Interactive Troubleshooter
Text Instructions
Here's what to do if Bark isn't detecting your child's iOS device via USB.
Check that your child's device is turned on.
If using the computer or Bark Home method, also make sure your child's device is unlocked.Check that your computer, Bark Sync, or Bark Home is turned on.
If using the computer method, make sure your computer doesn't go to sleep.See if Bark can detect your child's iOS device.
From your parent dashboard, tap on your child, tap on Devices at the top, tap on their device name, then look for Connected to Bark Sync, computer, or Bark Home.If the device is detected, click Analyze.
Check your child's iOS device for a 'Trust This Computer' prompt.
If using the computer or Bark Home method, they may also need to enter their lock screen passcode each time a scan begins (unlike the Bark Sync, which handles this automatically).
Still not detected? Select your setup below.
If using a Windows PC
Start with the first step below and follow the steps in order.
Check the basics
Make sure your child's iOS device is turned on and unlocked.
If you see a Trust this Computer message, unlock the device and tap Trust. If there is no prompt to tap Trust, you may have granted it already.
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).
🤔 Don't see this? Then, you've blocked it via Apple Screen Time. Temporarily enable it via Settings > Screen Time > Content and Privacy Restrictions > Touch ID/Passcode changes. Then, you can disable it again later!
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.
🤔 Don't see this? Then, look for the Wired Accessories setting in Settings > Privacy & Security instead.
Plug in your kid's device and check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over USB now.
If still no luck, 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.
If it's still not detected, move on down to the next step.
Reset Location & Privacy on your child's device
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 only reset the device's memory of connected computers and devices, and it will reset location services settings.
Plug in your kid's device. You may have to tap "Trust" on both the kid's device and your computer.
On the top right of your dashboard, tap the +📱 button.
Select Set up Monitoring > Apple/iOS to set it up again.
It should now detect it over USB during the setup.
If it's still not detected, move on down to the next step.
Update your drivers and Windows software
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.
Do you see the connected device (such as Apple iPhone)?
If you do, that's a great sign! Move on to the next step.
If you don't, it means the device isn't being detected by your computer at all — it's not just Bark. Contact Apple Support.
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 using a Mac
Start with the first step below and follow the steps in order.
Check the basics
Make sure your child's iOS device is turned on and unlocked.
If you see a Trust this Computer message, unlock the device and tap Trust. If there is no prompt to tap Trust, you may have granted it already.
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).
🤔 Don't see this? Then, you've blocked it via Apple Screen Time. Temporarily enable it via Settings > Screen Time > Content and Privacy Restrictions > Touch ID/Passcode changes. Then, you can disable it again later!
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.
🤔 Don't see this? Then, look for the Wired Accessories setting in Settings > Privacy & Security instead.
Plug in your kid's device and check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over USB now.
If still no luck, 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.
If it's still not detected, move on down to the next step.
Reset Location & Privacy on your child's device
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 only reset the device's memory of connected computers and devices, and it will reset location services settings.
Plug in your kid's device. You may have to tap "Trust" on both the kid's device and your computer.
If your kid has an iPhone on iOS 17.3+ and has enabled Stolen Device Protection, it may be unable to trust computer without your child's Face ID. Wait until you're able to use their Face ID or review this information on adjusting that setting.
On the top right of your dashboard, tap the +📱 button.
Select Set up Monitoring > Apple/iOS to set it up again.
It should now detect it over USB during the setup.
If it's still not detected, move on down to the next step.
Check Finder settings
Open
Finder.
Look at the top menu bar and select Preferences or Settings.
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. Contact Apple Support.
If using Bark Home
Start with the first step below and follow the steps in order.
Check the basics
Make sure your child's iOS device is turned on and unlocked.
If you see a Trust this Computer message, unlock the device and tap Trust. If there is no prompt to tap Trust, you may have granted it already.
Using a USB-C adapter to plug in your kid's iPhone or iPad into the Bark Home? Double check that it can transfer data. Some adapters can only be used for charging, not data transfer.
Try plugging it in with a different cable to see if that works.
Unplug your child's device, and open their Settings app.
Navigate to Touch/Face ID and Passcode (or simply Passcode).
🤔 Don't see this? Then, you've blocked it via Apple Screen Time. Temporarily enable it via Settings > Screen Time > Content and Privacy Restrictions > Touch ID/Passcode changes. Then, you can disable it again later!
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.
🤔 Don't see this? Then, look for the Wired Accessories setting in Settings > Privacy & Security instead.
Plug in your kid's device and check whether Bark can detect it over USB now.
If still no luck, restart your Bark Home and your child's iPhone or iPad, then check again.
Install software updates on your kid's device, then check again.
If it's still not detected, move on down to the next step.
Reset Location & Privacy on your child's device
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 only reset the device's memory of connected computers and devices, and it will reset location services settings.
Plug in your kid's device to Bark Home. You may have to tap "Trust" on the kid's device.
If your kid has an iPhone on iOS 17.3+ and has enabled Stolen Device Protection, it may be unable to trust computer without your child's Face ID. Wait until you're able to use their Face ID or review this information on adjusting that setting.
On the top right of your dashboard, tap the +📱 button.
Select Set up Monitoring > Apple/iOS to set it up again.
It should now detect it over USB during the setup.
If it's still not detected, move on down to the next step.
Check if a computer can detect the device
If the computer detects your kid's device over USB, unplug it from the computer.
Plug in your kid's device to Bark Home and check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over USB now.
If using Bark Sync
Open up your parent app / dashboard.
Tap on your child > Devices.
Select their iPhone or iPad in the list to review the current status of the Bark Sync.
Not seeing their iOS device on the list? Get it set up.
If you don't see it connected:
Verify the Bark Sync's LED light is solid blue.
Verify you're using the provided Bark cable.
Verify the Bark Kids app is set up on your child's device.
Unplug the cable from both ends and plug it in again.
Got it fixed?
If you're using the computer or Bark Home method, check that it's now detected over Wi-Fi so that future scans can happen wirelessly.
If you reset location settings, verify that the Bark Kids app still has permission to access your child's location while they're on-the-go.
Still not fixed?
Check to see if it's one of these common errors.