Why does my iPad keeps connecting and disconnecting from the new late 2013 iMac

I have had the same issue for about 2 months now with 3 3rd Generation iPads and a current model iMac 2.9 GHz. it was under warranty so the Apple service provider put in a new motherboard and bluetooth chip. That didn't make any difference, so Apple replaced the entire unit having verified hardware failure. the first day with the brand new iMac and the issue persists.

I'm having the same problem too with my iPad Air (running latest firmware) and my 27" iMac 2013 (running latest version of Mavericks + latest version of iTunes). I've tried restoring the iPad with my Macbook Pro (which works fine there, btw), because I can't even restore it from my iMac. Entering recovery mode doesn't help as well, iTunes throwing an error when its trying to load the firmware into the iPad, which suggest there is something wrong with the iMac itself, not the iPad, because it looses connection to it intermittently.

Tried 3 different (but genuine) Apple lightning cables, still the same problem. I've tried resetting the PRAM, which solves the problem for that one time, but the same issue came back a few days after, when I plugged my iPad back to the iMac.

Pretty frustrated over here.. Suggestions?

Same problem here. Just started. I have a new Macbook Pro but it has worked fine with iPad USB before. I need to do some iBooks work and am unable to connect my iPad to do so. Need a fix on this ASAP.

P.S. It also thinks my iPhone needs to be set up every time I connect it with the USB cable to my Macbook Pro.

**SOLVED** at least for me...

I have IPAD2 and started facing this problem after I upgraded my whole computer hardware (but kept the same SSD, so technically the software didn't change). Once I plug in the pad it keeps connecting and disconnecting so fast, like one cycle every second. Tried upgrading the USB driver for my motherboard but no use (sorry forgot to mention I'm using Win7 64bit).

Long story short, i was trying to plug in using USB 3.0 port, once I tried a USB 2 port from the rear ports panel in my motherboard, it worked fine!

I tried using the USB 3 again, same problem happened again. Back to USB 2 it worked, so it seems to me a hardware issue that IPAD2 is not compatible with USB 3.0, at least with Windows. Don't know about MACs.

I have Yosemite Beta on 2014 27" iMac and ipad retina (3) was having issue as described - cycling connection in out in out every half a second. Was trying to download ios8 and couldn't connect.

Anyway - long story short... it was connected to the USB port that was closest to the SD Card slot... I moved it another USB slot away from the SD card and voila - worked perfectly, instantly.

Hope this helps!!

I've been having this problem too, connecting my iPad air to my new 2014 27 inch iMac.

It turns out that (in my case at least) it was just the USB port I chose on the iMac. I reconnected the iPad in the port furthest to the left as you're looking at the back of the iMac (closest to the memory card slot and the audio jack) and all of a sudden it quit disconnecting and reconnecting.

This seems to be a thing with iMacs- the USB ports are not all equal. When installing Windows in Bootcamp I had to plug the USB installer drive into the same port AND disconnect everything else or else Windows would keep telling me it couldn't create a partition to install to.

Computers: Can't live with'em, can't shoot'em (without having a bottomless bank account)

I was having the same problem and just now it seems to be working. I had backed up my iPhone on my iTunes on the iMac, and so I just deleted the backed up iPhone data(wasn't really needed thankfully) and now my iPad connects to the computer just fine. I also, after deleting the backed up info, clicked the Prevent iPods, iPhones and iPads from syncing automatically.

I had clicked that prevent syncing first but it didn't fix it, but once I deleted the backed up iPhone data it works.

Sad, but at least it's connected again. 🙂

I created issue in tracker for that matter and developers asked me to send system statistics and logs while experiencing issues (mine is with iPad 2). However, logs were clean and they could not spot the problem.

But it is still there, and I think it has something to do with USB and signal level (because not all ports are equally prone to produce the same fail rate), maybe even aluminium box. Very annoying..

I had the same problem and I'll tell you what worked for me. Just keep your iPad connected. It will fluctuate for a while and then stabilise. I know it's a little scary and you might be worried that you may damage your iPad but don't worry it would work just fine.

So the solution: Just keep it connected for a while. It will stabilise and connect. Don't be scared of the fluctuations.

Cheers.

This did not work for me, it went through the cycle of connecting and disconnecting for about a minute or two then switched to “Not Charging” and ended up not syncing.

If it shows not charging you should be able to sync it after that. Not charging shows that the USB connection has been established. Try reopening your iTunes after it shows not charging. It worked for me.

This time around though it’s charging and syncing on its own. But I still don’t understand why it just works sometimes and doesn’t work the other times.

edit: After reopening iTunes. Thanks

I have exactly the same problem and the same combination. iPad mini retina + Macbook Air 2013 i7

Same problem here, with iMac 2.7 GHz late 2013 and iPad 3. The iPad keep getting disconnected and getting a message that it can't sync to iTunes because it is not connected. Sometimes it works fine. I have changed USB slot from the one closest to the memory card slot to the one furthest away and it seems to be stable now. I have had the same problem with connecting the iPhone when needing to use it as a hotspot, which might have been due to the USB slot as well then. Will try to only use this one and see if that makes any difference.