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USB Accessories Disabled

I frequently receive this prompt: "USB Accessories Disabled

Unplug the accessory using too much power to Re-enable USB Devices."


I have a USB Hub with multiple ports. How can I know WHICH USB device is drawing too much power?

This is an annoying & confusing prompt.

Earlier Mac models

Posted on Oct 26, 2023 11:31 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 26, 2023 2:35 PM

Seems to me the message is pretty clear.


When you have multiple USB devices connected to your Mac the problem is the total power draw from all the USB devices. Unplug one USB device at a time to see when the error message goes away. That will at least show you what you CAN have connected without drawing too much power from the USB bus.


Bus powered HDDs and CD/DVD drives typically draw much more power than other USB devices like flash drives or SSDs. And USB devices that have their own power supplies do not draw power from the USB bus.

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 26, 2023 2:35 PM in response to JazzJunkie

Seems to me the message is pretty clear.


When you have multiple USB devices connected to your Mac the problem is the total power draw from all the USB devices. Unplug one USB device at a time to see when the error message goes away. That will at least show you what you CAN have connected without drawing too much power from the USB bus.


Bus powered HDDs and CD/DVD drives typically draw much more power than other USB devices like flash drives or SSDs. And USB devices that have their own power supplies do not draw power from the USB bus.

USB Accessories Disabled

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