Windows 11 pc Apple devices does not detect iPhone 15

I changed from iTunes to Apple Music and Devices on my windows 11 laptop (24h2) a few weeks ago and it worked fine. A few days ago Apple devices stopped detecting my iPhone so I cannot sync, although file explorer does see the iPhone and I can open all the photo files on the iPhone on the laptop.

I have tried all the fixes I can find on the internet:

  • Different cables
  • Different USB ports
  • Restart iPhone and laptop
  • Update all Apple drivers on Device Manager (none had available updates)
  • Reinstall Apple devices from MS store


Does anyone have any ideas before I revert to iTunes in the hope that this might detect the iPhone?


Windows, Windows 11 (26100)

Posted on Dec 19, 2024 7:40 AM

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Posted on Jan 25, 2025 7:48 AM

Update. (This worked for me.) I found out what specific program needs to be disabled to have the Apple Devices app recognize my iPhone. It is the "Private Network Microsoft Defender Firewall." Just disable that and now the Apple Devices app should recognize that your iPhone is connected to your Windows computer.

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Jan 25, 2025 7:48 AM in response to Iwrnr78

Update. (This worked for me.) I found out what specific program needs to be disabled to have the Apple Devices app recognize my iPhone. It is the "Private Network Microsoft Defender Firewall." Just disable that and now the Apple Devices app should recognize that your iPhone is connected to your Windows computer.

Dec 28, 2024 2:55 PM in response to gotvet

If you don't see it under Apps/Installed Apps in Windows, you probably don't have it installed, so my post is not applicable to you.


However, chances are you have a different Apple-related app installed which is causing similar problems. Just sort alphabetically and look for anything with "Apple", "Bonjour" or "i[whatever]". Uninstall at own risk, of course.


I had the iPod Support App installed because I still have a 15-year-old iPod Touch 4, which is still alive and kicking :)

Jan 12, 2025 8:16 AM in response to pauldore

This is what worked for me. I had to turn off all of the windows firewalls and anti-virus programs. Plugged in my iphone and opened the apple devices app and it finally recognized that I had my iphone plugged into my hp laptop. Make sure to turn all the Windows antivirus and firewalls back on when you're done updating your iphone. I suffered very long without updating my playlists/music and this was a great discovery for me. I almost switched to an android cell phone.

Dec 23, 2024 5:50 AM in response to pauldore

I am having the exact same issue on my Samsung Galaxy TabPro S. When I first installed the Apple Devices, Apple Music, and Apple TV apps I was running Windows 11 23H2, and everything seemed to work well. I upgraded to 24H2 a month or so ago, and now, although I can view the photos and other files on my iPhone and iPod in File Explorer, Apple Devices doesn't detect any devices that are connected to the computer. I've tried different cables, a different data hub, I've uninstalled and re-installed the apps from the Microsoft Store...I am all out of ideas. In addition, I use my laptop to play movies from my Apple TV library, displaying them on the Flat-screen TV in my 5th-wheel. Now, the movies won't play. About the only thing that still works is that I can still listen to music via the Apple Music app, although I can no longer sync my iPod to update the library. I'm extremely frustrated and am quite certain that the issue lies within the 24H2 upgrade, but I can no longer down-grade to 23H2.

Dec 23, 2024 5:58 AM in response to gotvet

I installed the Apple apps after I had upgraded to 24H2 and Devices worked for a few weeks and then it stopped detecting my iPhone so it does not seem to be the windows version. Contacted Apple support and explained the problem and all I had tried. They referred me to Microsoft. I will try them sometime soon but just expect to be referred back to Apple,

Dec 23, 2024 9:39 AM in response to tollbridge

My thought was that it wasn’t the operating system update so much as possibly a security update or something similar. I have been reading that the Apple devices app does not play well with Windows 11 in general, so perhaps you are correct in that the app itself is the issue. The fact that it doesn’t matter what type of Apple device I connect to my computer and it not being recognized, tells me that it likely is the app.

Dec 29, 2024 3:13 AM in response to kollstrom

Kollstrom,


Thanks for the idea, but sorry but this didn't work for me - I'm using an iPod shuffle, which was working fine until the recent update to Apple Devices in mid-December. I have tried your suggestion, and after removing iPod support, when I go into Apple devices, it asks to re-install the software (i guess because it is an iPod rather than iPhone), but then doesn't do anything - and says that the software required is not installed.


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Windows 11 pc Apple devices does not detect iPhone 15

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