iOS device not detected over USB

Updated December 18, 2024 23:32

Paola Rivera

Interactive Troubleshooter

Here’s what to do if Bark isn’t detecting your child’s iOS device via USB.

Double check your home computer is turned on and awake.
Then, open up your parent app / dashboard.
- On the classic UI, tap Monitoring > Devices.
- On the new UI, tap on your kid > Devices.
Look for Connected to your home computer (or Bark Home).

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. If there is no prompt to tap Trust, you may have granted it already.
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 (or Bark Home) 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. 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.
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 (or Bark Home) 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.

Check out the detailed troubleshooting tab at the top of this article.

Mac

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.
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 only reset the device's memory of connected computers and devices, and it will reset location services settings.
Plug in your kid's device and check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over USB now. You may have to tap "Trust" on both the kid's device and your computer.
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 only reset the device's memory of connected computers and devices, and it will reset location services settings.
Plug in your kid's device and check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over USB now. You may have to tap "Trust" on both the kid's device and your computer.
If still no luck, then contact Apple Support.

Bark Home

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.
Check if a Windows or Mac computer can detect your kid's iPhone or iPad by using iTunes (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
- 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 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 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 and check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over USB now. You may have to tap "Trust" on both the kid's device.
If still no luck, then contact Bark Support.