Cannot See iPhone in File Explorer

@Lottiemansion - this is the location from which I originally downloaded iTunes, from Apple. This is a new install of Windows 10 with the latest version of iTunes. I was curious whether there really is a difference between the Windows Store version of iTunes and the one from Apple (in terms of drivers installed). I guess it doesn't matter, as I never got my download notification from the Store.

@Cr00zng - Agreed, iTunes shouldn't be required for viewing the phone as a storage device. I'm not sure how the above setting will help, but I'll double check it. My phone is always unlocked when I connect it, and I can connect it with the same cable to my Surface and it shows up in File Explorer without issue.

This worked before, on the same PC, before reinstalling Windows. I'm beginning to suspect a system driver issue. The mobo is about five years old, so the USB drivers installed by Windows are not the drivers issued by the manufacturer. It's a long shot, but maybe a more likely troubleshooting route than installing iTunes again.

I'll report back in about 12 hours, unless someone else has ideas. Thanks.

Okay, thanks. This is great info. I'll check these settings when I get home.

Regarding the following: -

rexnewman said:

@Lottiemansion - this is the location from which I originally downloaded iTunes, from Apple. This is a new install of Windows 10 with the latest version of iTunes. I was curious whether there really is a difference between the Windows Store version of iTunes and the one from Apple (in terms of drivers installed). I guess it doesn't matter, as I never got my download notification from the Store.

On my system I tried both versions & only the windows one installed everything need for it to work.

As an aside, I also had updated the IOS to v12.1 this needed to be power cycled & then all worked fine.

Lottiemansion said:

Regarding the following: -

On my system I tried both versions & only the windows one installed everything need for it to work.

As an aside, I also had updated the IOS to v12.1 this needed to be power cycled & then all worked fine.

The Apple download version of its iTunes installer for Windows has long been known to be occasionally problematic, hence why you sometimes need to force the install of the drivers (post #2). Good to hear that the Store version doesn't appear to have the same issue. However, if you had to install from both sources and the Store version worked then it seems you installed the Apple download installer first... so the drivers may have been kicked into place by the subsequent Store version being installed. Who knows?

Lottiemansion said:

On my system I tried both versions & only the windows one installed everything need for it to work. As an aside, I also had updated the IOS to v12.1 this needed to be power cycled & then all worked fine.

Lottie, thanks for the clarification. I never received purchase confirmation from Windows Store to download iTunes, so that might be another avenue of troubleshooting. My phone is at iOS 12.1.

RickC said:

When you plug your iPhone in, do you not see the following 'Notification'?

Thanks again for the reply. There is no notification.
I installed iTunes (Apple version), installed the driver (Post #2), and connected the phone.
My "Settings, Devices, Autoplay" configuration has no "Apple iPhone" category.
In "Settings, System, Notifications," everything is turned on.
The "PTP" still appears under "Other Devices" in Device Manger with the phone plugged in.
Sorry if I'm being dense, but was there something I missed?

The notification below is on your mobile phone not the PC.

Cr00zng said:

Connecting the iPhone to this system shows up as a USB storage, after the customary permission for accessing the device for iPhone :
Attachment 215518

rexnewman said:

Sorry if I'm being dense, but was there something I missed?

You're not being dense. I've had it happen that I've had to un-install/reinstall iTunes several times when using both Windows 7 and 10. (iTunes for Windows is rubbish. Funnily enough I've never ever had a similar issue when connecting any iOS device to my MacBook.)

Let's clarify a few things:

1. Do you get any Device Connect noises when you connect your iPhone (i.e. basic hardware recognition)?
2. Do you get any notification on your iPhone about whether to Trust the connected device (PC, laptop, etc.)?
3. Does Device Manager show your iPhone under Portable Devices or are there any yellow triangles within the Universal Serial Bus controllers category? (You should see this even before answering the challenge notification Lottiemansion describes in post #18.)

4. Do you have another data/charge cable you can try, preferably genuine Apple rather than third-party?

Hope this helps...

rexnewman said:

This worked before, on the same PC, before reinstalling Windows. I'm beginning to suspect a system driver issue. The mobo is about five years old, so the USB drivers installed by Windows are not the drivers issued by the manufacturer. It's a long shot, but maybe a more likely troubleshooting route than installing iTunes again.

My Ivy Bridge motherboard is probably older than that, this system started out as Windows 8.0, updated to Windows 10, and has these USB controllers:



The "Intel Host Controllers" have MS drivers, no motherboard manufacturer's drivers:



The "Apple Mobile Device" driver is:



I don't recall installing this driver and my guess is, that Windows installed it at the first time the iPhone has been connected to this system and subsequently updated via Windows updates. The system handles the iPhone as a "Portable Device" and there's no device connect noise, it just shows up in Windows Explorer.

Maybe your system missing the Apple Mobile Device driver?