iPhone: The Missing Manual, 2nd Edition

Doesn't Show Up in iTunes

If the iPhone's icon doesn't appear in the Source list at the left side of the iTunes window, you've got yourself a real problem. You won't be able to load it up with music, videos, or photos, and you won't be able to sync it with your computer. That's a bad thing.

• The USB factor. Trace the connection from the iPhone, to its cradle (if you're using one), to the USB cable, to the computer, making sure everything is seated. Also, don't plug the USB cable into a USB jack on your keyboard, and don't plug it into an unpowered USB hub. Believe or not, just trying a different USB jack on your computer often solves the problem.

• The iPhone factor. Try turning the phone off and on again. Make sure its battery is at least partway charged; if not, wait 10 minutes, until it's sucked in enough power from the USB cable to revive itself.

  Tip

  If you're having trouble charging the iPhone, make sure it's indeed connected to a USB charging cable—not one of the old FireWire cables (or charging docks with FireWire). If the battery icon at the top of the screen bears a little lightning-bolt icon, you're charging; the iPhone will be 80 percent charged in about an hour.

  But if the red part of the battery icon on the iPhone screen flashes three times and then the screen goes black, the iPhone is not getting power and won't charge.

• The iTunes factor. The iPhone requires iTunes version 7.7 or later. Download and install the latest. No success? Then reinstall it.