Device not found
The phone is plugged in, it is charging, and the device list is empty. Work down this list; on Windows it is nearly always the first item.
1. Windows: install the Apple device driver
Section titled “1. Windows: install the Apple device driver”Windows ships no driver for iOS devices. Without it the device charges and does nothing else — no error, no entry, nothing.
Download the driver, unzip it, run the installer, then unplug and re-plug the device.
If you have iTunes or the Apple Devices app installed, the driver is already there — but a partial or blocked install of either can leave it broken. Reinstalling the driver on top is harmless.
2. Unlock the device
Section titled “2. Unlock the device”A locked device does not complete a pairing, and the trust prompt cannot be answered from the lock screen. Unlock it and leave it unlocked while you retry.
3. Answer the trust prompt
Section titled “3. Answer the trust prompt”iOS asks Trust This Computer? and then asks for the passcode. Both are required. If the prompt never appeared, it may have been dismissed earlier:
Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset Location & Privacy
This clears every stored pairing on the device. Re-plug afterwards and the prompt returns.
4. Try a different cable
Section titled “4. Try a different cable”A large share of USB cables carry power only. If the device charges but no computer has ever seen it on that cable, the cable is the answer. Use one you know carries data — Apple’s own, or one you have moved files over.
5. Try a different port
Section titled “5. Try a different port”- Prefer a port directly on the machine over a hub.
- On a desktop, try the back panel; front-panel headers are less reliable.
- USB 2 ports sometimes work where a USB 3 port does not, particularly on older machines.
6. Restart the pieces
Section titled “6. Restart the pieces”In this order, retrying after each: unplug and re-plug; restart KeyMob; restart the computer; restart the phone.
7. Check nothing else has the device
Section titled “7. Check nothing else has the device”Only one application can hold the device connection at a time. Close iTunes, Finder’s device view, the Apple Devices app, Xcode, and any other device tool, then retry.
8. Check the iOS version
Section titled “8. Check the iOS version”iOS 12 or later. Anything older is not supported.
Connected, but the app list is empty
Section titled “Connected, but the app list is empty”A different problem. The pairing worked. Refresh the list — and check the device did not lock while you were reading this, because a locked device stops answering most requests even though the connection stays up.
Wi-Fi connection drops
Section titled “Wi-Fi connection drops”Wi-Fi debugging needs both ends on the same network and needs the pairing to already exist. If the device moves to another network, or the network isolates clients from each other, the session ends. Re-pair on the cable and try again.
Still nothing
Section titled “Still nothing”Collect: your OS and version, the iOS version, the device model, whether the trust prompt ever appeared, and what the device list shows. That is enough for support to work with — see the FAQ for where to send it.