By Hally | Last Updated
“When I am trying to back up my iPhone to the Windows computer, this prompt comes: iTunes cannot read the contents of the iPhone. Go to the Summary tab in iPhone preferences and click Restore to restore this iPhone to factory settings. When I clicked on the OK button, it only allows restoring the iPhone. Why this happens and how to solve it? Help!”
When connecting the iPhone to a computer for a data backup, you got such iTunes error message stating that iTunes cannot read the contents of your iPhone. How could you resolve this issue? In this article, we will deep into the reasons why this error happens and how to solve the iTunes error and finish iPhone backup.
When you search this iTunes error online, you cannot find any solutions from Apple official website. But most professionals say it is a software-related problem. The possible reasons could be:
1. iTunes is out of date or installed improperly.
If the iTunes is not properly updated or installed, you might get this error message. There might be previous installation components of iTunes that lead to this error.
2. Some files on your iPhone stop iTunes reading your iPhone content.
There might be the incorrectly written files by third party software or the corrupted iPhone files that prevents iTunes reading the iPhone content.
3.The iPhone is jailbroken.
The jailbroken iPhone will always get such error message as its CYDIA or applications would try to rectify the iPhone files during this time.
There are four solutions for you to fix iTunes cannot read the contents of your iPhone issue.
If the iTunes is not the latest one, you can update the iTunes and then reconnect the iPhone to your computer for iPhone data backup. To update iTunes to the latest version, you can launch iTunes and then click on Help option to select Check for Updates. Afterward, you can follow the on-screen steps to update iTunes.
If there is no update for your iTunes, you can close the iTunes and then uninstall it.
Uninstall iTunes on Windows 10: Open the Control Panel and the choose Programs and Features. Then, select iTunes and hit Uninstall. You just need to wait for the uninstallation to be finished.
Reinstall iTunes on Windows 10: Go to iTunes official website and download the set up program to your computer. After downloading, double-click the program and then follow the instruction to install it.
If this error is caused by the corrupted files on your iPhone, you can do some modification to the iPhone content. In this way, you can force iTunes to rebuild the database of your iPhone data. A simple action such as deleting photo stream pictures can do that for you.
To fix iTunes cannot read the content of the iPhone error; you can restore your iPhone to its original factory settings. In this way, you can wipe the files that stop iTunes reading your iPhone data. To erase iPhone data, you need to disconnect the iPhone and then access Settings > General > Tranfer or Reset iPhone> Erase all contents and settings.
Then click Continue > Erase iPhone to confirm. After the resetting, you can reconnect the iPhone to Windows computer to check whether this issue is solved or not.
When you get the iTunes cannot read the contents of the iPhone prompt, it will ask you to restore the iPhone to factory settings via the Restore button. Yes, you can fix this iTunes error with the Restore. But all data will be erased on the iPhone.
Step 1: Click the OK button on the iTunes error prompt.
Step 2: Click the Restore iPhone button to restore iPhone to its original settings.
Step 3: Click Restore and Update button to confirm your choice.
Step 4: Click Next and the Agree button to pop-out message.
Step 5: Minutes later, you can get the successful prompt. After that, iTunes can successfully detect your iPhone and access its contents.
When iTunes does not recognize your iPhone or cannot read the contents on your iPhone, is there any easy way to fix this iTunes issues without losing any iPhone data? Yes, iSunshare iOS Repair Genius can help to fix almost 200 iTunes errors and issues without causing any data loss to the iOS devices.
Now you can free download the latest version of iOS Repair Genius and install it on your Windows or Mac.
Step 1: Open iOS Repair Genius and choose iTunes Repair option on the main interface.
Step 2: Select the Repair iTunes Connection Issues to fix this error.
Step 3: When your iPhone is connected to the computer and the screen lock is unlocked, you can hit the Start button to proceed.
Step 4: Soon, the repairing process is on the way. Wait patiently and you will get the successful message in the end.
If you cannot fix the iTunes cannot read the content of the iPhone error, you can try to find an alternative way to back up iPhone to your Windows computer. iSunshare iSyncGenius is one of the iTunes alternative tools that provides a better user experience than iTunes. You need to have the latest iTunes installed on your Windows PC but there is no need to run iTunes. After that, you can sync iPhone data to Windows PC by following the steps below:
Step 1: Download and install iSunshare iSyncGenius app on your computer. Meanwhile, connect the iPhone to your computer. If it pop outs the Trust prompt, tap Trust This Computer.
Step 2: Click Next after the software recognizes your iPhone.
Step 3: All Backup is selected by default. You can change to Classified backup if needed. Also, you can save the backup file to anywhere on your Windows computer by clicking the Choose button. Then click the Start button to continue.
Step 4: When the backup process ends, you can easily find the backup files on your save path.
Hope you can fix iTunes cannot read the content of the iPhone error effortless without data loss.
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