Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iPhone error message, "This accessory is not made to work with iPhone"

has anyone received this error message, "this accessory is not made to work with iphone"? every time i use my iphone, for whatever reason, i get this message. i just cancel it and go on with what i was doing but it gets very annoying to have to deal with it every time i want to use the phone.

Posted on Dec 9, 2007 9:45 AM

Reply
17 replies

Jan 20, 2011 12:51 PM in response to jmlawler13

my phone just started having this same issue. it prompt me that an accessory is not made to work with iphone every few minutes, even though nothing has been attached. i also hit cancel and go about my business... but it's a drag to have to say "cancel" all the time. furthermore, it shuts off the "lock" and "unlock" sounds, yet the phone still rings and operates correctly.

Jan 20, 2011 12:51 PM in response to peeble

Uh-oh!

My iPhone just started up "all by itself". The error message "this accessory..."

The iPod works with headphones, but no speaker. The phone rings, works, everything else is OK, but no startup sound nor keyboard clicks, and other oddities.

I first tried a reboot, then a reset, then a restore. Then, I found this thread after checking a bit more. Tried a bit of ProGold contact cleaner on the dock connector and the phones. Nothing seems to work with any consistency.

Jan 20, 2011 12:50 PM in response to TheStone

I tried rebooting and blowing out the spot where the charging/syncing cable attach. No luck. The message still comes up.

I've never used any accessory with the iPhone other than the cables and the earphones that came with the device. So I don't know what accessory it could be talking about.

The message started coming up by itself, for no apparent reason. It seems like the message runs my battery down if I don't manually turn off the phone.

Very annoying.

Jan 20, 2011 12:51 PM in response to Tedsterr

Tedsterr,

It sounds like you have made a good effort at making sure it is clear of any lint, moisture or debris. At this point I would recommend seeing about getting your iPhone repaired.

You can make an appointment with the Genius bar at an Apple Retail Store near you from this link:
http://www.apple.com/retail/

Alternatively, you can contact AppleCare to see about getting your iPhone mailed in for repair.

Hope this helps,

Nathan C.

Jan 20, 2011 12:52 PM in response to Nathan C

Hi Nathan

Well, I had hiked about 10 miles in the mist and snow that day. I had iPhone in my fleece jacket, and I think it got more humidity/moisture from me than anything else. When I was drifting off to sleep - I noticed a light glowing from my computer desk. "Hey - what's that??"

My iPhone was on! And, it kept prompting me with that blasted error message. It wouldn't power down, it kept turning itself on. When I removed the iPhone from the rubber case, it was then I noticed a couple drops of water in the case. Then I thought of the days hike.. and realized (I think) that I was seeing the effects of some kind of short circuiting. The intermittent, erratic operation seemed to point that way.

Anyhoo, after the contact cleaning, the problems were still there by about 1230 or 1 in the morning, and I wasn't too happy. But to make a long story longer, by morning the phone worked perfectly, and has so ever since!

Jan 20, 2011 12:52 PM in response to jmlawler13

this is happening to me now, and i can't get the message to stop popping up. i brought it to the genius bar and they told me that they can't fix it because the problem is a result of water damage.

my request is this: if anyone from apple reads this, please edit the software so that we can turn off that annoying message! my phone works perfectly fine, but that message is not only annoying, it also kills the battery. if i could just turn it off, everything would be perfectly fine.

also, if anyone has any tips for cleaning out the area where on the bottom of the phone, please forward them to me. thanks.

Jan 20, 2011 12:53 PM in response to jmlawler13

Hello Everybody,

I got a resolution. Went to an Apple Store and they replaced the hardware right away. Apparently there is a known problem with the early devices that can't be fixed with software.

Unfortunately, the phone support people don't seem to know about this. So I went through the whole song and dance with restarting, rebooting, reinstalling the software and restoring with a Case number all for nothing.

Fortunately, the Genius Bar people are very aware of the problem and very competent in helping you out. I spent at least a quarter of the time actually getting the problem resolved at the Apple store than I spent on the phone.

<Edited by Moderator>

If you see the "This accessory is not made to work with iPhone" message, I recommend going to an Apple store directly. Unless you like to chat with the phone support people.

Jan 20, 2011 12:53 PM in response to Devans00

Devans00,

First, I can understand if you feel frustrated at troubleshooting your issue over the phone that turned out to be a hardware issue.

However, the message can also show up because of software issues, and a restore is recommended. Had you not already done the software troubleshooting over the phone, the Genius bar should have done the restore. Since you had already done that over the phone, and it was documented for the Mac Genius to reference, it wouldn't have been necessary at the store.

In other words because the right hand had already taken those steps with you, the left hand could skip the software troubleshooting.

Hope this helps,

Nathan C.

Jan 20, 2011 12:53 PM in response to Devans00

I solved this problem. It was due to lint wedged up in the dock connector port. The connector port on the phone should be black and silver. There should be no white. Lint from my pocket had formed a bar along the upper side of the connector bar. I wouldn't blow out. I thought it was a felt pad until it turned light blue, from the build up of jean stained tissue. I powered the phone off and used a small paper clip to lightly drag the tissue out. The problem was solved when I powered back on. I had tried restarting before and it didn't work. The tissue was the issue.

I used to put my iphone in my pocket top up. The connector on the bottom gathered lint this way. I now put the phone in my pocket top down. This has two benefits. First, you don't get lint in the dock. Second, and most important, when the headphone hole is facing down it can't claim pieces of you fingers.

The back side of the hole is razor sharp and functions as a mandolin, shearing off slices of finger when hands are hastily plunged into pockets. . . . blood smeared touch screen . . . . no need to burn those finger prints off. . .

I don't understand the purpose of this sharp edged recess. Can the iphone run on blood?

iPhone error message, "This accessory is not made to work with iPhone"

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.