iOS users: Beware of syncing your iPhone with new M1 MacBooks

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Are M1 Macs the new Boogeyman for your Apple devices?

Apple M1
(Image credit: Apple)

One of the big selling points of the entire Apple ecosystem is being able to sync all your Apple products to create a user-friendly convergence of devices. 

However, recent reports suggest you might want to wait before syncing your Apple devices with your new M1 MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. In a slew of recent user complaints on Apple's support community, it appears syncing your devices with your M1 Mac may cause apps on your iPhone or iPad to no longer work. 

Many users are reporting that after syncing their Apple devices, many third-party apps no longer seem to function properly. Users also stated that they're unable to install or update apps from the Apple App Store.

One user reported the following, "After I sync my iPhone X (on 14.3) with my M1 MBP (on 11.1), no third-party apps will open. Can’t install or update from App Store either; the progress circle will fill up and then immediately turn into the “cloud” download icon.” 

This appears to be caused by the M1 Mac. Another user claimed to have had a very similar experience, but that issue was rectified when they resynced it with a non-M1 powered Mac. The user stated “On Accident, I connected iPhone and MBP M1 via WLAN and synced…. Apps stopped working immediately. Then connected to my old MBP (2012, latest Catalina) and synced. Apps are all working again.” 

The reports of these problems start back in December of 2020 and seem to be an ongoing issue. Hopefully, Apple will address the issues in a future update. 

Mark Anthony Ramirez
Mark Anthony Ramirez

Mark has spent 20 years headlining comedy shows around the country and made appearances on ABC, MTV, Comedy Central, Howard Stern, Food Network, and Sirius XM Radio. He has written about every topic imaginable, from dating, family, politics, social issues, and tech. He wrote his first tech articles for the now-defunct Dads On Tech 10 years ago, and his passion for combining humor and tech has grown under the tutelage of the Laptop Mag team. His penchant for tearing things down and rebuilding them did not make Mark popular at home, however, when he got his hands on the legendary Commodore 64, his passion for all things tech deepened. These days, when he is not filming, editing footage, tinkering with cameras and laptops, or on stage, he can be found at his desk snacking, writing about everything tech, new jokes, or scripts he dreams of filming.