Couldnt communicate with a helper application when connecting iPhone

[Ifti]

iPhone 11 Pro Max - software fully up to date

MacBook Pro 13 (2018 model) - software fully up to date

When I connect my iPhone to the MacBook, I see the iPhone listed in Finder.
I click on it to enter the phone but simply get a message stating "Couldn't communicate with a helper application".

Ive relaunched Finder.
Restarted the MacBook.
Logged out of iCloud, Restarted, then logged back into iCloud.
Tried different lightning cabled (lightning to USB-C and lightning to USB>Adapter)

Anyone else have this??

 

[Ifti]

Anyone?

 

[bogdanw]

Try to install MobileDeviceOnDemand.pkg from

http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/50/35/041-43993/0g3okue9904liqqtsffyjhh11h3b3n0dc1/MobileDeviceOnDemand.pkg

and restart.

 

[Ifti]

Thanks - tried that but didn't make any difference.....

 

[Ifti]

Tried an iPad and get the same - so its definitely an issue with the OS side of things rather then my devices......

 

[Ifti]

So called Apple who state that I'm not the first with this issue, and several people have been phoning in with the same.

After some further investigation, it seems to be user based - so something with my user profile.
If I create a new user on the same MacBook, all works fine and my iPhone connects perfectly via Finder.

I have now also tried:
- Deleted all caches.
- Cmd+R and reinstalled Catalina

Still get the same.

I use iCloud for backup so no biggie I guess - I just like to do the odd encrypted backup, so may have to use the second created account for now until there is an update that may help.

 

[zkap]

I have the same issue. With iTunes on Mojave, I could connect the iPhone and sync, but I couldn't create a backup (it would say that there was a problem with an existing backup and that I had to delete that before proceeding). This meant that I couldn't install iOS 13 via iTunes, had to do it OTA.

Now without iTunes I can't connect to the Mac at all. I still sync some music to my iPhone a few times a year, it'd be nice to be able to do this, Apple.

 

[Ifti]

SOLVED!!

2 hours with Apple Support didn't solve it - instead ended up resolving thanks to trial and error!

I have my iTunes media folder on an external TB3 drive - connected the drive and opened Music too ensure it was seeing everything OK.
Went back to Finder and everything now working fine and my iPhone shows up correctly (even if I now disconnect my iTunes external drive).
Maybe it just needed access to a file from my iTunes folder to get going!

 

[greywolfnz]

I signed up to the forums here *just* to thank you for that. Lifesaver!

 

[Ifti]

I signed up to the forums here *just* to thank you for that. Lifesaver!

Glad it helped!

When I contacted Apple Support I was informed many people had phoned in with this same issue. For some a reinstall fixed the issue. It was even suggested to just use a new user profile, and even reinstall Catalina with no restore - so a fresh new install.....
Glad I didn't follow any of that advice. The solution was simple and even with my iTunes folder disconnected now, it still works as normal. Seems like its just the initial iDevice connection needs the iTunes library to relate to, but then following connections do not.

 

[zkap]

SOLVED!!

2 hours with Apple Support didn't solve it - instead ended up resolving thanks to trial and error!

I have my iTunes media folder on an external TB3 drive - connected the drive and opened Music too ensure it was seeing everything OK.
Went back to Finder and everything now working fine and my iPhone shows up correctly (even if I now disconnect my iTunes external drive).
Maybe it just needed access to a file from my iTunes folder to get going!

Thank you very much!! Tried it and it worked. Great stuff!

 

[zkap]

I was just thinking about this issue. Once upon a time when iTunes existed, I would launch the app and it would say that it cannot locate the library. This seemed reasonable on account of the fact I didn’t have the external hard drive connected which hosted the library.

Then Apple eliminates the iTunes app and along with it this useful prompt which draws your attention to the fact the library is missing. If that wasn’t enough, Apple then fails to address this issue via a software update or a forum response, even though it should have occured to someone there that this could be the problem. It seems like an assumption that could have crossed some minds given the fact Finder replaces iTunes and whatnot.

Leave it to people like Ifti to solve these problems in Apple’s place. Here’s to you, Ifti.

 

[ManchesterAppleuser]

SOLVED!!

2 hours with Apple Support didn't solve it - instead ended up resolving thanks to trial and error!

I have my iTunes media folder on an external TB3 drive - connected the drive and opened Music too ensure it was seeing everything OK.
Went back to Finder and everything now working fine and my iPhone shows up correctly (even if I now disconnect my iTunes external drive).
Maybe it just needed access to a file from my iTunes folder to get going!

You deserve a medal!! This worked for me too

 

[Ifti]

Great!
Glad its working for others - seems like this is the definitive fix for the issue!

 

[Brido]

I must be missing something... ?
What exactly am I supposed to do with the iTunes Media folder?
Any clarification appreciated!

 

[Ifti]

I must be missing something... ?
What exactly am I supposed to do with the iTunes Media folder?
Any clarification appreciated!

If you keep your iTunes media on an external drive, once you have upgraded to Catalina, connect your external drive with iTunes and open Music.
Make sure its connected to your external drive and all your music etc is visible as normal.

Now you should be able to connect your iDevice to your computer and view it via Finder....

 

[Brido]

Unfortunately I don't use an external drive.
Thanks for the response.

 

[rhaydon]

SOLVED!!

2 hours with Apple Support didn't solve it - instead ended up resolving thanks to trial and error!

I have my iTunes media folder on an external TB3 drive - connected the drive and opened Music too ensure it was seeing everything OK.
Went back to Finder and everything now working fine and my iPhone shows up correctly (even if I now disconnect my iTunes external drive).
Maybe it just needed access to a file from my iTunes folder to get going!

@Ifti I signed up too just to say thank you! Worked a treat. Now all we need is someone to sort out the issue with Audiobooks on external drives; Apple really needs to take more care: "It Just Works" is no longer true at all! ?

 

[niho]

Thanks, I had the same error, similar experience here, on macOS catalina.
I opened the music ap, it said missing library, I clicked 'create new' , and closed the music app.
Then I was able to access the iphone contents in finder app.

 

[bocaboy]

I got the same message, but I don't keep my library on an external drive. I opened Music and then File/Library... and reorganized my iTunes library which presumably moves and/or renames the folders into a place and format that Music and Finder can use in syncing iOS. Now I was able to sync my iPhone 11 Pro with no problem over WiFi or Lightning cable.

Why wouldn’t Apple have run this correction during the upgrade to Catalina? Why cause this type of support headache? I know it wasn't intentional, but surely beta testing with the developer community uncovered this problem early on. Why wasn't it fixed??

Anyway, thanks to Ifti for the hint to look in Music and concentrate on the Library. It worked!

 

[ILoveIFTI]

SOLVED!!

2 hours with Apple Support didn't solve it - instead ended up resolving thanks to trial and error!

I have my iTunes media folder on an external TB3 drive - connected the drive and opened Music too ensure it was seeing everything OK.
Went back to Finder and everything now working fine and my iPhone shows up correctly (even if I now disconnect my iTunes external drive).
Maybe it just needed access to a file from my iTunes folder to get going!

I love you<3

 

[klsmith1979]

I need help everyone. I am still having this issue. I have made the default music library the primary and organized it. I have done a re-install of catalina. This have this issue with my MacBook pro when using my iPad 6 gen and iPod nano 7th gen. I just re-deployed from Kuwait where all of these issues started. I have since also went back to an iPhone 11, and now experiencing the same issue.... "couldn't communicate with a help application". I have an iMac that is still running to Mojave, i did not update it when I returned because i am fearing the same issue.

Thanks for any help possible.

Ken

 

[srgarcia]

Same issue here! Glad to see solutions, but they aren't working for me.

 

[JonthanK]

That worked for me: Mid 2015 MacBook Pro running 10.15.4. I connected an iPhone 7 Plus running 13.4.1 to the MBP but got the "Couldn't communicate with a helper application" message. I read a solution on this thread, opened a file from the iTunes backup on an external drive, reconnected the iPhone, and Catalina connected successfully. Thanks for the solution.

 

[Ifti]

I love you<3

lol @ username