How to Fix the error “Could not open a connection to the device module in Image Capture On Mac.”

The image capture on Mac is a helpful app as it allows the users to transfer data like photos and videos from their iPad, iPhone, iPod, and other devices directly to their MacBook. However, apart from being a very handy app for transferring files between your MacBook and other devices, it has been observed that, at times, the image capture app does not function properly. For example, sometimes, the app does not establish a connection between the Mac and the connected device even after repeated attempts.

To fix the error of users not opening a connection to the device modules in image capture on Mac, we have brought this great article that explains in detail the solutions for fixing this problem.

Solution. 1→ Remove the passcode and face ID

If you have connected your iPhone to the Mac via a USB cable and are having trouble establishing a connection between them in the image capture app, you should try removing your iPhone’s passcode and face ID. This procedure can be carried out by going through the following process.

1→ Open “Settings” on your iPhone.

2→ Go to the Face ID and Passcode settings from all the available options.

face-id-and-passcode-option-on-iphone-settings
face-id-and-passcode-option-on-iphone-settings

3→ In the password prompt, put in your iPhone’s passcode and tap on confirm.

4→ Then, click on the disable iPhone Unlock button.

turn-off-iphone-unlock-using-face-id-on-iphone
turn-off-iphone-unlock-using-face-id-on-iphone

5→ Finally, Scroll to Turn Passcode Off > Turn off. That’s it.

turn-off-passcode-on-iphone-for-lock-screen
turn-off-passcode-on-iphone-for-lock-screen

Once you have completed this process, reconnect your iPhone to the Mac and check if the image capture error of not connecting to the iPhone still pops up.

Solution. 2→ Try booting your MacBook in Safe Mode.

Starting up the MacBook in safe mode can solve many problems related to some apps like image capture that cause trouble establishing a connection between the iPhone and the Mac. Since the Mac now features the latest M1 chip, it is essential that we discuss ways to start up the MacBook with both M1 and Intel chipset in safe mode. So, here is the detailed procedure to boot your MacBooks with an M1 and Intel chipset.

First, turn off or shut down your MacBook if it is already turned on. Then go through the simple steps explained below to start the Mac with M1 chip in safe mode.

1→ First, tap and hold the power button of your MacBook until you see a window with startup options on your device’s screen.

2→ Then, select your MacBook’s startup disk from all the disks listed in the window.

3→ Now, press and hold the shift key on your keyboard until the option of “Continue in Safe Mode” is visible. Click on that option.

m1-mac-safe-mode
m1-mac-safe-mode

4→ After that, leave the shift key and allow the Mac to start up.

Once you have gone through these steps listed above, the MacBook will start up in a safe mode, and you can confirm this by looking at the text saying “Safe Mode” at the top right corner of the screen. Then, try connecting your device to the Macbook again to see if the problem persists.

Before getting into the process of booting up your Macbook with an intel chipset in safe mode, make sure that you have turned it off in case it was already powered up. Then, go through these simple steps to enable safe mode on Macs with an intel chipset.

1→ Tap on the power button to turn your MacBook on normally.

2→ After pressing the power button, tap and hold the shift key on your keyboard.

3→ Once you see the login window, release the shift key.

4→ At last, log in to your Macbook

Now, your MacBook with the intel chip will boot up in safe mode. After the Mac has turned on, connect the iPhone or other devices that had a problem connecting using the image capture app to check if the error is gone.

Solution. 3→ Put iPhone in airplane mode

In some cases, the connection error between the iPhone and the Mac is mainly due to your iPhone’s bugs or glitches. So, we suggest that the users turn on the airplane mode in their iPhones so that all the background activities cease to work and then try connecting to the device module in the image capture app of their Macs. This solution has been proven to work in most cases where the iPhone restricts the connection to the device modules and gives the error in the image capture application.

Open Settings on iPhone > Turn Airplane Mode toggle ON/Green > wait for a while and turn Flight Mode toggle OFF/white.

By doing so, You can see your Phone’s cellular signal strength not showing on the status bar. after turning off Airplane toggle off, your phone will search to connect nearby Cell Tower. after a while, your Phone connecting to a cellular network. Now, Please follow the steps to picture or video transfer from one device to another. I think your problem must have been solved.

Solution. 4→ Try after Restart Mac and iPhone.

The problems like the error in opening connection to device modules in image capture on Mac can be resolved by simply restarting both the MacBook and the iPhone. This is because all of its resources and allocations get refreshed when we restart a device. Hence, this could fix the error in connecting to the device module of image capture. To restart your MacBook and iPhone, follow the method prescribed below.

  • Restart MacBook

Step. 1→ Initially, head over to the Apple menu by clicking on the Apple logo at the top left corner of the screen.

Step. 2→ Click on the restart option from all the available options.

Step. 3→ In the confirmation dialog box, select restart or let the timer run out to restart your MacBook automatically.

This process is the simplest way to restart your MacBook. Once you have restarted the MacBook, try to connect your device again with the MacBook to see if the image capture app recognizes it or not.

  • Restart iPhone

1→ First, long-press either the side and volume buttons until the slider to “shutdown” the device appears.

2→ Fully drag the slider towards the end and wait for some time for your device to power off.

3→ Now, turn on your device by pressing the power button on the side until you see the Apple logo.

Or

Go to the Settings > General > Last Option is Shut Down.

This process will restart your iPhone and reload the resources of the device. After this, connect your iPhone back to the Mac and monitor the image capture app for errors.

Solution. 5→ Change USB Cable or Use Genuine Cable

In a few cases, it has been observed that the sole reason for the error in opening a connection to the device module in Image Capture on a MacBook is the faulty or third-party USB cable.

The defective USB will lead to the MacBook showing connection errors and not detecting your device. Moreover, most of the third-party USB cables are not supported by the apps like image capture on MacBook, and thus the users face problems like connection errors to device modules. Therefore, we advise the users to use a genuine and working USB cable to avoid these issues.

Solution. 6→ Reset all settings on iPhone.

If restarting the iPhone and using a working and genuine USB cable does not solve your problem, then the next best thing you can do is reset all the settings of your iPhone. This will restore your iPhone to its factory settings and fix the error of opening a connection to the device modules in image capture on Mac quickly. Note that all the iPhone’s data will get erased in doing this, so make sure to store a backup of all the crucial files. To reset all of the settings of your iPhone, take note of the process mentioned below.

1→ Open settings on your iPhone and go to general.

2→ Hover or scroll down and look for the setting labeled as Transfer or Reset iPhone. Click on that setting.

3→ Then, click on the “Reset All Settings” option.

reset-all-settings-on-iphone-ios-15

This method will erase all the contents and settings of your iPhone and restore it to its factory settings. Once the iPhone restarts after successfully completing this process, the users get an option to set up their iPhone as a new device or restore it from a backup. After that, connect the iPhone back to your Mac and check if the problem still pops up.

Solution. 7→ Photo Keep original For Photos app

At times, the image capture app does not recognize the edited or copies of the original photos taken by your device. Hence, it does not show these files on the app’s interface. So, to solve this issue, we recommend the users keep the original photos and then connect their iPhone to the Mac for the proper functioning of the Image Capture software. However, this solution seems to be insignificant; it has proven to work for a lot of Mac users, so we have put it in our list of solutions to fix the error of not opening a connection to the device module in Image capture on Mac.

Fix: Please wait. Photos in the Camera Roll of “iPhone” are being prepared

is image capture app showing message “Please wait. Photos in the Camera Roll of “iPhone”
are being prepared.” that means your iPhone is detected successfully and Preparing the Photos and Videos to show on Mac’s Image Capture app.

This might take time depending on your Mac’s process, Speed, and your Saved Media file size on your iPhone’s Photos app. For that, you have to wait for 10 to 15 minutes at least.

Solution. 8→ Use Media Transfer app

Suppose even after repeated attempts of establishing a connection to the device module on the Image capture app, you cannot transfer the photos and videos from your iPhone to the Mac. In that case, the best thing anyone can do is download the Photo Transfer App, which is the official data transfer app by Apple. This app wirelessly transfers or copies the photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Mac without any requirement of a wired connection. Therefore, download and install the media transfer app to fix the error of not opening a connection to the device module in the Image Capture app on Mac.

Solution. 9→ Reinstall macOS

This Solution will reinstall a new latest copy of MacOS on your Mac Device without Erase Data and Settings.

The issues and errors like not being able to establish a connection to the device modules in the Image capture app on the MacBook occur due to improper installation of the macOS on their devices. Hence, reinstalling the macOS will fix most of the errors and problems that the users face in various applications like the Image Capture app. After reinstalling the macOS connect your device back to the MacBook and see whether the Image Capture app is able to recognize and set up a connection to the device module on the Mac.

Check out Step by Step Guide Reinstall MacOS.

Solution. 10→ Report Apple Support online

Suppose you have tried all the solutions listed above and are still having difficulty setting up a connection to the device modules in Image Capture on Mac. In that case, the last thing you can do is report this problem to the online Apple support portal. Once the report has been registered, the Apple support staff will take a lot into the issue and guide you through the process of fixing the error on your MacBook. Book an Appointment At apple genius bar. or Visit near apple support online

Although there may be some other ways, like using AirDrop, to fix the error of not setting up a connection to the device modules in Image Capture on Mac, we have compiled only the best and most effective ways for you to fix this problem in this list.

We hope that we were able to help you out in solving your problem with this article. So try out the solutions and see what works for your Mac to transfer photos and videos between your MacBook and other devices.

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Karly Wood

Karly Wood is a journalist based in Ohio who specializes in covering Apple and technology trends. With a varied experience in reporting on public safety, government, and education, her insights bridge multiple disciplines, providing readers with a well-rounded perspective on today's technological advancements. If you need to contact me, you can reach me at [email protected] or through (Facebook)

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