Computer programs or applications identify problems through error codes. Tackled in this post is the iTunes error 0xE code or connection error on the new Apple iPhone XR device. Read on and learn how to fix this error.
But before anything else, if you have another issue with your phone, drop by our troubleshooting page as we have already addressed hundreds of issues reported by the owners. Odds are that there are already existing solutions on our website or at least, there are similar problems we already fixed. So, try to find ones that are similar or related to your problem. If you need further assistance, however, feel free to contact us by filling up our iPhone issues questionnaire.
How to troubleshoot iPhone XR that’s not recognized by iTunes?
Computers play a significant role in smartphone data management. Android and iOS devices require the use of computers either Windows or Mac, to transfer and manage important contents through Android or iOS data management software like iTunes. And to make all these happen, the phone must be connected to the computer via USB cable. Once it’s connected, the computer reads and communicates with the phone. But it doesn’t always end up that smoothly, as many factors can interfere with the physical connection between the computer and the phone. This is when the computer would fail to recognize the phone or vice versa. If ever you will encounter the same problem while attempting to manage your iPhone XR on a computer through iTunes, I’ve mapped out some helpful workarounds for you to refer to. Read on and find out what to do if your iPhone XR could not be read or recognized in iTunes.
First solution: Soft reset or force restart your iPhone XR.
If this is the first time you tried to connect your iPhone XR to the computer and you get this error code, performing a soft reset on your iOS device usually resolves the problem. First time connections normally fail as the device isn’t yet registered on the computer’s memory and vice versa. In that case, a soft reset should be considered as the first possible solution to try on. Here’s how to soft reset your iPhone XR:
- Press and hold the Side button and either Volume button simultaneously for a few seconds.
- Release both buttons when the Slide to Power off command appears.
- Drag the Power off slider to the right to turn off the phone.
- After 30 seconds, press and hold the Side button again until the Apple logo appears then release.
Reattempt to connect your iPhone to your computer after it reboots and see if it works. If the error persists, then try to force restart your iPhone XR instead. A force restart works similar to that of a soft reset but carried out in a totally different way. As the name implies, this method forces your phone system to shutdown and restart. Errant applications that may have caused system conflicts and somehow prevented the iPhone from syncing with the computer system are effectively dealt with by this method. Here’s how it’s done:
- Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
- Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
- Finally, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
Both a soft reset and force restart don’t affect your iPhone data, so you don’t need to back up files beforehand. All they do is to clear out minor software errors and random glitches on the phone system.
Second solution: Reset all settings on your iPhone XR.
Performing this reset can also help if the problem is attributed to incorrect settings configuration on the phone. This is often an issue after installing a new update that overrides the phone’s settings automatically. The same thing can happen when you customize your iPhone settings and end up configuring it the wrong way. To clear this out, reset all settings on your iPhone XR with these steps:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Tap General.
- Scroll to and tap Reset.
- Select Reset All Settings option.
- If prompted, enter your device passcode to continue.
- Then tap the option to confirm system settings reset.
After the reset, your iPhone should reboot automatically. Default settings and options are then restored on the phone. This means you need to enable individual features that you need to use on your phone including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other functions.
If the iTunes 0xE persists and your iPhone XR is still not recognized, proceed with the next steps to troubleshoot your computer system.
Third solution: Reboot/power cycle your computer.
To rule out random errors from the computer system that may have barred iTunes from reading your iPhone XR even when it’s already connected, try rebooting your computer first. It’s
- If you’re using a Windows computer, you can carry out the standard reboot that’s done through the Start menu and then select the option to Shutdown or Restart.
- If you’re using a Mac computer, simply click on the Apple icon and then select Restart option. Alternatively, you can just press and hold the Power button until the computer turns off and then press the Power button again to turn it back on. You can also use the Control key combinations like Control + Eject button or Control + Command + Power button.
Alternatively, you can power cycle the computer by turning it off completely, unplugging it from the power source for about one minute, plug it back in, then turn on. This trick effectively resolves minor system issues that caused system functions to fail. It works like a soft reset on an iPhone that deletes junk files that are stored as cache in the memory and then refreshes the operating system.
Fourth solution: Update or reinstall drivers (Windows only).
Windows and iOS are varying platforms. For these two distinct platforms to understand each other and work together, a mediator is required. Acting as mediator are the drivers. These drivers must be installed on your computer first so it can recognize your iOS device the moment it’s plugged or connected to the computer’s USB port. If you don’t have that driver, then communication barriers exist and your iPhone XR couldn’t be read or recognized. Therefore, if you are using a Windows computer and trying to get your iPhone recognized but it doesn’t, check your computer drivers and make sure you’ve got the Apple iPhone drivers installed and enabled. Here’s how to access this information:
- Disconnect your iPhone XR from the computer.
- Unlock your iPhone XR, navigate to the Home screen, and then reconnect it to your computer.
- Close iTunes on your computer, if it’s still opened.
- Then right-click the Start button on your computer.
- Select Device Manager.
- Locate and expand the Portable Devices section. Just click the Arrow symbol before Portable Devices to view the menu options.
- Look for Apple iPhone then right-click on the device name.
- Select the option to Update driver.
- If prompted, select Search automatically for updated driver software.
- Wait until the software is completely installed, then navigate to Settings-> Update & Security-> Windows Update menu.
After installing or updating drivers, reboot your computer to apply the recent changes and refresh the system. For further assistance on how to manage drivers on your Windows computer, contact Microsoft Support.
Fifth solution: Disable Firewall and Antivirus software.
Security software installed on your computer may also deny access to your iPhone especially if it perceives some threat the moment your iPhone is plugged into the computer’s USB port as an external device. In this case, you’ll have the option to either disable the security software temporarily or configure the software settings to grant permission or access to your iOS device until you’re done using iTunes to manage your iPhone system.
If you’re not familiar with your security software interface and you aren’t sure of which options to turn on or off, contact the software developer for further assistance.
If the problem persists after applying the previous solutions, you can ask more help from Microsoft Support to configure your Windows computer settings in a way that reads and syncs with your iOS device. Otherwise, contact Apple-Mac support to configure your Mac computer settings accordingly.
Connect with us
If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the Apple iPhone XR smartphone, feel free to visit our Tutorial Page. There you can find a list of how-to contents, step-by-step tutorials, as well as answers to FAQs regarding iPhone XR. If you have other concerns or encountered some troubles while using the phone, you can reach us through this form. Just be sure to tell us more details of the problem or device issue(s) you may have and we will be more than happy to assist you further.