In the Photos app from Apple on the Mac, it is possible to uncheck devices one by one, so that the app does not always open automatically. With this tip, you can turn it off for all devices at once.
Mac Photos app off for all devices
For some Mac users, it is annoying that the Photos app always opens when they connect an iPhone or iPad via USB. Users not only connect their devices to import photos, but also to charge their device, for example. With a detour, it’s possible to keep Photos off, even if you’re connecting a device that your Mac doesn’t know.
It is not difficult to disable automatic opening of Photos for all devices. You follow the steps below:
- Open the Terminal app on the Mac (for example, you do that with cmd + spacebar, then type in ‘Terminal’ and press enter);
- Now enter the following code: defaults -currentHost write com.apple.ImageCapture disableHotPlug -bool YES
- Hit Enter.
That is it! In the future, the Photos app will remain disabled when you connect devices to the Mac. And if you still want the app to open automatically, enter this code: defaults -currentHost write com.apple.ImageCapture disableHotPlug -bool NO
Determine yourself which devices are or are not
If you prefer to decide for yourself for which devices Photos will and will not be opened, you can do that with the help of this tip on iPhoned. This allows you to indicate per device whether the app should open when you pair it. This way you make your use of Mac a little better.