How to Fix the iPhone “Apple Mobile Device has not been started” Error

You plug in your iPhone to transfer some sick beats, a few videos, maybe a picture or two of someone that loves you and Windows brings down the pain with a retarded error message. Don’t get all pissed off. Get all fixed…off?

Daddy can fix this!

cannot-be-started

Apple Mobile Device has not been started error

So here’s the deal, instead of Windows just starting the service on the event that an iPhone/iPod is plugged in via USB to your PC they want to make you loathe the machine and manually enable it yourself. I can’t remember the last PC I didn’t have to enable this stupid service on. This isn’t a tutorial about Windows services so don’t ask. It was painful enough to bring myself to write this article

Open up the Control panel
Start > Control panel

control-panel-open

Open up the control panel

After you opened the control panel you want to open the Administrative Tools
(WTF Note: If you don’t see Administrative Tools in the list of icons under your Control panel click “Switch to Classic view” on the top left)

administrative-tools

Open up administrative tools

After you open Administrative Tools double click the Services icon to bring up the services manager

services

Open up services

V’oila, the services manager appears — now, find the service in the list entitled “Apple Mobile Device

mobile-select

Open up the apple mobile device service

Double click that and you will see this screen:

dropdown

Change from "Disabled" to "Automatic"

It should automatically open up as “disabled” if it isn’t disabled, then I don’t know wtf you’re doing here. Anyways, as you can see we want to change it from “Disabled” to “Automatic” or “Manual” — I’m going with automatic. After you do that, click “Apply” on the bottom right and you should see some voodoo like this happening:

start-device

Start the Apple Mobile Device service

After that, you’re essentially done and you have “fixed” the problem.

Finally, your Apple Mobile Device HAS been started.

You can close all the Windows.

started

Finished!

Be sure to unplug and re-plug in your iPhone/iPod!

Quick capsule summary

  • Start menu  > Control Panel
  • Drink.
  • Administrative Tools > Services
  • Find “Apple Mobile Device” and Double-click
  • Change “Startup type” from Disabled to “Automatic”
  • Click apply on the bottom right
  • Drink heavily.
  • Start the service
  • drnk hvly…

There. Now your shits not weak.

MMmmMm foot,
Bryan

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11 Responses to “How to Fix the iPhone “Apple Mobile Device has not been started” Error”

  1. Jeff  on July 16th, 2009

    ha nice thanks man this is helpful
    cheers

  2. tom  on August 9th, 2009

    I don’t have applemobiledevicehelper in services. where can I download this? I have already reinstalled itunes– still don’t have the file

    .

  3. Freerad  on August 18th, 2009

    Genius, thanks man!!! Saved me hours

  4. Rehab  on October 29th, 2009

    hi gyz…i tried all the things to get my itouch conected with itunes but nothing happened….the still same problem “the ipod cannot be used becauz the Apple Mobile Device is not Started”….then i Go to Start : Run : type: services.msc
    Then go to the service Apple mobile device and press start it was stoped when i click on start “windows could not start the apple mobile device service on local computer

    error2:the sstem cannot find the file specified” what can i do now….i m using windows vista ultimate sp2…..
    plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz help….

  5. zap  on November 8th, 2009

    No. AMD cannot be started. Message “The AMD service on Local Computer started & then stopped. Some services stop automatically if they have no work to do, for example, the Performance Logs and Alerts service.”

  6. eileen  on December 8th, 2009

    It really works!!! thanks a lot

  7. rEnaTiuX  on December 12th, 2009

    It happened the same thing that showed to zap.

    The AMD service on Local Computer started & then stopped. Some services stop automatically if they have no work to do, for example, the Performance Logs and Alerts service.”

    Has someone found a way to fix this issue? This sucks!

  8. rEnaTiuX  on December 12th, 2009

    Hey I found a way! Disable your firewall, I had Mcafee and when I stopped it I could start the apple mobile device service!

    Now it works

  9. bryan  on December 19th, 2009

    Yeah. I’d say if you can’t find the service in device manager — reinstall iTunes to the latest version. Don’t upgrade, reinstall.
    Be sure you have windows firewall disabled (I don’t know why you would have it enabled anyway… it’s worthless)
    If you guys continue to have problems include your operating system in your comment and what service pack you’re running. Maybe someone on the post frequently can help more.

    Thanks.

  10. youarestupid  on January 31st, 2010

    It says it can’t find the file in my computer i reinstalled itunes still doesn’t work I HATE YOU APPLE

  11. Kin  on March 1st, 2010

    Thank u so much much much much.

    Your post is very useful :]]


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