[Fixed] Mac Not Recognizing iPhone Issue
People use to share their photos, videos, music from iPhone to MacBook and vice-versa. The easiest way to connect an iPhone to the Mac device is to use a USB cable and plug it on both devices. Many iPhone users have complained that their Mac doesn’t recognize the iPhone.
It becomes difficult to create a sync between your iPhone and Mac whenever you notice Mac not recognizing the iPhone issue. No device is free from glitches, iPhone and Mac devices are no exception.
Well, if you have faced this error, then we have a piece of good news for you. You can get rid of this error easily, just by following this article.
Reasons Behind Mac Not Recognizing iPhone:
You should know the reasons behind this menace. The reasons help to overcome the error easily. If you know the reason, you can use the right solution at just the error point and the device will overcome the error readily.
Check out which reasons can trouble you with Mac not recognizing the iPhone issue.
- Software issues on Mac device
- Software issues on the iPhone
- Faulty lightning cable or lightning port of the iPhone
These are the known causes behind this minor error. Well, you can notice the error more often when you launch iTunes on the Mac device and connect it to the iPhone.
It shows you an error message on the Mac device: “iTunes could not connect to this device. You do not have permission.”
Top 8 Solutions to Fix Mac Not Recognizing iPhone Issue:
You should make sure that you fix this error with full-proof solutions. That’s why we have arranged numerous solutions to get rid of the error on your Mac device. All the fixes are effective and duly tested by worldwide users. Let’s get started.
Fix 1: Update your macOS
Have you updated your macOS recently? Have you updated your iPhone recently? If the answers to these two questions are ‘No’ and ‘Yes’ respectively, then it’s time to update the macOS.
Due to the outdated macOS, you can get problems with your iPhone device. Usually, the users get this issue when trying to connect it to the updated iPhone. Follow the instructions below to update the macOS.
- Click on the Apple menu at the top left screen of your MacBook. Then expand the System Preferences option.
- Choose the Software Updates option. It will check if there is any update pending on your macOS.
- If it finds any updates, then you can observe an option like Update Now. Click on that option to get the macOS fully updated till the date.
After the update is downloaded, select the Install option to install the updates on the macOS. Now, you can again try to connect the iPhone to your Mac and check if the error still persists.
Fix 2: Double-Check the Connection
When it comes to an error while connecting two devices, it is always advised to double-check the connections between them. That’s why we have mentioned this fix. You can have a look at the below steps if they solve the error on your Mac device.
- Check whether the USB connection is not loose. Plug the USB tightly to both your iPhone and Mac devices.
- You can connect the devices using a different USB cable. Maybe the problem has occurred due to the faulty USB cable.
- You should check the lightning port of the iPhone you are using. Dust may clog the port and can cause this error, consequently.
- Try a different USB port on your Mac.
You can simply avoid the error by applying all these simple hacks. Check if the error disappears now.
Fix 3: Ensure that the iOS Device is Turned on
You can’t connect the iPhone or any iOS device to the Mac unless the device is turned on. Make sure that the device is turned on and the home screen is appearing on that device. If you missed this activity, then immediately turn on the home screen on the iPhone.
Check if it resolves the Mac not recognizing the iPhone issue. If not, then continue to the below steps.
Fix 4: Ensure that the Device is Unlocked
Basically, you can’t connect a Mac device to a locked iPhone. You can’t activate the permission message on your iPhone if it is locked while you connect it to the Mac device. You have to unlock the iPhone to get access to use it on the Mac device.
This fix is really helpful when you are performing this silly mistake. Check if unlocking the iPhone helps you to recover the error.
Fix 5: Uninstall Third-party Antivirus
You can use this hack to get rid of the error after you have tried all the above fixes and found them helpless. If you have any third-party antivirus software installed on your Macbook, then you need to disable it.
Sometimes, third-party antiviruses impose unnecessary restrictions on the connection of devices. You can disable the antivirus for a certain time. Check whether the disabling helps to connect the iPhone and the Mac. Moreover, you can reactivate the antivirus software when you are done.
We don’t recommend to disable the antivirus software for a long time because it can harm your system when you are online.
Fix 6: Restart Both the Devices
When all the above fixes are not working to solve the error, you can opt for this fix. You can restart your iPhone. Similarly, perform a reboot on your Mac device. Restart can help you fix such minor errors.
After restarting both the devices, you can connect them using the USB cable. Check if the error persists still now.
Fix 7: Reinstall the iTunes Application
If you have dealt with the problem while launching iTunes over the Mac, then you can give this fix a try. You need to follow the instructions below to get the full updated iTunes on your device.
- Quit the iTunes app. Remove all the connections between the iPhone and the Mac device.
- Visit the official site of Apple where you get the updated version of iTunes.
- Download and install that update on your Mac device. Then connect the iPhone to the Mac device.
- Click on the Install button if you can see a message box like “A software update is required to connect to this device”.
Now, your system has updated iTunes. Check if it has resolved the error.
Fix 8: Update your iPhone
Your iPhone might need an update. The outdated iPhone can’t cooperate with updated macOS and iTunes. Consequently, you might be dealing with the Mac doesn’t recognize the iPhone issue.
Go to the Settings app on your iPhone and check if there are any updates available under the Update option. If you can find available updates, then download them and restart your iOS device.
Now, you can try to connect the iPhone to the Mac device and make sure that the connection is glitch-free.
Concluding Note
Hopefully, you have found that useful hack that worked for your iPhone and Mac device. Please share your queries and feedback through the comments section. If you are unable to solve the Mac not recognizing iPhone issue, then reach us by using the same comments section.
We will try to overcome them with our best possible answers. You can share your own improved solutions via the same comments section.