Every time you plug your iPhone or iPad into your Mac via a USB cable to charge it, the Apple Photos app automatically springs to life. This default behaviour was designed years ago to encourage users to back up their camera roll to their computer’s hard drive. However, in the era of iCloud Photos and wireless syncing, this automatic pop-up is mostly just an annoying interruption that disrupts your workflow. Thankfully, you can easily tell your Mac to stay completely silent when you connect a device.
How to Stop the Photos App Auto-Launch
You cannot change this setting from the Mac’s main System Settings. Ironically, you must change it from within the Photos app itself, and you must have your device plugged in to see the option.
- Connect your iPhone or iPad to your Mac using a USB-C or Lightning cable.
- The Photos app will automatically launch (for the last time). If it doesn’t, open it manually from your Applications folder or Dock.
- Look at the left-hand sidebar of the Photos app. Under the “Devices” section, click on your specific iPhone or iPad.
- Look at the top-left area of the main viewing window (just below the main toolbar). You will see a small checkbox labelled Open Photos for this device.
- Click the checkbox to uncheck it.
- Close the Photos app.
A Device-Specific Setting
It is important to note that this setting is tied to the specific hardware you just plugged in.
If you uncheck the box for your iPhone, the Photos app will no longer open when you connect that exact phone. However, if you plug in a different iPad, or buy a brand new iPhone next year, the Mac will treat it as a completely new device and the Photos app will auto-launch again. You will need to repeat this simple process for every new Apple device you connect to your computer.