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!
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
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)
Open up administrative tools
After you open Administrative Tools double click the Services icon to bring up the services manager
Open up services
V’oila, the services manager appears — now, find the service in the list entitled “Apple Mobile Device”
Open up the apple mobile device service
Double click that and you will see this screen:
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 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.
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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23 Responses to “How to Fix the iPhone “Apple Mobile Device has not been started” Error”
Leave a Reply
Jeff on July 16th, 2009
ha nice thanks man this is helpful
cheers
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
.
Freerad on August 18th, 2009
Genius, thanks man!!! Saved me hours
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….
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.”
eileen on December 8th, 2009
It really works!!! thanks a lot
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!
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
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.
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
Kin on March 1st, 2010
Thank u so much much much much.
Your post is very useful :]]
Gary on March 29th, 2010
Thanks, I was driving my self NUTS!
again Thanks
Manisha on April 14th, 2010
Thank you, Daddy. I fixed it.
Logan on April 16th, 2010
great job!
Marina on April 22nd, 2010
THANK YOU for such clear explanations with screenshots! It is so great to have people like you who care about others!!!!!
Gordon on April 22nd, 2010
tried this a million times without success.
does it matter that the PC isn’t connected to the internet? can’t see why it should, as itunes seems happy enough to see and talk to my ipod, only iphone is the problem.
Supaman on April 26th, 2010
U da man dawg…mad props
bryan on April 28th, 2010
@Gordon, nope, it should work just fine.
@Supaman, haha thanks man.
@Marina, you’re welcome!
jeff on June 4th, 2010
BTW, don’t have Apple Mobile Device in your Services list? Can’t get it to install (even after 3 attempts? I’m talking to you user “youarestupid”…grow up). Try disabling ALL your Norton and Windows security software so the Apple installer can get its job done. Once iTunes (and QuickTime) are correctly installed, you can re-enable the protection.
smokweed on June 20th, 2010
thanks bro, helped alot.
DaddySux on June 23rd, 2010
Daddy’s fix did nothing for me. I do not have windows firewall on, i do not have software firewall or antivirus software installed, but, yet, I still get this error, and when i try starting the service it gives me this:
Windows could not start the Appme Mobile Device service on Local Computer.
Error 1067: The process terminated unexpectedly.
I have reinstalled iTunes, but it still will NOT start the service. Any ideas boy genius?
bryan on June 24th, 2010
What version of windows are you guys running? As you can tell this is for Windows XP.
bjk on July 18th, 2010
thank you