Upgraded the OS to 14.8.1 then 14.8.2 on my 2019 MacBook Air. After the first upgrade all of my USB accessories stopped working. In the privacy and security section there is no option to ask for allowing usb accessories. Backed up and then did a complete reinstall of the OS. This has not corrected the issue. What could I be missing? The ports do allow the computer to charge.
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 14.8
Silverhawkti wrote:
Upgraded the OS to 14.8.1 then 14.8.2 on my 2019 MacBook Air. After the first upgrade all of my USB accessories stopped working.
Exactly what USB accessories?
So when exactly did the USB accessories stop working? With the 14.8.1 update? And was this from 14.7.x or 13.x or something else? Sorry this is not completely clear and can be important.
FYI, a minor OS update patch from lets say 14.7 to 14.8 is called an "update" not an "upgrade". An "upgrade" would be going from one major OS version to another....such as 14.8 Sonoma to 15.x Sequoia.
In the privacy and security section there is no option to ask for allowing usb accessories.
This only applies to an M-series laptop.
Backed up and then did a complete reinstall of the OS. This has not corrected the issue.
Did you perform a clean install of macOS by first erasing the whole physical SSD (Intel Macs only)?
And did you test the clean install before installing any third party software and before restoring from a backup? That is the only reason to reinstall macOS....to test a clean install without any user modifications or data, otherwise you may just be bringing the problem back. macOS is installed on a signed & sealed read-only system volume since macOS 11.x Big Sur, so the OS system files cannot be modified so that is not the problem.
If you tested the system with a clean install without any third party apps installed and without restoring from a backup, then you have a hardware issue of some sort. Otherwise the OS reinstall result is meaningless.
What could I be missing? The ports do allow the computer to charge.
The USB-C ports have two parts.....one is charging and the other is data transfers....both are separate so one may work while the other does not. It usually indicates a hardware issue with the USB-C ports and/or the Logic Board which requires a hardware repair. I don't recommend spending any money on repairs to any Intel Macs for multiple reasons. The money spent on repairs is better put towards a new laptop. Any M-series Mac will out perform this MBAir.
You can try rotating the USB-C connector 180º upside down to see if that makes any difference with your accessories. If the USB-C port is only half damaged/broken, then this may allow some accessories to work (not a fix, just a troubleshooting step).
Disconnect all external devices from the laptop. Connect one single device directly to the laptop to see if it works. If it does not work, then check the System Profiler to see if the physical device is even seen by the system. Check the USB and Thunderbolt sections. The System Profiler can be accessed by Option-clicking the Apple menu & select the top item (Apple has changed the naming over the years which is why I don't mention a specific name on that menu here).
Try connecting that device to the other USB-C port.
And don't forget try rotating the USB-C connector 180º upside down as well for each device & port.
When you updated/upgraded macOS, did you also check to update all of your third party software as well to make sure they are all compatible with macOS 14.8.2?
Silverhawkti wrote:
Upgraded the OS to 14.8.1 then 14.8.2 on my 2019 MacBook Air. After the first upgrade all of my USB accessories stopped working.
Exactly what USB accessories?
So when exactly did the USB accessories stop working? With the 14.8.1 update? And was this from 14.7.x or 13.x or something else? Sorry this is not completely clear and can be important.
FYI, a minor OS update patch from lets say 14.7 to 14.8 is called an "update" not an "upgrade". An "upgrade" would be going from one major OS version to another....such as 14.8 Sonoma to 15.x Sequoia.
In the privacy and security section there is no option to ask for allowing usb accessories.
This only applies to an M-series laptop.
Backed up and then did a complete reinstall of the OS. This has not corrected the issue.
Did you perform a clean install of macOS by first erasing the whole physical SSD (Intel Macs only)?
And did you test the clean install before installing any third party software and before restoring from a backup? That is the only reason to reinstall macOS....to test a clean install without any user modifications or data, otherwise you may just be bringing the problem back. macOS is installed on a signed & sealed read-only system volume since macOS 11.x Big Sur, so the OS system files cannot be modified so that is not the problem.
If you tested the system with a clean install without any third party apps installed and without restoring from a backup, then you have a hardware issue of some sort. Otherwise the OS reinstall result is meaningless.
What could I be missing? The ports do allow the computer to charge.
The USB-C ports have two parts.....one is charging and the other is data transfers....both are separate so one may work while the other does not. It usually indicates a hardware issue with the USB-C ports and/or the Logic Board which requires a hardware repair. I don't recommend spending any money on repairs to any Intel Macs for multiple reasons. The money spent on repairs is better put towards a new laptop. Any M-series Mac will out perform this MBAir.
You can try rotating the USB-C connector 180º upside down to see if that makes any difference with your accessories. If the USB-C port is only half damaged/broken, then this may allow some accessories to work (not a fix, just a troubleshooting step).
Disconnect all external devices from the laptop. Connect one single device directly to the laptop to see if it works. If it does not work, then check the System Profiler to see if the physical device is even seen by the system. Check the USB and Thunderbolt sections. The System Profiler can be accessed by Option-clicking the Apple menu & select the top item (Apple has changed the naming over the years which is why I don't mention a specific name on that menu here).
Try connecting that device to the other USB-C port.
And don't forget try rotating the USB-C connector 180º upside down as well for each device & port.
When you updated/upgraded macOS, did you also check to update all of your third party software as well to make sure they are all compatible with macOS 14.8.2?
azaksalmarzur28 wrote:
Reset SMC (VERY IMPORTANT on 2019 MacBook Air)
This solves USB data line failures immediately if it’s power-only but no data.
How to reset SMC on Intel MacBook Air:1.
1.Shut down your Mac
2.Hold Control + Option (Alt) + Shift (all on LEFT side)
3.While holding, press power button
4.Keep holding for 10 seconds
5. Release → wait 3 seconds → press power normally
Test USB again.
Unfortunately this person blindly posts AI chat results here on this forum many times with mixed information and in this case completely wrong information. They also never come back after posting (a good thing here since they posted an AI hallucination without verifying the results are accurate).
This is another AI hallucination and is completely wrong!!!! The steps & timing are all wrong for an SMC Reset of a T2 laptop. You can check the official Apple article here:
Reset the SMC of your Mac - Apple Support
Here is a screenshot from that Apple article:
Reset SMC (VERY IMPORTANT on 2019 MacBook Air)
This solves USB data line failures immediately if it’s power-only but no data.
How to reset SMC on Intel MacBook Air:
Test USB again.
This alone fixes ~70% of cases.
"External USB accessories not working under 14.8.2.: Upgraded the OS to 14.8.1 then 14.8.2 on my 2019 MacBook Air. After the first upgrade all of my USB accessories stopped working. In the privacy and security section there is no option to ask for allowing usb accessories. Backed up and then did a complete reinstall of the OS. This has not corrected the issue. What could I be missing? The ports do allow the computer to charge."
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Troubleshooting USB Connectivity:
Confirm the Detections:
Troubleshooting Mac Charging Issues:
A. Black Mac Screen:
Go Here: If your Mac doesn't Turn On or Start Up - Apple Support
Using External Devices: Try Resetting the SMC and NVRAM, but this time, using an external keyboard. Connect an external monitor and see if you get an output.
B. Mac Power Issues:
Try a New Charger:
If it is currently charging from a charger, then use a new charger:
A Few Links to Refer to Power:
External USB accessories not working under 14.8.2.
