iPhone should automatically come up with “Trust This Computer” pop-up, when it is connected to a MacBook or Windows computer for the first time and also if the need for a security handshake is triggered on a previously trusted device. The purpose of this security feature is to make sure that only trusted devices are allowed to access photos, contacts, messages and other data located on the local or internal storage of your iPhone.
Hence, if your iPhone is not coming up with “Trust this computer” pop-up, it won’t be able to allowed to communicate with the computer, which in-turn can prevent your device from syncing, transferring files and backing up its data to the computer.
Note: The missing “Trust this computer” pop-up, does not prevent iPhone from charging. The hardware pins that are responsible for data transfer are different from pins that carry electrical power (current & voltage).
Trust This Computer Not Showing Up on iPhone
In general, the most common reasons for an iPhone failing to come up with “Trust this computer” security pop-up are known to be the following.
- Previous Trust Settings: If you had recently tapped on “Don’t Trust” option (accidentally or unknowingly), your iPhone might be ignoring the untrusted computer.
- Connectivity issues: Broken cable, faulty or problematic USB port might be preventing iPhone from communicating with the computer.
- Outdated Software: If this issue is occurring on a Windows computer, it could be due to an outdated version of iTunes for Windows software being installed on the computer.
With this understanding, let us go ahead and take a look at the steps to fix the issue of “Trust This Computer” pop-up not appearing on iPhone.
1. Unlock iPhone
If your iPhone is protected with a Lock Screen passcode or Face ID, it won’t be able to come up with “Trust This Computer” pop-up, due to iOS security settings.
Hence, unlock your device by entering its Lock Screen passcode or Face ID and make sure the screen is awake; while you are plugging iPhone in to the computer.
2. Check the Cable
Make sure the cable is not bent, damaged or broken. Also, rule out the possibility of the cable being a charge only cable, which could be the case if it was recently bought from a gas station or a convenience store. In this case, switching to a certified Apple Cable or known data-transfer cable should fix the issue.
3. Disconnect & Re-plug into Computer
Unplug iPhone from the Computer > Wait for 30 seconds > Plug iPhone back into the Computer and see if it now comes up with “Trust This Computer?” pop-up.
As mentioned above, the problem could also be due to the USB Port of the computer being disabled or not working properly. Hence, plug iPhone into another USB Port and see if this helps in fixing the problem.
Related: Fix: USB Ports Not Working in Windows 11/10.
4. Check USB Accessory Setting
1. Go to Settings >Privacy & Security.
2. On the Privacy & Security screen, scroll down to “Security” section and tap on Wired Accessories.
3. On the next screen, make sure Automatically Allow When Unlocked is selected.
Note: If you are using an older version of iOS, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > go to “Accessories” section and make sure “Allow access when locked” is selected.
5. Update iTunes
If you are connecting iPhone to a Windows computer, make sure the most recent version of iTunes is installed on the computer.
1. Open iTunes on your Windows computer.
2. Once you are in iTunes, click on the Help tab in top-menu bar and click on Check for Updates option.
3. Wait for the computer to check and install the update on your computer (if available).
6. Reset Location and Privacy
If above methods did not help, you should be able to make your iPhone come up with “Trust this device” pop-up by clearing all the previously trusted computers from memory, causing the prompt to show up again.
1. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset.
2. On the pop-up, select Reset Location & Privacy option.
3. Enter your Lock Screen Passcode > On the confirmation pop-up, select Reset Settings to confirm.