Is your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad constantly disconnecting and reconnecting when linked to your Mac or Windows computer via the Lightning or USB-C charging cable? If so, you are not alone! In this post, we offer some quick tips to get your iDevice connecting normally and consistently to your computer again!
Many of us rarely connect our iPad to our MacBook or PC. We update our iPads over the air and regularly backup our device into iCloud using wi-fi.
There are however times when you will need to connect your iPad to a computer to restore it, reset it to the factory settings or perform an iOS update via Finder (macOS Catalina+) or iTunes.
It can be frustrating when your iPad doesn’t connect to your MacBook or Windows PC.
Sometimes it just shows an error connecting to the device, and at other times, it connects and disconnects continuously.
If you are facing this issue with your iPad, the chances are that your USB cable may require an upgrade.
Does Your iPad Keep Disconnecting From Your Mac or Windows PC? How-To Fix
Charge your iPad, iPhone, or iPod before connecting to your computer
Make sure your device has at least 50% battery charge
Unplug all accessories from your computer except for your iPad/iPhone/iPod
Don’t charge your iPod from a computer’s USB port.
Restart your computer and your device and then try to connect again
Verify you use Apple-branded cables or Made for iPad cables
Please try a different Apple-certified MFI (made for iPhone/iPad./iPod) cable and see if this problem continues to happen
Many cheaper cables do not work, try to use your original cables that came with your device or an Apple-branded/MFI cable. Look for the following tags on the cable packaging
You might see a message on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod that the Accessory Not Supported when using defective, damaged, or non-MFI cables (not certified by Apple)
Flip the tip of lightning or USB-C connector
If the tip shows a logo, make sure the logo is facing up
MFI cables usually have the logo printed on one side only
Check your cable port on your iPad or use a different port, if available
This is the port that you use to connect your iPad to your MacBook / Computer using the USB cable
There could be dirt lodged in the port leading to improper contacts. Using a Q-tip, toothpick, interdental brush, or better yet, a Charge Port Cleaning Tool, gently clean the port area and the tips of the cable
Connect the cable and see if the problem is resolved
Verify the port you use has power
To check the USB port’s power, use a USB/USB-C voltmeter tool
Restart or force restart your iPad a few times before connecting it to the computer
For iPads with a Home Button: press and hold the home button and on/off key together on the iPad for 10 seconds or so till you see the Apple logo pop up on the screen. Once the iPad starts and displays the home screen, try to connect it to your computer and give it a try
For iPads with no Home Button: press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and immediately release the Volume Down button. Then, press and hold the Side button until you see the recovery mode screen
Reset Location and Privacy trust settings
If you have not connected your iPad to your computer in a while and the computer was updated with new software, there could be some trust settings issues.
In order to check and resolve this issue, Open your iPad, tap on Settings > General > Reset > Reset Location & Privacy
This process resets your location and privacy settings. The next time when you connect your iPad, it will ask you whether to trust this new setup. Confirm and move forward.
Use Terminal on a Mac
Open the Terminal app from Applications > Utilities
Enter the terminal command: sudo killall -STOP -c usbd
If your iPad is under warranty, there is a strong chance that they may provide you with a replacement.
We hope that you found these tips helpful and were able to fix this annoying issue on your iPad. Here at Appletoolbox, we recommend that you use iTunes on your computer to perform iOS updates on your iPad as opposed to over the air updates for your device.
Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.
Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.
In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.
Fixes devices connecting and disconnecting rapidly with iTunes
Made the script , just save to desktop
Open Automator —- Run AppleScript — Add Script — Save as application in Desktop
Enter System Preferences —- Go to User & Groups — Click on your User —- Login Items —- Add The Usb Fix . All Done
————————————————————
tell application “Terminal”
do script “sudo killall -STOP -c usbd”
delay 2
do script “Your Mac Password” in front window
delay 1
do script “killall Terminal” in front window
end tell
————————————————————
This happened a few months ago and I went 3 hours away to apple store and they swapped out my iPhone. After restore the phone and Mac worked fine. Now it started again today and I have done all the steps posted to fix but to no avail. And FYI to everyone who says just trust the phone from the computer it is an impossible task because the iPhone is disco and reconnecting every half second. You cannot click on trust for this reason. I know I am sick of it and this a situation I need it badly. I’ve worked on this all day. I’m ready to trash apple products and go back to android. This is complete bs. If apple knows it’s a problem then have your smart overpaid engineers fix the damn problem???!
This problem is most of the time due to the iPad not being completely charged. It can be solved by charging the device to 100% via the charger and then connecting.
Fixes devices connecting and disconnecting rapidly with iTunes
Made the script , just save to desktop
Open Automator —- Run AppleScript — Add Script — Save as application in Desktop
Enter System Preferences —- Go to User & Groups — Click on your User —- Login Items —- Add The Usb Fix . All Done
————————————————————
tell application “Terminal”
do script “sudo killall -STOP -c usbd”
delay 2
do script “Your Mac Password” in front window
delay 1
do script “killall Terminal” in front window
end tell
————————————————————
This happened a few months ago and I went 3 hours away to apple store and they swapped out my iPhone. After restore the phone and Mac worked fine. Now it started again today and I have done all the steps posted to fix but to no avail. And FYI to everyone who says just trust the phone from the computer it is an impossible task because the iPhone is disco and reconnecting every half second. You cannot click on trust for this reason. I know I am sick of it and this a situation I need it badly. I’ve worked on this all day. I’m ready to trash apple products and go back to android. This is complete bs. If apple knows it’s a problem then have your smart overpaid engineers fix the damn problem???!
I would discourage the use of a cotton tip when cleaning the port as fibers may become lodged inside.
If you do not have a nylon brush please let your local Authorised Apple service center clear it out for you.
Better to be safe than sorry.
This problem is most of the time due to the iPad not being completely charged. It can be solved by charging the device to 100% via the charger and then connecting.