MacBook not recognizing iPhone via USB-C to USB-C

Question

Level 1

4 points

MacBook not recognizing iPhone via USB-C to USB-C

I am trying to connect my MacBook to my iPhone using a usb c to usb c cable. When I do this, it does not have the "trust this device" popup and the connection does not register in the system information section of my MacBook. This cable does work on my Microsoft Studio laptop when connected to the same iPhone, so it can't be a hardware issue there. I also have a usb c to lightning cable that when plugged in from the same MacBook to a different iPhone works perfectly fine. What causes the usb c to usb c issue from a MacBook to iPhone (both updated to newest versions)? Is there a known fix for this?

Posted on Mar 19, 2026 11:32 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Tesserax

Level 10

160,490 points

Mar 20, 2026 8:37 AM in response to mbolmer3

The USB-C charge cable that ships with a 2023 MacBook Pro does technically support data, but only at USB 2.0 speeds — and more importantly, in real-world troubleshooting, it can behave inconsistently for device enumeration (especially with iPhones). So while it’s not strictly “power-only,” it’s also not a reliable cable for establishing a data connection like iPhone trust pairing.

What can you still tdo:

Try an Apple USB-C cable that came with an iPhone 15
Or a known USB 3 / Thunderbolt / USB4 cable. I suggest Anker cables if cost is an issue.

If the cable swap doesn’t fix it:

Try a different USB-C port on your Mac. On M3 MacBook Pros, ports are on different controllers internally. This can rule out a port-specific issue
Force the trust prompt to re-trigger on the iPhone:
- Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset Location & Privacy
- Reconnect the cable
- Watch for the trust prompt

Reply

Answer 2

Zurarczurx

Level 5

5,492 points

Mar 19, 2026 2:03 PM in response to mbolmer3

First, try it in all the USB sockets on the Mac.

If that doesn't work then open Activity Monitor app. Kill the following processes

usbmuxd

ampdevicediscoveryagent

Reply

Answer 3

Tesserax

Level 10

160,490 points

Mar 19, 2026 1:16 PM in response to mbolmer3

Which exact models are your MacBook and iPhone? What versions of macOS / iOS are they running? Did you verify that this cable is MFi-certified? The cable you use should support both data & power.

Reply

Answer 4

mbolmer3 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 19, 2026 1:43 PM in response to Tesserax

My iPhone is a 15 with IOS 26.3. My MacBook is a MacBook Pro 14 inch Nov 2023 with an M3 chip running Tahoe 26.3.1. The cable that I am using is a MacBook charger without the block. It is definitely MFi-certified because it came with my MacBook. I don't know if it's both data & power for sure but it's the charger directly from Apple. Are they power only?

Reply