Device

If you have multiple Apple devices connected simultaneously to your computer, your iPod would likely not show up in iTunes.

Verify that you don’t have more than one USB device connected to your PC. If there are, unplug others.

This should fix your iPod not showing up in iTunes.

However, if you have only your iPod connected and it’s not showing up in iTunes, then try restarting your devices.

Step #3: Restart Your Device

Sometimes, you just need to restart your device and watch out for the magic.

For some reason, restarting any device is the first step any tech expert would give you whenever there’s a software issue.

Using the steps listed below, restart your device and see if it fixes your iPod not showing up in iTunes.

How to Restart an iPod

Since restarting your device could help fix an iPod not showing up on iTunes, why not give it a try?

On your iPod device, press and hold both the Sleep/Wake and Home button.

After a short while, the screen should turn off.

Now remove your fingers and wait a few seconds for your device to restart.

Still not restarting? Plug your iPod into a charger, then try again.

How to Restart your Mac

Although this step might sound ridiculous, it can really go a long way in fixing iPod not showing up in iTunes.

To restart a Mac computer, you have three choices to choose from.

Press the power button (or pressing Control + Eject) until a dialogue box appears and click on the Restart button.
You could select the Apple key and then click on Restart.
Additionally, you can press the Control + Command + Eject (or Control + Command + Power button).

Pressing the Control + Command + Eject/Power button is the most reliable way to restart a Mac because it doesn’t rely on the Mac OS X operating system to restart your PC.

How to Restart Windows

Unlike the Mac OS, windows have different interfaces for its distinct Operating systems.

Depending on your operating system, choose any one of the following suitable methods.

On Windows 10

The Start menu allows users to easily access the power options as easy as it was in the windows 7 OS.

Click on Start at the lower-left corner of your screen.
Click on the Power option.
from the Power contextual menu, select the Restart option.

On Windows 8 and 8.1

Unlike the Windows 7 and 10 OS, neither of these versions of Windows has a Start menu except installed with a third party software.

However, the Windows 8.1 updates, came with the power options button in the upper-right corner of the Start screen.

This allows users to restart their computers quickly.

Click on the power options icon at the top right corner of your start page and select Restart from the drop-down menu that shows up.

On Windows Vista and Windows 7

In both Windows Vista and Windows 7, users may restart their computer through the Start menu using the following steps:

Click on the Start button at the lower-left corner of the Windows desktop.
Locate and hover your cursor on the right arrow beside the Shutdown button.
Select Restart from the menu that appears.

After restarting both devices, reconnect them using a working USB cable and see if it fixes the iPod not showing up in iTunes issue.

If it doesn’t, try updating your iTunes software.

Step #4: Update Your iTunes Software

Normally, iTunes is developed to check for updates and notify you when you open the app. However, you can also check for updates manually.

Open your iTunes app.
From the menu bar at the top-right of the window, click on “Help”.
Click on “Check for updates.”
If there is an available update, a pop-up would appear. Simply click on “Download iTunes” to begin.
From the Apple Software Updater window that appears, tick the “Update” box next to iTunes and click on “Install 1 item”. Accept the update if you get a prompt asking you to confirm it (for Windows users).
After the program finishes downloading and installing, click on “Yes” to restart your computer, which is required to install the updates to some system files. You can also choose “No,” if you have unsaved work on your device. However, iTunes won’t be completely updated until after you restart.

After updating iTunes, try test running your connection again. If your iPod is still not showing up in iTunes, try updating your iPod driver.

Step #5: Update iPod Drivers

This can be done both on a Mac or Windows computer as follows:

How to Update your iPod Drivers on Mac

Sometimes, a bad or outdated driver could prevent a device from connecting properly.

This driver would normally be updated on connecting your device to your computer except it’s been interrupted by another app.

Follow the steps below to update the drivers on your Mac.

On your Mac, press the Option key.
Click on the Apple menu and click on System Information or System Report.
Select a USB cable from the list of options on the left.
There might be third-party security software preventing iTunes from accessing Apple data or devices. Therefore, if you see your iPhone, iPad or iPod under USB Device Tree, please disable your security software.

How to Update your iPod Drivers on Windows

Sometimes, why your iPod is not showing up in iTunes could be because there is something wrong with Apple’s Mobile Device USB Driver.

You can use the following listed steps to reinstall it:

Unplug your iPod from your computer.
Reconnect your device and close iTunes if it opens.
Hold down the Windows + R key to open the Run Command.
Copy or type %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\Drivers in the text area in the Run window, click OK.
Right-click on the inf or usbaapl.inf file and select install.
After the installation process, Disconnect your iPod from your PC and restart your computer.
Re-plug your iPhone, iPad or iPod, and open iTunes.

At this point, your iPod should show up in iTunes.

If it doesn’t show up, there might be a hardware fault with your device.

Try connecting your iPod to another computer and see if it shows up, and if it doesn’t show up on the new PC, you’ll need to contact a trained technician for the job.