When I connect my iPhone to my MacBook Pro via USB I get the message "The file can't be found" and I have to click "Ok" before the phone mounts in finder. This has only occurred since updating to Big Sur 11.0.1 and it doesn't seem to cause any other problems but is mildly inconvenient.
Anyone else experience this?
MacBook Pro
For me, this was fixed (from Apple Support):
Plug in iPhone (and, sure, dismiss the pop-ups).
Open up the Image Capture application.
In the … (circle w/ dots) to left of trash can icon.
Click on the dots, and, in the drop-down for ‘Connecting this iPhone opens:’
select ‘Other’.
In the ‘Finder’-like file navigator,
Use the left panel to select the Applications folder,
and then, in the right panel, select Image Capture.
Then, in the lower right of the navigator window…
click the ‘Choose’ button.
Close the Image Capture application (CMD-Q)
Try plugging the phone in again. It should launch Image Capture, and
put up thumbnails of your photos.
If you don’t want that to happen…
Try re-doing the drop down for what to do upon connection…
and select ‘no application’
Oddly: that’s probably where it was set when you started this cleanup!
For me… nothing happens on plug in now! Just the way it was supposed to be!
And the pop-ups… they’re gone, too!
... at least... that all worked for me. on Big Sur 11.0.1 // iPhone6 12.4.9
I had NO IDEA that you can do that!! Thank you for your help!!
Exactly the same issue here.
Every time I plug in my iPad Pro to iMac (late 2015) I get 2 Finder "The file can't be found" messages.
I do not have an issue with my iPhone, and the problem also does not happen with my MacBook Pro
IMac Late 2015, same issue since upgrading to Big Sur and plugging in either iPhone 11 or iPad air II. It has been awakening me in the middle of the night with "The File can't be found." I'll turn off the volume for now and happily await an update.
Thank you so much also.. I have spent agonizing days , 2 weeks, trying to search for the elusive Missing file. Really I thought it was trying to load up an app, or associated file, couldn't find it, and that's what you end up with. This problem, and another problem (your computer was restarted because of a problem, kernel panic attacks still being plagued by that one), prompted me to do a fresh install, then I had to migrate from ™ backup. I still ended up with the same problems after all that work. You have helped eliminate one of them, Can't find file. I'm afraid kernel panic attack will take forever to sort out, because troubleshooting really involves lots more. For now, I think that problem involves external monitor, and Energy saver settings. Sorry to digress, thought I would just mention
I was having the same problem, but only when connecting my Ipad 10.5 to my Imac which is using Big Sur 11.0.1. I followed your complete instructions and it eliminated the double can't find finder messages! Thanks!
Use Spotlight to find it. Upper right hand corner, Magnifying Glass. Typ in "Image Capture", you will see it. I'm not sure if it has a different name in localized versions of Mac OS. I can also see the app in Launchpad. The icon looks like this:
Thanks, it worked and fixed both my iPhone X and iPad Pro (iPadOS14.2)!
When I tried the steps on my iPhone, it seemed to have fixed my iPad also, it stopped bringing up "The file can't be..." message. Thanks for sharing!
These issues should be fixed with upgrades, it's 2020 and Apple still won't let anyone use anything without asking for help first. They still have no spam filter on mail either. I am so tired of this ineptitude now.
Thank you for giving a really helpful answer!
I just got a Macbook Air 2020 running Big Sur. They did an update last night from 11.0 to 11.1. I am running an iPhone 5s 12.4.9.
I have never had an issue syncing my 5s with my MacBook Pro High Sierra which the MacBook Air replaces.
Today I plugged my phone in and I too have this annoying pop up but some of the guidance here does not jibe.
For instance Open Image Capture using the three dots beside the trash. What three dots? There aren't any so I went into Launch Pad opened it.
When I plugged in my phone I got The file cannot be found window which I cleared.
The phone showed up as locked so I clicked on it and up came my pictures on my phone.
I disconnected the phone, repeated the process and it came up the same.
The point is I don't want this to happen. If I plug into my MacBook Air then all I want it to do maybe to sync music or just simply charge while I work.
This falls under another of the geek mantras. We do stuff because we can, not because it adds value and to annoy the users we will make it a case they must figure out how to opt out.
You don't see the dots if the phone is not connected to the Mac. Connect your device, and launch Image Capture.
This is what you see when NO device is attached to the Mac:
Then, with the device connected .... can you see the cirle with the three dots ....?
The things you saw before in iTunes, you will find the same things now in finder, when you connect your iPhone to your Mac using a lightning cable. Look on the left hand site at "Locations" to see your iPhone in finder.
I am having the same problem after updating to Big Sur. When i connect iphone 7 plus to macbook pro 13 (early 2015), it throws file not found error.
I am having same issue. It is maddening. Big Sur has LOTS of bugs. When and how to resolve this??
I have this problem also.
My IMac ITunes file is located in the music file. In the left hand column in music you will find the ITunes Store. Hope that helps.
I get a message "The File can't be found" when I plug in my iPhone via USB
