How to Fix iPhone does not show up in Finder on Mac. The iPhone not showing up in the Finder on the Mac can be caused by various reasons, from minor software failures, damage to the USB port, USB hub, or USB cable to other reasons.
iPhone does not show up in Finder on Mac
Here are some troubleshooting steps to help you solve the problem of the iPhone or iPad not showing up in the Finder window of your Mac.
Unlock iPhone
If it is not unlocked, the Finder on your Mac will not recognize your device. Just unlock your device and it will appear in the Finder sidebar.
Plug iPhone into another port
Sometimes, the problem is due to a malfunctioning USB port or USB hub. To rule out this situation, plug your iPhone into another port and check if it appears in the Finder.
Check the lightning protection wire
Check whether the lightning conductor is twisted, broken, or damaged. Sometimes, the lightning cable may stop working, even if it does not show any signs of breakage or damage.
To rule out this possibility, try connecting iPhone to another computer or using another lightning cable to connect iPhone to Mac.
Trust the computer on iPhone
Due to the security features in iOS, you will not be able to access your iPhone or iPad on your computer unless the computer on your iOS device is already trusted.
Unplug iPhone from Mac > wait for 30 seconds > Plug the iPhone back into Mac. You should now see “Trust This Computer?” pop-up on the screen of your iPhone.
Tap on the Trust option and this should make the iPhone show up in the Finder window.
Restart iPhone and Mac
Before performing other troubleshooting steps, make sure to restart your iPhone and Mac to rule out the possibility of problems caused by stuck programs or processes.
Click on Apple Logo in the top menu bar and select the Restart option in the drop-down menu. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > scroll down and tap on Shut Down.
Allow iPhone to completely shut down > Wait for 30 seconds and Restart iPhone by pressing the Power button.
Change Finder Preferences
Open Finder > click on the Finder tab in the top menu bar and select Preferences in the drop-down menu. On the Finder Preferences screen, switch to the Sidebar tab and select the CDs, DVDs, and iOS Devices option.
Update iPhone
Sometimes, the problem is due to pending updates waiting to be installed on the iPhone.
Go to Settings > General > Software Update. On the software update screen, tap on Download and Install (in case a software update is available).
Update Mac
Similarly, some features on Mac may temporarily stop working or get stuck due to pending macOS updates.
Click on Apple Logo in the top menu bar and select System Preferences in the drop-down menu. On the next screen, click on Software Update Icon and install Updates (if available).
More: If you do not want to use face recognition, please refer to the article on how to disable face detection and biometric recognition in Windows 10.