While Apple is usually pretty good at making sure their iOS betas are compatible with the latest stable version of macOS, sometimes they slip the ball. If that's the case and you're currently on the latest macOS High Sierra version, this may be a problem. Let's say you're currently running iOS 12 developer beta 3 or iOS 12 public beta 2.

Would you like to download and install this update now?' prompt, simply click on 'Install' to update the software needed to get your iOS device working with iTunes again on an older macOS version. When you see the 'A software update is required to connect to your iOS device. If you have no interest in updating your Mac to the newest macOS, the answer may be painfully obvious. How to Sync Your iPhone with iTunes Again You will, however, still be able to charge your iPhone and use other tools such as Image Capture, Photos, etc. If your iPhone is running a newer version of iOS than the macOS version you're running currently supports, you will not be able to sync your iPhone with iTunes if you get the 'software update is required to connect to your iPhone' alert. Generally, if your Mac is running the latest macOS version and your iPhone is running the latest iOS version available, you should never see this message appear on your laptop or desktop's screen.

If you're currently running macOS 10.11 or higher on your Mac and connect your iPhone to sync with iTunes, you may get an alert saying that 'a software update is required to connect to your iPhone.' Here's everything you need to know about what that means, how to update your system, and what to do if updating doesn't work.

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