If you're having problems with USB on macOS Sequoia, you're not alone

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in macOS

If you're experiencing issues with USB on your Mac after installing macOS Sequoia, you're not alone, with some users reporting drive connectivity issues.

A laptop screen displays a mirrored smartphone home screen with various app icons. A Stream Deck is positioned to the left of the laptop.
macOS Sequoia with iPhone Mirroring



Following the release of major operating system updates, there are often small issues that crop up that weren't picked up during the beta-testing process. As expected, this has happened to macOS 15 Sequoia, which was released on September 16.

There are a few reports on Reddit and on Apple's support forum claiming that some upgraders to macOS Sequoia are having USB port trouble. Drives and chargers plugged into the USB-C ports of a MacBook aren't being detected, or take a long time to become usable, one Reddit post claims. There are other similar reports on Reddit as well.

Others in the Apple support community discovered that their USB flash drives aren't being recognized. They simply do not appear in Disk Utility at all, meaning they aren't even mountable in the current state.

It appears that the issue isn't limited to a specific model, nor to a chip, with M1, M2, and M3 chips seemingly affected, as are the MacBook Air and iMac.

It is unknown if Apple is aware of the issue. Online reports don't mention any communications with Apple's support teams.

We can't reproduce the problem across any combination of hardware. To date, the issue doesn't appear to be widespread, as there would be much more conversation about the issue if it were.

AppleInsider suggests that affected users should contact Apple Support so that the problem can be acknowledged and a potential software fix worked on for a future update. Apple does not respond or catalog social media reports of problems.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,666member
    I’ve had with USB drives and USB-C hubs disconnecting long before Sequoia, whether or not the hub is powered. I suspect the power and sleep settings affect the behavior but I’ve yet to find a combination that works consistently. It’s not like it happens all the time either. In any case, this randomness has kept me from buying a more expensive super hub because I don’t trust that a $400 USD hub is going to solve the problem, especially when product reviews indicate others having USB disconnect issues on those expensive hubs. 
  • Reply 2 of 4
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,478member
    I have several USB devices connected to my USB hub to my Macs (both Intel and M). No issues so far. 
    12Strangers
  • Reply 3 of 4
    dominikhoffmanndominikhoffmann Posts: 78member
    I have had an issue for quite some time, possibly since Ventura, where the dialog asking me to allow the USB device to connect disappearing within a fraction of a second. I miss the dialog altogether. My workaround has been to unplug the device and plug it in again, repeatedly in necessary, until I can okay it. From then on I don’t have a problem with the device.
  • Reply 4 of 4
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,438moderator
    I have had an issue for quite some time, possibly since Ventura, where the dialog asking me to allow the USB device to connect disappearing within a fraction of a second. I miss the dialog altogether. My workaround has been to unplug the device and plug it in again, repeatedly in necessary, until I can okay it. From then on I don’t have a problem with the device.
    The confirm dialog disappearing so fast is really badly designed, I don't know how that got past testing. There's a preference in System Settings to avoid manual approval of new devices:

    https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/allow-accessories-to-connect-mchlf779ae93/mac

    Another fix that can sometimes work for drives not mounting is force quitting the diskarbitrationd process and plugging the drive in again.
    Alex1N
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