Q: the USB device drawing too much power has been disabled.

Hey guys,

i too have had this on and off since i brought my imac. And for what i have observed, im not entirely convinced it is all about the bad cable. Here is my theory; the usb on the mac is pumping too much power coupled with poor quality or defective cables = problem. Because i am finding that before i even connect in a usb there is a spark that comes out from the usb port on my imac. the same with my mac air. i don't think that should happen. so im thinking its a matter of both parties.
So i have done all of the above, PRAM, SMC, Reboot, Called apple support, hardware test.... but it does not stop till it feels like it. but when i reboot it comes right in a day or two... but whether that is because i do all of these things every time...it really could be just that it was ready to cooperate.
So i suggest; if your comp is still under warranty just get the ******* to replace the malfunction part! do it while you can!!

keep a record of it too, so that if it happens again and it is out of your original warranty become a painful costumer and demand justice for such a problem that is on going, world wide, and ignored by apple developers.

It worked. Thanks

The Problem went away, after i bought a Windows pc again. Thx apple for the watch and stuff.

I tried to update my iPhone and it won't turn on until i plug it into iTunes, but when i try to plug it in to my mac it says its pulling too much power. I tried on 2 different computers and both said the same thing and my phone won't turn on. I don't know what to do.

Hi, I had the same problem today trying to restore an old iphone 4. I changed the white power lead and the message went away. Seems to be a problem with the cable not the macbook or phone.

I have been using a NOKIA phone for over two yrs, linking pictures to my MAC Pro, and today, I get this message. Does anyone know why? This is the FIRST time I got this message, I have El Capitan upgrade, but was able to link pictures earlier this month. Is there a FIX?

try a new usb cord.  this worked for me.

YES, it was the cable... I have about 4 or 5 of them laying around... the first 2 of them got me worried, but both were old and crimped at the ends.  I put in my newest one, and it worked, no problem!

I have NOTHING plugged in to my computer except for my phone. I JUST plugged me phone in and that is when the message showed up. There is nothing that would be drawing power. How do I get my computer to let me plug in my phone?

My Macbook Pro is 4 weeks old.  The warning was on my screen this morning when I opened it.  It had nothing plugged in at the time and hasn't had a USB in it for weeks.  The only other device I have used, also weeks ago, is my Bose headset.  I'm baffled.

for those with this problem: get a new cable.

i have a macbook air that's about 4 months old and just got a second-hand iphone 5s, after using my beloved iphone 4 for almost 3 years.

the cable for my 5s works, it charges and i could even synch my music via itunes on sunday! but now it's unable to connect with my mac. i did a little experiment: plugged in my ehd and my old ipod. not an error in sight, ipod immediately began charging happily. tried it with my ipad after that, worked just fine. both ipod and ipad have the old cable still, so it's definitely the new cable that's ****.

too bad, i wanted to put a film on my phone to watch in the bus tomorrow. too late to buy a cable now.

This happened to me a few years ago, and I don't remember how I resolved it. It might have been by buying a new cable. Just happened again yesterday. I was trying to sync my iPad and I got the dreaded USB has been disabled error. So I tried with another cable, the one I use for my iPhone and it worked fine. This morning I tried the original one again and got the error. But this one is coiled up and held together with a little plastic cable holder. So just for jokes, I uncoiled it and straightened out the cable and it worked fine. Definitely was the cable and I guess I will no longer tie my sync cable around the holder.

Just for what it's worth....