iPhone keeps disconnecting from Mac

Hi,

I have the same problem with 2014 Macbook pro + iPad Air 2.

The laptop works fine with older iPad 1

The Air 2 works fine with older 2012 Mb pro

The problem is intermittent so sometimes iPad connects. In the beginning it connected in 1 of 2 attempts now it does in 1 of 20 so the problem seems to be worsening with time. What is also bad is that after iPad is connected, laptop's keyboard and trackpad stop responding until I insert something else in another USB socket. Laptop's system log contain all these usbmuxd AMDNotificationFacepalm messages that are completely useless. I think it is a hardware/firmware bug in laptop's USB controller, somehow related to USB charge current.

I do not really need to charge the iPad from USB but at least I need it to connect because I am iOS developer. This bug is really frustrating especially because there is no easy way to repair/replace Apple stuff in my country.

The following suggestions did not help:

1. Resetting the iPad

2. Restarting the laptop

3. Resetting SMC

4. Resetting Locations and Privacy settings on iPad

5. Using different USB cables, "original' and non-"original"

6. Quitting iTunes and iTunes helper

7. Deleting files from /var/db/lockdown

8. Quitting VMWare Fusion

9. Moving USB cable in a socket or inserting it slowly (it helped once)

Here is what helped:

10. Use USB hub.

iPad does not charge from the hub but at least it can sync and exchange data.

I hope this info will help somebody.

Best regards,

Bob

Ukraine

Someone on this thread had the right idea. The problem appears to be with iPad drawing too much current for the mac to handle, so one of them disconnects. (I think the Mac kills the power).

Also, the iPad must be drawing a variable amperage depending on how much battery is left. A battery with 10% on it will draw more current than 80%. And that seems to be what triggers the mac to kill power, disconnects the ipad, which tries to reconnect and goes into an infinite loop. That would explain why switching a cable seems to work "sometimes" - it's a red herring.

I charged my iPad air II on MBP 2015 from 8% to 75%. Without issue. Then I could charge it from 75% to 100% on the iMac 2014. Where as a discharged iPad would go into an infinite connect/disconnect cycle.

It's very unfortunate that the USB ports on the back of iMac are not designed to generate the right amount of current.

I had this problem and it was very odd in the way it suddenly appeared. After much googling with no definitive answers I ended up fixing it by slightly pressing (and bending) the hollow side of the USB plug to make sure it grips onto the connectors properly. This has completely fixed it for me. I would suggest anyone with this problem should investigate cabling, especially how well the USB plug sits inside the USB port of the computer.

HOLY CRAP!

This is crazy, but this stupid problem was plaguing my iPhone 6 and iMac, and I couldn't find the answer.

Was working for hours. Tried everything.

Then, I closed out of all my apps opened on my phone (***) and it worked again! must have something to do with the power draw

25/12/2015 11:26:32.365 iTunes[483]: Entered:_AMMuxedVersion2DeviceConnected, mux-device:6

25/12/2015 11:26:32.370 iTunes[483]: tid:e507 - unable to query device capabilities

25/12/2015 11:26:32.505 com.apple.usbmuxd[79]: LOCKDOWN_V2_BONJOUR_SERVICE_NAME is _apple-mobdev2._tcp,97be082e

25/12/2015 11:26:32.625 iTunes[483]: Entered:_AMMuxedDeviceDisconnected, mux-device:6

25/12/2015 11:26:32.626 iTunes[483]: Entered:__thr_AMMuxedDeviceDisconnected, mux-device:6

25/12/2015 11:26:32.626 com.apple.usbmuxd[79]: MuxInterfacev2Receive expected sequence 134 got 135 from 0x6-2d56c43d21b790fd821094f2d2910bee39a643ad@0x14100000

25/12/2015 11:26:32.626 iTunes[483]: tid:e507 - BootedOS mode device disconnected

25/12/2015 11:26:32.627 iTunes[483]: _receive_message (thread 0x700000fee000): Could not securely receive message size: SSL_ERROR_SYSCALL (Early EOF reached)

25/12/2015 11:26:32.636 ath[501]: lockssl_handshake (thread 0x7fff7350c000): SSL handshake fatal lower level error -1: SSL_ERROR_SYSCALL errno (Broken pipe)

25/12/2015 11:26:32.637 ath[501]: AMDeviceStartSession (thread 0x7fff7350c000): Could not start session with device 2d56c43d21b790fd821094f2d2910bee39a643ad: kAMDDeviceDisconnectedError

25/12/2015 11:26:33.297 PTPCamera[500]: --> HandleMessageFromICDD

25/12/2015 11:26:33.304 PTPCamera[500]: --> HandleMessageFromICDD

25/12/2015 11:26:33.310 PTPCamera[500]: --> HandleMessageFromICDD

25/12/2015 11:26:37.117 cloudphotosd[258]: New connection request from 490

25/12/2015 11:26:37.145 com.apple.xpc.launchd[1]: (com.apple.xpc.launchd.domain.pid.MediaLibraryService.502) Path not allowed in target domain: type = pid, path = /Library/Frameworks/iTunesLibrary.framework/Versions/A/XPCServices/com.apple.iT unesLibraryService.xpc error = 147: The specified service did not ship in the requestor's bundle, origin = /System/Library/Frameworks/MediaLibrary.framework/Versions/A/XPCServices/com.ap ple.MediaLibraryService.xpc

25/12/2015 11:26:37.151 com.apple.xpc.launchd[1]: (com.apple.xpc.launchd.domain.pid.MediaLibraryService.502) Path not allowed in target domain: type = pid, path = /Library/Frameworks/iTunesLibrary.framework/Versions/A/XPCServices/com.apple.iT unesLibraryService.xpc error = 147: The specified service did not ship in the requestor's bundle, origin = /System/Library/Frameworks/MediaLibrary.framework/Versions/A/XPCServices/com.ap ple.MediaLibraryService.xpc

25/12/2015 11:26:37.165 com.apple.SecurityServer[80]: Session 100026 created

25/12/2015 11:26:37.452 com.apple.SecurityServer[80]: Session 100027 created

25/12/2015 11:26:38.134 Image Capture Extension[485]: -[NSProcessInfo enableSuddenTermination] has been invoked more times than necessary to balance invocations of -[NSProcessInfo disableSuddenTermination]. Ignoring.

25/12/2015 11:26:48.000 kernel[0]: Over-release of kernel-internal importance assertions for pid 78 (launchservicesd), dropping 1 assertion(s) but task only has 0 remaining (0 external).

Will Apple someday fix this???

I've noticed it happens since some years ago lol, and it's very frustrating...

I've a rMBP 2014 with El Capitan and an iPhone 6 with iOS 9.0.2. and the problem persist yet... I've a cheap hub and plugged it in the faulty USB port (the left one, the right one works good) noticed that the charge rate is lower but it worked fine, it opens Photos app and the problem is gone, then I removed the hub and it was working mostly well (Photos app doesn't detect it, but iTunes does, the low charging persist yet, it charges way better in the right port).

Is funny to see that other guys with the same problem that went to a Genius Bar cause they though it was a hardware failure (when obviously is not, cause the port works **** well with other devices like mouses, bluetooth dongles and even an iPhone 5s lol) got a brand new MacBook Pro cause they couldn't fix it, I mean... did they even tried it???

APPLE FIX THIS **** PROBLEM, IT HAS YEARS HAPPENING!

It's 2016, upgraded the MBA to El Capitan, and it's still happening, so matter how many of these "tips" I try. Sometimes switching USB ports or cables works, but most of the time it does not.

Really getting frustrated, Apple.

It's no wonder companies like mine are abandoning the iPad/iPhone for their enterprise mobile device strategies, and the iPad Pro is failing to catch on for business.

Hi Folks,

I have the same issue on my MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2014) x Iphone 6 charging.

I've just found in another post someone suggesting to use and USB 2.0 hub, for me that actually worked!

Is no a solution but a workaround.

I have the same issue on my MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2013) x Iphone 6 charging.

It helps for me: Iwanted to buya new cable (not original Apple) but in the store I connectedusing the new cablethe phone to the laptopusedlatest carrier settings in itunes to the phone. it worked well. Thentried to connect the phone to mac airwith the oldoriginal Apple cableand it worked too! Idid not buya new cable 🙂.

The only thing that always solves this for me with older cables is to use an external USB hub between the iOS device and the computer. I personally believe this is a problem with non-USB-3-compliant cables when connected to USB-3 ports on Macs. I've run into similar issues on PCs where certain devices (like memory card readers) crap out when connected directly to a USB-3 port, but work fine if connected to a USB-2 hub that is, in turn, connected to the USB-3 port.

Of course if you have a newer, USB-3-compliant Lightning cable, then it works fine. For example iPad Pro comes with the beefiest lightning cable I've ever seen. Six feet long, and it's thicker and tougher-feeling than regular Lightning cables. The iPad Pro charger is also a 12-watt charger (normal iPad charger is 10-watt). USB-3 is rated to a higher amount of current than USB-2, so I suspect that what we are seeing may be related to a power issue.

If the iPad is disconnecting due to power issues, it may be disconnecting in order to protect a lower-power device from a situation where its circuitry could be overloaded and damaged. If that's the case, then the errors we're seeing are a symptom of that.

It's possible there are multiple different problems that can cause the same set of symptoms (iPad disconnects repeatedly).

What is the Apple line on this?

I had no issues on a year old iPad until 2 weeks ago and now I cant use the device as I wish.

I have tried all the hacks in this thread and had a brief moment of respite when I switched form flight mode to non flight mode.

Is there anyway to access, reset or control the Mac USB settings?

Same problem here, brand new 2015 15" MacBook Pro, connecting iPhone 6s to right USB port works, left USB port gives:

11/03/2016 23:10:27.035 iTunes[54327]: tid:93b7 - unable to query device capabilities

I've also experienced the rapid connect/disconnect charging sound from iPhone with the left port too.

I've actually found the solution!

Having tried all the ideas posted here, nothing worked, BUT my problem was instantly resolved by doing the following:

1. Go to: System Preferences -> Network -> iPhone USB (on left menu)

2. Uncheck: Disable unless needed

Voila! I assume it's to do with the instant hotspot feature, which makes sense as the logs are full of network related issues when the connect/disconnect occurs.

Apple have told me that other issues with instant hotspot (not connecting etc) are resolved in OSX 10.11.4 - haven't updated myself yet to check, but hopefully this one will be resolved in with it.

Had this same problem with my new macbook and my new iPhone SE with original lightning cable.

For development, I have been using "insignia sync cable" from best buy and it works perfect. It also comes with one year warranty.

I am really happy with it and will never use apple's lightning cable to sync with my mac.

I had the same problem and I also tried everything I can. I even updated my MacOS to Sierra but didn't work.

Reading this post, I cleaned the inside of iPad lightning port with paper towel and problem solved.