If your Mac says that a software update is required to connect to iPhone or iPad

Older software on your Mac needs to be updated to support newer software on your iPhone, iPad, or iOS device.

Install the update

1. To install the update on your Mac, click the Install button in the alert message.

2. After the update is installed, you should be able to connect to your device as expected.

3. If the update doesn’t install successfully or doesn’t resolve the issue, install the latest macOS updates on your Mac. (To support iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 or later, your Mac must be using macOS High Sierra 10.13 or later.)

Learn what to do if your Mac software is up to date but your Mac doesn’t recognize your iPhone or iPad.