Itunes not showing iphone 5

Just uninstalled itunes and reinstalled but no effect.  Not sure of the relevance of the other software suggestions as that should not prevent itunes from recognising the device.  

When I plug my iphone in to the laptop, it Windows Explorer simply shows up with the device.  I also keep getting the message " DO you want to trust this computer" on my iphone - this should be a one time message but seems to keep appearing everytime I connect and disconnect the phone.

Try the following:

Open iTunes.

Sign in to your Apple ID by choosing Store > Sign In from the iTunes menu.

Choose Store > View My Account from the iTunes menu.

From the Account Information screen, click Manage Devices.

Now associate your phone with iTunes.

how do you associate a new phone (I have deleted one of 5 existing devices in there, many of them old names of devices no longer used)?

The times I have done this, I connect the iPhone to the computer by USB cable with iTunes running. Then I associate the connected phone.

but how are you associating it?  I see no option to associate it.

What happens in Account Information -> Manage Devices. That is where I recall I associated it. Did you connect by USB cable?

yes connected by usb.  As mentioned, windows explorer opens up when i connect it.
Is there a setting in the iphone or in windows which tells it to do one action whenever is connected?

When it is connected, go to iTunes and sign in to your Apple account  (you may not be signed in). What happens when you sign into iTunes?

I am looking at iTunes and my phone is plugged in by USB. I see Store in the menu bar, then

Authorize this computer
De-authorize this computer
Sign Out

So then you can Sign In here . At this point you should be able to associate the phone.

It is signed in already and I do see the same list as you.

So then go to Account Information (that was one of the options) and look at Manage Devices.

I will not go as far as to disassociate my own setup as a test. But I have associated phones before. I changed my own phone  a while back and when I plugged it in, it said it was a new phone and it delete the old one and added the new one. Apple has made this fairly automatic.

Is your phone jail broken?

No, not jail broken.  normal iphone setup. Is there anywhere else I have forgotten that switches off iphone and itunes connection by usb, anything in the iphone settings to connect via wifi etc instead of uSB?

On the iPhone, look in Settings About and see if all looks well there.

Can you take this phone to a Local Apple Store?  It should just find itself.

Also, turn the phone all the way off. Hold the Power Button until a menu shows "Slide to power off"  Power it off, wait a minute and restart it. Then connect it again.

ive just connected it to my mac book air and itunes sees it fine.....just not this win 10 laptop.

Back to reinstalling iTunes. You said "I reinstalled iTunes"  There are about 6 programs to remove to effect a complete uninstall. Did you remove all 6 first.

There may be something wrong with your Windows 10 upgrade.

hey presto its working now.  I didnt delete those other 6 but have done now and restarted and switched off phone and then restarted that too and installed itunes again and this time itunes asked me the appropriate questions to authorise access and now it shows up.

Thanks!

Good news!  I am glad it is working for you and I was pleased to help.