How to fix an Apple iPad Pro 2018 that is not recognized by iTunes, unknown error 0xE [Troubleshooting Guide]

If iTunes failed to recognize your iOS device, then there must be a problem on the physical connection, iTunes app, computer system, or iPad system itself. This denotes the need for you to look into each of these factors when troubleshooting. Like any other computer programs or applications, iTunes also has its own database of errors. This database usually contains error codes and error descriptions. The error codes serve as primary key to identify a specific error occurrence. One of the common iTunes errors encountered by Apple device owners is the unknown error 0xE, which usually occurs when the iOS device is not recognized in iTunes.

If you happen to bump into the same iTunes error when trying to manage your iPad Pro on your Windows or Mac computer via iTunes, then this post may be able to help you. Read on to learn what to do if your iPad Pro is not recognized in iTunes and the system prompts you with an unknown error 0xE.

For owners who are looking for a solution to a different problem, drop by our troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common problems with this device. Browse through the page to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don’t work or if you need further assistance don’t hesitate to contact us by filling up our iPad issues questionnaire.

First solution: Disconnect your iPad Pro then restart it and the computer.

If this is the first time you encounter the error, then it could be just a minor syncing glitch between the iPad and the computer. In that case, unplugging the iPad from the computer and then plugging it back in will likely fix it. So here’s what you can try doing first:

Unplug or disconnect your iPad from the computer.
Next, reboot the computer and your iPad to clear any corrupted apps and services that might have caused syncing conflict.
After rebooting both the devices, connect the iPad to the computer again.

Be sure to use the original USB cable or syncing cable that comes with your iPad. Make sure the connection on both ends are secured then wait for your iPad to show up in iTunes.

Second solution: Connect your iPad Pro to a different USB port and/or syncing cable.

As mentioned earlier, physical connection is one of the factors to consider checking on first. If you’re still getting the same iTunes error after applying the first solution, then try using a different USB port on your computer. Doing so will help you rule out damaged ports from the underlying cause. If you have any other external devices that are connected to your computer ports, then try to remove them (except for the keyboard and mouse).

If you have a spare syncing cable or Apple cable, then try to use it instead of the cable you’re using. This will help you determine whether or not the problem is on the USB cable.

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Third solution: Update iTunes and/or your computer OS to the latest version.

Apple recommends using the latest version of iTunes to ensure it works with the latest iOS devices especially those running on the latest Apple platform. If you haven’t updated iTunes on your computer already, then that’s what you should do next.

If you downloaded iTunes from Apple’s website, then you can refer to these steps to update iTunes on your Windows computer:

Open iTunes app on your computer.
Navigate to the menu bar at the top of the iTunes windows then click Help.
Then select the option to Check for Updates.
Follow the onscreen prompts to install the latest version.

If you don’t see an option to Check for Updates from the Help menu, then it’s an indication that you downloaded iTunes from the Microsoft Store. In that case, contact Microsoft Support for further assistance.

If you’re using iTunes on macOS 10.14 Mojave, you can get the latest version of iTunes by updating the software on your Mac itself. This is because iTunes comes among other pre-installed apps on macOS. So here’s what you should do then:

Go to Apple menu.
Select System Preferences.
Click on Software Update.

Wait for your computer to check for updates and then follow the onscreen instructions to download and install available update.

Fourth solution: Disable or uninstall any security software on your computer.

Third-party security software installed on your computer may also halt the syncing process between your iPad Pro and iTunes especially when security threats are perceived the moment you plugged your iOS device to the computer. Your iPad Pro will be considered or read as an external device when it’s attached to the USB port. If you have an antivirus or firewall enabled on your computer and it detects some threats, then that’s when it will bar the connection. As a result, iTunes will no longer be able to establish connection and would fail to recognize your iPad. The simplest way to rule this out is by disabling any security software on your computer and then connect your iPad again while they’re all disabled. Or you can also configure the software settings to set exceptions and grant full access to your iPad Pro. If you need help on how it’s done, then you may contact the software developer for further assistance.

If iTunes doesn’t prompt the unknown error 0xE and is able to detect your iPad Pro without any security software running, then you have identified the problem. In that case, you can just disable the software until you’re done using iTunes to manage your iPad Pro contents.

Fifth solution: Update your computer’s Apple drivers.

Like other computer or USB drivers, Apple drivers also need update to ensure optimum performance. Corrupted drivers usually cause problems depending on the affected applications. In this case, the driver that you need to check is the Apple Mobile Device USB driver.

If you’re using a Windows computer and downloaded iTunes from the Microsoft Store, then you can use this method to reinstall the Apple Mobile Device USB driver:

Disconnect your iPad from your computer.
Unlock your iPad then go to the Home screen.
While the iPad is unlocked, reconnect it to the computer. Close iTunes if it opens.
Then click and hold (or right-click) the Start button.
Select Device Manager.
Find and expand the Portable Devices section to view all the list of USB drivers installed.
Look for your iOS device like Apple iPad Pro or something similar.
Then right-click on the name of your device.
Select the option to Update driver.
If prompted, choose the option to Search automatically for updated driver software.
Wait for the software to be installed completely.
Then go to Settings-> Update & Security-> Windows Update menu.
Verify and ensure that there are no other updates available.

Finally, open iTunes and see if it’s now able to recognize your iPad Pro. If not, then disconnect the iPad then reboot the computer.

If you downloaded iTunes on your Windows computer from Apple, then you will need to use other method to reinstall the Apple Mobile Device USB driver. In this case, you need to know the exact name of the file or driver to install for iTunes to work as intended on your Windows computer. To make sure you’re installing the correct file, contact Microsoft Support or Apple Support for further assistance.
If you’re getting the same iTunes error 0xE when trying to restore your iPad Pro from a previous iOS backup, make sure that previous iOS backup runs on the same or later version of iOS. For example, if your iPad Pro is running on iOS version 12.1, the previous iOS backup must also be on iOS 12.1 or later version. Note that iOS backups can only be restored to devices that run on the same or later iOS version.

Seek more help

You may contact Microsoft Support for further assistance in troubleshooting Windows system issues that might have triggered the unknown error 0xE when attempting to connect your iPad Pro. If you’re using a Mac computer, then you can call Apple Support for help. Just let them know exactly of how you ended up with this error and what you’ve done so far to fix the problem on your end. There might be some advanced settings on the computer that need to be configured or modified to let iTunes work properly as it should.

I hope that we’ve been able to help you fix the problem with your device. We would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word so please share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading!

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