can't connect to my macbook air to my ipad

I believe this is a connection/cable issue. I have two cables - both Apple - but one is slightly worn. One cable works fine, the other regularly gives the problems mentioned here, that is constant connection / disconnection, with the iPad pinging every time it disconnects. The problem occurs between my iPad Air and MacBook Air with both iOS 7 and 8.

hey there!

I had basically the exact same problem for my iPad 3 after purchasing a new MacBook Air yesterday. I kept plugging and unplugging the device which was running version 7.1.2 (i.e. last of iOS7 before iOS8) and the battery icon would flash every 1-3 seconds between charging/not-charging. Restarting the Air did nothing, and neither did restarting the iPad. I just updated the new Air to Yosemite and did the same for my 2011 MacBook Pro. Interestingly, the 2011 Pro was still able to connect perfectly to the iPad and sync. Using that I updated the software on the iPad to the latest version (8.1) and re-tried syncing with the new Air.

This worked!!! Fortunately, no full restoration was required either, and no documents or apps needed to be re-installed. Nevertheless, this proved a headache the entire day and I only just got it sorted! Quite relieved.

If anyone else has the same problem, and don't have the previous sync-able laptop handy, it might work similarly by doing an update from the iPad itself using wifi and the 10W power adapter (although I didn't need to try this, it was an idea in the works!).

Hope this helps someone,

Matt

Same here: flashing 'trust' message on iPad when connecting to macbook (pro retina) to trust the mac...

solution: I connected the iPad to a powered USB hub (which was connected to the mac) and the message stayed on the screen. I can only conclude that the power from the USB wasn't sufficient for the iPad. Thx Animaru!

Just connect to your USB 3.0 an adaptor that makes it USB 2.0 and you will solve the problem

Last night, I connected my iPad mini to my MacBook Air no problem, as I've done in past (although I haven't done it in a while). I synched it with iTunes, then installed, via iTunes, the latest iOS update. Today, I tried to connect it again, got the continuous loop of beeping connect/disconnect. Tried all sorts of solutions (restarting everything, using different port, checking cable with iPhone (connected fine)), cursing the iOS update. Then, I realized something was different: last night MacBook Air was charging while iPad mini connected; today it was using just battery. Once I hooked MacBook Air to charger, boom, iPad mini connected without problem.

MacBook Air 2014 attaching to iPad Gen 1 and 3 would get stuck in endless beeping loop. My iPad Gen 2 worked fine. After reading this thread I tried a powered USB hub and now I don't have any issues. Of course, I shouldn't have to use the hub but at least there's a workaround since I need to test apps. I'm pretty sure the OP didn't have the same problem but Thanks anyways for getting this conversation started.

J. Roth

There you go! That is exactly the solution, I didn't even know there was a difference between cables it selves.

I had this problem. I wanted to export a book in Ibooks Author to my iPad to see how it looked. When I connected I got a constant dinging tone and a message that the iPad had disconnected. I suspected, as others have, that it was power supply issue. I then used a different USB port on the right hand side of the MacBook and that worked. It may be, and Apple techies may know, that there are different USB ports on each side of the MacBook Pro as to their rating for charging.

Hi friends,

I also had the same problem.

I searched a lot about this in the internet but nothing helped.

What i did actually:

Went to the settings-->General-->reset-->reset network settings.

and guess what: it actually worked.

Don't know the exact technical reason of this workaround but for now it's working.

can't guarantee that it will work for everybody but it may help someone of you.

Please go and give it a try.

Hey i had the same problem before you do anything try just reseting your network settings it worked for me and it was a pretty quick fix, worth a shot

I just had this too, when trying to connect my iPad Mini to my new MBP 15 Retina (first time).

It turned out to be the cable. I can*t imagine why. Both cables I tried are Apple originals, both are fully functional in all other aspects, but only one of them did the job today. Well, it's Monday.

So, try another cable.

connection issue between iPad and MacBook can't be solved with a other USB Cable! if you charge your iPad to 100% it will work perfect with the previous USB Cable! i believe we have here a Hardware issue with USB 3.0 connection between iPad Air and MacBook Air!

I had same problem so I switched back to my original usb iPad connector, put in to slot on right side of my new MacBook Air and it worked!

Dunno why or how this made any difference but it did.

Ipad 2 was making warning sounds and flashing battery and startup screens no matter what I did.

Hope this helps you all.

I confirm that the solution to use an external powered USB hub proposed by HaskellCurry is working for me (MacBook Air mid-2013 running OS X 10.11.4 and iPad Air running iOS 9.3.1). No bip-bip anymore.

I had exactly the same problem, it's unbelievable but that's the solution: only connect the ipad to the macbook when the ipad is 100% charged.