Need to unlock iPhone when syncing with Mac

Now days, I have to unlock my iPhone by entering my passcode every time I connect a lightning cable and sync it with my Mac … and I could swear that I didn't used to have to do that.


Has something changed, or am I misremembering?


Anyone know how to get the iPhone and Mac to trust one another permanently?

iMac 27″ 5K, macOS 13.1

Posted on Dec 23, 2022 2:38 PM

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Posted on Dec 24, 2022 7:35 AM

Apple changed the way that worked because of a recently discovered vulnerability that would allow a hacker to create an unprotected backup of an iOS device without the knowledge of the owner, so Apple add a requirement to always require a passcode to be entered on the phone before backing up to a computer. This to assure that the backup was intentional.


If you want details you can find them in these two links:



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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 24, 2022 7:35 AM in response to Big Iron

Apple changed the way that worked because of a recently discovered vulnerability that would allow a hacker to create an unprotected backup of an iOS device without the knowledge of the owner, so Apple add a requirement to always require a passcode to be entered on the phone before backing up to a computer. This to assure that the backup was intentional.


If you want details you can find them in these two links:



Dec 27, 2022 1:54 PM in response to Bob Timmons

I turned on the auto sync option, and even then it asked for a passcode.


There appears to no longer be a way to force a trust between the iPhone and Mac.


Unfortunately, it sometimes takes a while for the iPhone and Mac to begin negotiations, and it's pretty easy to think the sync is going and walk away, only to come back and find the iPhone prompting for its passcode.


You don't always need a passcode - if you've initiated a sync between the iPhone and Mac and entered a passcode, the trust will last a while and you can sync password-less for a while before requiring the passcode again, so the trust eventually expires and you have to enter the passcode again.

Dec 23, 2022 2:47 PM in response to Big Iron

Connect the phone to the Mac and open up the normal window to back up or sync with the Mac.


Is there a check mark in the box next to "Automatically sync when this iPhone is connected"?


If yes, uncheck the box, disconnect the iPhone, restart your Mac, connect the phone again and see if that helps.


It does help on my laptop running Big Sur. I have not checked on a Mac yet running Monterey or Ventura

Dec 23, 2022 10:21 PM in response to Big Iron

Yeah, that option was always there … but what I'm looking for is how to get the iPhone and Mac to trust one another whenever connected.


That option will alway initiate a sync whenever connected, but sometimes I don't want to immediately sync. I just want the trust to exist.


I don't know how many times now I've initiated a sync, walked away and come back expecting the sync to be completed, but instead found a screen prompting for the lock code.

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Need to unlock iPhone when syncing with Mac

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