Here’s what to do if Bark isn’t detecting your child’s iOS device via USB.
See if Bark can detect your kid's iOS device while plugged in
- Open up your parent app / dashboard.
- Tap on your kid's avatar at the top.
- Tap Monitoring.
- Look for
Connected to your home computer (or Bark Home).
iOS device is not detected while plugged in
Quick Troubleshooting
- Make sure your child's iOS device is turned on, unlocked, and open to the Home Screen.
- If you see a Trust this Computer message, unlock the device and tap Trust.
- Check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over USB now.
- Next, try plugging it in with a different cable to see if that works.
- Unplug all USB accessories from your computer except for the child's device. Try each USB port separately to see if one works.
- Unplug your child's device, and open their Settings app.
- Navigate to Touch/Face ID and Passcode (or simply Passcode).
- Under Allow Access When Locked, enable USB Accessories (or simply Accessories). If your child does not use a lock screen passcode, you can skip this step.
- Plug in your kid's device.
- Check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over USB now.
- If still no luck, restart your computer and your child's iPhone or iPad.
- Install software updates on your kid's device and on your home computer.
- Check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over USB now.
Need more help?
Check out the detailed troubleshooting tab at the top of this article.
Detailed Troubleshooting
Mac
- Open
Finder.
- Look at the top menu bar and select Preferences.
- At the top of preferences, click Sidebar.
- Add a check next to CDs, DVDs and iOS Devices.
- On the left side of Finder, are you seeing an iOS device under Locations?
- If you do, that's a great sign! Check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over USB now.
- If you don't, it means the device isn't being detected by your computer at all — it's not just Bark.
- If that still didn't work, try this:
- Unplug your child's iOS device.
- Open up Settings on your kid's device.
- Tap General.
- Tap on Reset (or "Transfer or Reset iPhone/iPad/iPod").
- Tap on Reset again if applicable.
- Tap Reset Location & Privacy.
Will this delete pictures, texts, etc? No, this will just reset the phone remembering the computer when plugged in as well as location services settings.
- Plug in your kid's device and check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over USB now.
- If still no luck, then contact Apple Support.
Windows
- Unplug the child's iOS device from your computer.
- Unlock the child's device and go to the Home screen.
- Then plug in the device to the computer. If iTunes opens, close it.
- Right-click the
Start menu, then choose Device Manager.
- Locate and expand the 📱 Portable Devices section.
- Look for your connected device (such as Apple iPhone), then right-click on the device name and choose Update driver.
- Select Search automatically for updated driver software.
- After the software installs, right-click the
Start menu, then choose Settings.
- Click Update & Security.
- Check for updates and install all updates available, including any "optional" driver updates.
-
Restart your computer.
- Check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over USB now.
- If that still didn't work, try this:
- Unplug your child's iOS device.
- Open up Settings on your kid's device.
- Tap General.
- Tap on Reset (or "Transfer or Reset iPhone/iPad/iPod").
- Tap on Reset again if applicable.
- Tap Reset Location & Privacy.
Will this delete pictures, texts, etc? No, this will just reset the phone remembering the computer when plugged in as well as location services settings.
- Plug in your kid's device and check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over USB now.
- If still no luck, then contact Apple Support.