How to Fix iPhoto Not Recognizing iPhone

Question: Just this morning I tried to sync my photos from my iPhone to iPhoto on my MacBook and I plug my phone in and iTunes pops up just fine but iPhoto doesn’t automatically open and when I manually open it my phone does not show up as a camera device.

Like the above user asked in MacRumors Forum, many iPhone users have reported the same issue that their iPhone doesn’t show up in iPhoto, therefore, you can’t import iPhone photos to Mac. This problem often happens after a new iOS update, firmware update on PC or Mac. And sometimes there might be other reasons to lead to the problem. Here some quick fixes will be introduced to fix “iPhoto Not Recognizing iPhone” issue.

Quick Fixes for iPhoto Won’t Recognize iPhone

In this post, we will show you some potential fixes to solve iPhone photos not showing up in iPhoto issue:

1. Quit iPhoto & Restart Mac

Quit iPhoto and re-launch it. And if that doesn’t help, restart your Mac and your iPhone.

2. Unlock Passcode Lock on iPhone

When connecting your iPhone to Mac, unlock it with a passcode.

3. Choose iPhoto When Connecting Camera Opens

Open iPhoto > Preferences > General > Connecting camera opens, here you can choose what happens when a camera or your iPhone connects to your Mac. If you choose iPhoto, your iPhone should appear when you plug it into Mac.

4. Clear iPhoto Cache on Mac

You clear your iPhoto library with MacClean or do it manually: Open Finder > Click on Pictures option > iPhoto Library > Ctrl-click on iPhoto Library, and choose “Show Package Contents” > Locate the iPod Photo Cache folder and drag it to the trash.

5. Use Image Capture to Fix

Image Capture is a photo utility app that comes preloaded on most Mac machines. It can help you import photos from your iPhone over to your Mac in a few clicks: Open Finder on your Mac > Tap Applications > Click Image Capture > Preferences > Scroll down “Camera” option and select iPhoto.

Import Photos to Mac Using iPhoto Alternative

If your iPhone still cannot be recognized by iPhoto, try this part. AnyTrans is an alternative to iPhoto or Photos app on Mac. Check its main features:

• Import photos from iPhone to Mac or PC, covering photos in My Photos, Shared Albums, People, Places, Live Photos, and so on.
• Export iPhone photos to a flash drive or external hard drive.
• Sync photos from computer to iPhone without erasing.
• Copy pictures from one iPhone to another selectively.

Now download AnyTrans to Have a Free Try >

Step 1. Launch the software and connect your iPhone with the USB cable. Go to Device Manager and click Photos tab.

The Bottom Line

With AnyTrans, you can freely manage your iPhone photos on computer, and it is strongly recommended to try AnyTrans for free. Any suggestions or problems on this guide is welcomed, please leave a message in the comment section below.