iPhone 15 Pro Max synching issues Sonoma

You are correct about USB C cords for my iPhone 15 Pro Max, and MacBook Pro. When I used the cord that I got with the phone instead of some cords I bought, problem solved. Other cords would charge the iPhone, but not sync to Music or allow me to import photos and videos to Photos. Just ordered a couple of cords from Apple!

If you're experiencing difficulty connecting your iPhone to your Mac, there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Check the USB cable and ports: Ensure that you're using a certified Lightning to USB cable and try connecting it to different USB ports on your Mac. Also, check for any physical damage or debris in the ports that may be preventing a proper connection. Use genuine cable --> Identify counterfeit or uncertified Lightning connector accessories ...
2. Disconnect all other USB devices from your computer, except for your keyboard and mouse. --> Resolve USB-related alerts in iTunes/Finder - Apple Support
3. Restart your iPhone and Mac: Sometimes, restarting your devices can resolve temporary connection issues. Restart both your iPhone and your Mac, and then try connecting them again.
   1. Restart the device. That's it.
   2. Still not solved --> Force restart iPhone - Apple Support
4. Update your software: Make sure that both your iPhone and Mac are running the latest software versions. On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update, and on your Mac, go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Software Update.
   1. Update Over-the-Air (OTA) —> Update your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support (IN)
   2. Update using iTunes/Finder —> Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (IN)
5. Trust the computer: When connecting your iPhone to your Mac for the first time, you may need to trust the computer on your iPhone. Unlock your iPhone and check for any prompts asking you to trust the connected computer. Confirm the trust request on your iPhone. About the “Trust This Computer” alert message on your ...
6. Try a different port, cable, or computer. The issue could be related to your computer, its USB port, or the USB cable connecting it to your device. If possible, try a different computer, USB port, or USB cable. Also, check for any debris in the charging port on the bottom of your iPhone or iPad. --> If your computer doesn't recognize your iPhone, iPad, or iPod ...
7. Reset your iPhone's settings: If the issue persists, you can try resetting your iPhone's settings. Go to Settings > General > Transfer & Reset > Reset > Reset All Settings. This will not erase your data but will reset your settings to their default values. After the reset, attempt to connect your iPhone to your Mac again. Return iPhone settings to their defaults - Apple Support (IN)
8. Update iTunes or Finder (macOS Catalina or later): If you're using a Mac running macOS Mojave or earlier, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed. If you're using macOS Catalina or later, iTunes has been replaced with Finder for device management. Ensure that you have the latest macOS updates installed, which should include the latest version of Finder. Update macOS on Mac
9. Check for conflicting software: Sometimes, third-party security software or firewalls can interfere with the connection between your iPhone and Mac. Temporarily disable any security software or firewalls and see if that resolves the issue.

If you are experiencing an issue not listed here, contact support as they can provide specific troubleshooting steps based on your situation.

See this message thread. The "Best Reply" by xCowboy worked for me:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255342189?sortBy=best

I'm having similar issues when syncing my iPhone 15 (iOS 17.2.1) with a MBP 2018 (Sanoma 14.1.2). First I thought the syncing issues were only with my 10.2" iPad, but now issues exist when syncing my iPhone too (possibly after upgrading from 17.2 to 17.2.1 but I can't be sure).

I must add that I am able to get a successful sync after multiple tries, but I've yet to figure out what really works.

When syncing, I normally skip the backup, but when my MPB keeps displaying 'preparing to sync' form longer then 15/20 min, I usually cancel the syncing process and retry. This normally results in the syncing process seemingly completing, but then my (new) photo's aren't synced.

When this happens, I sync again and if my photo's still aren't added, I click sync again, but this time not skipping the backup. Still not successful? Then I try restarting my phone. If that doesn't result in a successful sync, I restart the Mac, too. Of course, I also try another port or another cable.

The kicker is that sometimes the first sync just works. But on my iPhone 15, this might have been when backup was included AND a previous backup was present in ~/Library/MobileSync/Backup

On my previous iPhone syncs rarely had issues.

A couple of years ago (I think somewhere around iPadOS 13), I had sync issues for a while with only my iPad that were solved after an iPadOS update that apparently fixed the problem.

Lets hope OS 17.3 does this too.

For some reason only one of my three USB ports will successfully sync my phone. So I guess that's the only port I will use when I need to sync.

Same issue. just keeps trying to sync forever. Everything is updated, have rebooted MacBook and iPhone several times, have tried different cables and different ports, even tried to sync over wi-fi. NOTHING WORKS.

Is someone going to answer/solve this issue?

Same problem here. iPhone 15 Pro Max, when I try to synch in Finder, it just sits at step 2 of 4, "preparing to synch" forever. I tried restarting both Mac and iPhone. Everything is updated. The connections/cables work for other things. Using Sonoma 14.2.1. I did not have this problem prior to installing Sonoma.