Can no longer update playlists or backup iPhone

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Can no longer update playlists or backup iPhone

I have an iPhone SE/IOS 16.6.1 & 16" MBP/Big Sur 11.7.4. If I upgrade my Mac OS, my CAD program won't run on anything higher & has switched from purchase to subscription model. My CAD version does everything I need so have no need or desire to pay $130 monthly fee.

Previously (as recent as a month ago) I could connect iPhone to Mac & "A Software Upgrade is Required to Connect to iPhone" box popped up. This was NOT correct, I always clicked "Not Now" & it opened the Music app with my phone in the sidebar. Clicking on the phone icon brought up the usual backup window & it would backup, then sync pics, songs, movies, playlists, etc. Have done this for a couple years now.

Today, I plugged the phone in, clicked "Not Now" but the phone fails to appear in the Music app, even if I manually launch it.

Any ideas on what changed (I have certainly not changed anything) or how I can simply sync my phone without an OS update to either device? I don't mind updating the phone IOS but had avoided it thinking it might cause this very issue I now face.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

iPhone SE, iOS 16

Posted on Aug 21, 2025 9:18 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Tony Peddicord Author

Level 1

119 points

Aug 25, 2025 7:02 AM in response to Tony Peddicord

Solved it, a bit user error, a bit inconsistent design. Previously, when I connected the phone it showed in the main Finder window sidebar. I had no idea the grayed labels in that sidebar were drop downs, Locations, Favorites, Tags & iCloud on my Mac. Usually grayed items mean they're inactive & can't perform any function, but not here. Somehow the Locations label had been collapsed (guess I did it accidentally) so didn't show connected devices.

There's no indication that they're drop downs & only by chance when I passed the cursor over the gray Locations label, & the drop down arrow appeared pointing right, did I realize it was collapsed. Once I clicked the arrow & it pointed down, all connected items appeared, including my iPhone. I clicked on the phone icon & it launched iTunes & began the backup & sync.

Upon first plugging my iPhone in I still got the "A Software Upgrade is Required to Connect to iPhone" but it is NOT, I clicked "Not Now" & it connected.

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Can no longer update playlists or backup iPhone

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