I get a message "The File can't be found" when I plug in my iPhone via USB

Fwiw, I see these two message in the console each time I plug in my iPhone. The pop up a few seconds after the "File can't be found" message. Seems like too much of a coincidence to be unrelated.

sync> MISProvisioningProfileCheckValidity failed (-402620398 / 0xE8008012) for "C0***********************.mobileprovision"

They are from the AMPDevicesAgent / com.apple.AMPDevicesAgent

I mean this doesn't help you, but maybe that can help the specialists track down the problem.

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.

Yes, same for me. Also happens after iMac wakes from sleep. You will notice a question mark icon at the top right corner, if you click on that you get a blank window? Be nice to know which file is missing? Over to you - Apple.....

That worked ..... so it is like selecting the default app for the action "connect the iPhone", and it also lets you select to do nothing. Application association ....... sounds like something not checked when compiling the release version of Big Sur. Harmless but annoying..... shouldn't happen.

Perhaps you have to repeat the 'change of action' selection for the iPad?

i.e. Start with: Plug in iPad, and dismiss the popups.

Then open Image Capture, maybe add a step here: in the left panel, make sure the iPad is selected.

Then perhaps the (...) drop-down says "Connecting this iPad opens..."

and then selecting something will 'fix' your iPad plug-in, too?

Just guessing ; I don't have an iPad here.

Worked like a charm here too for the iPhone. On the iPad I selected to open with music, unplugged the iPad, closed all out and then again plugged in the iPad, music opened and followed by selecting image capture and changing to no application. This time plugging in the iPad worked like a charm too. I then had to repeat these steps with with the other iPhone and iPad in the home. Thanks to all of you!

Thank you so much for your advice!

I have even reinstalled the whole system on my iPhone X and got the same message by Finder. It was awful.

I really wish I could read your answer earlier...

I have just followed your proposed solution and that's fine now.

Thanks again. You have just saved my nervous system )))

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 getting this message also. When I opened a finder window I saw iPhone was there on the left panel. When I clicked on that, there was a button asking me if this was a trusted device. I clicked the Trust button, and now all is well. I now see the iPhone in Music and Photos.

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!

where exactly are you talking about when you say:

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’.

I don't know of any Image Capture application on my imac.

Thanks,

Glenn

This seems to have worked for me as well. Thank you. Seems like Apple should have known this was going to happen and set it up properly. Thank you again.

Never used, or even heard of, the Image Capture application.

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!

Thanks @yumster222. I just reread D.Cornelius's solution. I had missed the first instruction. Plug in the phone. That was pretty silly of me.

Now I followed the instructions: Plug in the phone, changed the IC start up app to Image Capture, unplugged phone, plugged it in again, changed the IC start up app to "no application", unplugged and plugged the phone in again and the annoying pop ups no longer appear.

Perhaps a missing default in the program's plist?