How to Stop Photos opening when iPhone connected Mac (Sonoma)

Do you want to stop iPhone to from opening photos automatically on Mac, MacBook? We've three different ways to do that. Visit tutorial.

Unlike Android and Windows, Apple’s doors are not fully open to transfer data from iPhone and Mac or other devices; maybe it’s for the security’s sake. But that doesn’t mean you cannot access and transfer basics like Photos, Videos, Documents, etc.; yes, it’s still possible with iPhone to Mac and other computers. Another interesting feature is when you connect iPhone to Mac, Photos will open automatically in the first place effortlessly.

But some people find it unhelpful, and of course, you will be annoyed if you don’t want to see the photos at all after connecting iPhone to Mac. Fortunately, it can be stopped in few steps. More or less, you can choose to open any other app when connecting iPhone to Mac.  

How to Stop Photos from Opening Automatically Mac?

How Do I Stop Photos from Opening Automatically? Using Finder

The straightforward way is to select iPhone from the sidebar and deselect the option that opens photos automatically in Photos app.

  1. Use the lightning cable and connect iPhone to Mac.
  2. If prompted, Trust This Device? Allow it.
  3. Now Photos App will open automatically; select your iPhone from the sidebar.enable-photos-app-open-automatically-on-mac
  4. Uncheck the Open Photos option.stop-open-photos-app-open-itself-on-mac
  5. Quit the Photos App.quit-photos-on-mac-photos-app
  6. Disconnect iPhone and reconnect; the photos won’t open automatically. Follow the same steps if you change your mind and automatically open pictures upon connecting iPhone to Mac.

How to Stop Photos from Auto Launching with Terminal?

Another way to turn off photos from opening automatically is using Terminal. In some cases, the system goes rogue and won’t change the settings; however, Terminal is all the way to force the changes, including this.

  1. Launch Terminal app in your Mac.
  2. Enter the following command and press Return.
    • defaults -currentHost write com.apple.ImageCapture disableHotPlug -bool YESstop-photos-app-open-automatically-when-iphone-is-connecting
  3. To use the Auto Opening feature, use the below command instead;
    • defaults -currentHost write com.apple.ImageCapture disableHotPlug -bool NO
  4. That’s It! By copy/paste, one can turn off and on auto image opening function right away on Mac.

How to choose which app launches automatically on Mac when connecting iPhone

Well, you’ve read it right, and it’s quite an interesting feature to get hands on if you frequently connect iPhone to Mac for a particular task. Instead of opening the program again and again, why not set up auto open the app when connecting iPhone to Mac.

Here we’ll show you steps by taking Image Capture as an example.

  1. Connect iPhone to Mac via lightning cable.
  2. Launch Image Capture in your Mac.
  3. Click on the three dots in the top center.stop-open-applictions-on-connect-iphone-to-mac
  4. From the dropdown menu, choose from the available applications that you want to open when connecting iPhone to Mac.

That’s It!

Photo of author

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)

Leave a Comment