Allow USB and other accessories to connect to your Mac

On Mac laptops with Apple silicon, you might need to approve new accessories before they can connect.

Allow accessories to connect

Dialog on Mac asking "Do you want to connect the USB accessory to this Mac?" with "Don't Allow" and "Allow" buttons.

When you use a new or unknown USB accessory, Thunderbolt accessory, or SD card with your Mac laptop with Apple silicon, you get an alert that asks you to allow the accessory to connect.

If your Mac is locked, you need to unlock it before you can allow an accessory to connect.
If your Mac has been locked for 3 or more days, you might need to unlock it to use a previously allowed accessory again.
If you click Don't Allow in the alert, your Mac won't recognize the accessory or give it access to the data on your Mac. The next time you connect the accessory, you'll be asked to allow it again.
Accessories can still charge your Mac (or themselves) even if you choose Don't Allow.

Change the setting for allowing accessories to connect

By default, your Mac laptop with Apple silicon asks that you allow a new or unknown accessory to connect. To change this behavior:

From the Apple menu , choose System Settings.
Click Privacy & Security.
Scroll down and click Accessories, then use the menu next to "Allow accessories to connect" to choose a setting:
- Always ask: Manually approve every accessory, every time.
- Ask for new accessories: Manually approve new accessories the first time they connect (default setting).
- Automatically allow when unlocked: Automatically approve accessories when they connect to your unlocked Mac.
- Always allow: Automatically approve all accessories when they connect.

System Settings window showing Privacy & Security settings on Mac, where you can change the Allow accessories to connect setting.

On supervised Mac laptops with Apple silicon, administrators can control this setting: Manage this setting using Apple Configurator.

If you use your Mac laptop with the lid closed

First you need to allow an external display, a mouse, and a keyboard to connect to your Mac laptop. Then you can use your Mac with the lid closed (or with a docking station in which you place your Mac with the lid closed) and allow other accessories to connect without opening the lid.