iPhone doesn’t appear in Finder

by: Smilin-Brian

Last modified: Jan 20, 2026 7:03 AM

0 38 Last modified Jan 20, 2026 7:03 AM

Introduction

If you are facing issues accessing your iPhone in the Finder on your Mac, then these are my top tips that have helped many users over the years.

Try each part and see if it helps resolve your specific issue.

Let’s try a few different methods:

First, unplug the cable and check for dirt or damage
If everything looks good, then try plugging it into another port on your Mac

If that doesn’t work, then try the following methods on your Mac:

First, click the  menu (upper-left corner of the screen), then click Restart…
After your Mac restarts, plug your iPhone into your Mac and see if that solves the issue
If not, from the menu bar at the top of the screen, click Finder ➢ Settings…
Under the Finder Settings dialogue box, click Sidebar, then under Locations, make sure CDs, DVDs, and iOS Devices have a checkmark ✅
Press Command ➕ W to close the dialogue box
If that doesn’t help, then click the  menu (upper-left corner of the screen), then click Force Quit…
From the dialogue box, click Finder ➢ Relaunch
If that doesn’t help, then click the  menu (upper-left corner of the screen), then while holding down the option key, click System Information
Under Hardware, click USB and check if your iPhone shows up
If it doesn’t appear, then it could require service, however; let’s see if this issue happens in Safe Mode:

Unplug everything except the power cord from your Mac, then:

Shut down your Mac
Press and hold the power button on your Mac. As you continue to hold the power button, your Mac turns on and loads startup options. When you see Options, release the power button
Select your startup disk. It's named Macintosh HD, unless you changed its name
Press and hold the Shift key, then click the “Continue in Safe Mode” button below your startup disk
Log in to your Mac. You might be asked to log in again

If the issue doesn't continue in safe mode:

Leave safe mode by restarting your Mac normally, then try to reproduce the issue.

If the issue doesn't return, it might have been resolved by the other things that safe mode did at startup, such as checking your disk and clearing caches.

If none of those tips have not helped to resolve your specific issue, then let's proceed with additional resources: