Since macOS Catalina, iTunes is no more. Now, when you connect your iOS device to your Mac backups for your iPhone and iPad are managed through Finder.
This makes everything feel more streamlined and efficient so that syncing your iPhone with your Mac is easier than ever before.
Sometimes though, you might run into a situation where Finder doesn't recognize your device even if you're using one of the best iPhones, like the iPhone 14 Pro on iOS 16. This can be a problem for people who absolutely rely on manual backups, but there are steps you can take to get your device working with your Mac again.
How to troubleshoot your Mac not recognizing your iPhone or iPad
The first thing you'll want to check if your Mac isn't recognizing your iPhone is to make sure that its USB ports are still working properly. Unplug everything except your device from your Mac then test every port with the cable plugged into your iPhone.
While the problem could relate to a hardware failure, it's more likely that you're experiencing a software issue. If you've tried all of your USB ports and your iPhone or iPad still isn't showing up, you can check to see if your iPhone shows up in the System Information rundown. Here's how:
- Plug your iPhone or iPad into your Mac
- Click the Apple logo on your Mac
- While holding down the Option key (Alt on some keyboards), click System Information
- Click USB in the sidebar
If your iPhone shows up under the USB menu, that means that your Mac is registering the iPhone as connected, but macOS is not. To rectify this, your best bet is to update macOS to its latest version.
How to get your iPhone or iPad to show in Finder
If you've gone through the troubleshooting steps and your device still isn't showing in the Finder sidebar, here's what you can do to sort things out.
- Plug your iPhone or iPad into your Mac
- Click Finder in the Menu bar
- Click Preferences
- Click the Sidebar tab
- Click the checkbox next to CDs, DVDs, and iOS Devices to check it if the box is empty. If the box is already checked, still click it to uncheck it and wait a few seconds
- Click the checkbox next to CDs, DVDs, and iOS Devices again to check it off and wait a few minutes
After a few minutes, your iPhone or iPad should appear in the sidebar of the Finder under Locations.
You have been found
Backing up your iPhone or iPad should be as simple as it is important. Having issues related to finding your device on your Mac in the first place is an unnecessary road bump when you're trying to look after your precious information. Luckily, Finder in macOS Ventura is very stable so you shouldn't need to return to this guide now that the issue is fixed. Managing your iPhone and iPad backups is more intuitive than ever before, so hopefully this troubleshooting guide has ironed out any issues you may have had getting your iPhone to show up in Finder.
