iOS 15 device backups with macOS High Sierra 13.6 & iTunes backup?

[phillytim]

Will I still be able to backup my iPhone (with the new iOS 15 upgrade) to my ol' MacBook Pro with High Sierra 13.6?

Has anyone tried this, and been able to confirm?

Usually iTunes downloads a little update to make it compatible with the newest iOS, but I'm worried that Apple will soon leave we High Sierra folks out in the cold!

 

[phillytim]

Nobody with iOS 15 has attempted to backup to their macOS High Sierra iTunes?

 

[oldmacs]

I haven't tried it but I looked at the minimum requirements for the iPhone 13, which will come with iOS 15 and it says it will work with El Capitan and newer, so good news!

 

[phillytim]

I haven't tried it but I looked at the minimum requirements for the iPhone 13, which will come with iOS 15 and it says it will work with El Capitan and newer, so good news!

This is a great sign, at least! Guess I'll give it a shot either tonight or tomorrow.

Thank you for the valuable tip!

 

[phillytim]

CONFIRMED - iOS 15 devices ARE able to back up to MacOS High Sierra Macs. ✌️

FYI: This year iTunes did not need to download a special compatibility update, unlike the past couple years; '15 backups just worked for my setup.

 

[oldmacs]

CONFIRMED - iOS 15 devices ARE able to back up to MacOS High Sierra Macs. ✌️

FYI: This year iTunes did not need to download a special compatibility update, unlike the past couple years; '15 backups just worked for my setup.

Interesting that it just worked without a download!

 

[phillytim]

Interesting that it just worked without a download!

Exactly my thought also! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[w5jck]

I used iTunes on my MacBook Pro 2014 running Mojave to downgrade my iPad Air 2020 from iPadOS 15 to 14.8, and as soon as I plugged the iPad into the Mac it told me I needed that update, so installed it and accomplished the downgrade. I use iCloud for backups of my iPads and iPhone, so it had been a long time since I plugged one into my MacBook Pro.

 

[iMig]

Hey ! Interesting thread.
Should I update my IPhone SE with 13.7 to iOS 15? My main OS is Sierra /with iTunes 12.8.2.3 in a 2008 Mac Pro. I ve got a High Sierra partition as well but I rarely use it.

And yes, , I know I´m conservative in terms of upgrading my rigs.
Thank you.

 

[phillytim]

Hey ! Interesting thread.
Should I update my IPhone SE with 13.7 to iOS 15? My main OS is Sierra /with iTunes 12.8.2.3 in a 2008 Mac Pro. I ve got a High Sierra partition as well but I rarely use it.

And yes, , I know I´m conservative in terms of upgrading my rigs.
Thank you.

Based upon the official Apple system requirements that @oldMac posted above in #3, yes - you can use your Sierra/12.8.2.3 to update your SE to iOS 15 - enjoy! 👍

 

[iMig]

Just read that specs list . Thanks!!!!!

 

[dysamoria]

Thanks for posting this info. I am about to commit to updating my iPad Pro and iPhone 6s to iOS 15.x because Apple Card and my debit card cannot be added to Wallet on iOS 12.x, I want dark mode, and I guess I will have to say "damn the High Sierra Safari iCloud sync" (which I have been told by people on here that I will lose with the change to my iOS devices). Wish me luck. I hate upgrading.

 

[dysamoria]

Well, I've upgraded to iOS 15.whatever, and I am liking some of the changes (and hating the new bugs, and all the crap Apple STILL HASN'T FIXED since iOS 12.x!!!!).

As expected, I can no longer share Safari tabs with High Sierra. But the thing I was hoping would not be an issue, IS an issue: iTunes "cannot connect to device".

iTunes 12.8.3.1

No update was offered for supporting the devices.

So now I cannot back up my devices until... I get a newer Mac?

UPDATE: Corrected!

I reinstalled iTunes 12.8.3 from https://support.apple.com/kb/dl1977 and it triggered a "An update is required for your iPhone 6s" etc... After a bunch of drive thrashing and faffing about, it finished up and I am back in action.

 

[now i see it]

For now, but eventually old Macs can not connect to new iPhones. It’s planned that way.
Yes - you’ll eventually have to buy a newer Mac to connect it to a new iPhone.

 

[dysamoria]

CORRECTION

For now, but eventually old Macs can not connect to new iPhones. It’s planned that way.
Yes - you’ll eventually have to buy a newer Mac to connect it to a new iPhone.

Agreed. I’m just forestalling the final outcome. But I have to. I can’t afford new hardware every 3-5 years like the industry wants of us.

 

[NoBoMac]

A bit of doom and gloom, and a stretch, imo.

Seem to recall reading that MacOS Monterey can handle anything on iOS 5 or higher, and iPod Nanos. Saw similar mention in iMazing documentation, and believe they are piggy backing on core Apple functions. My mother's 2012 Mac on Catalina is talking to an iOS 15 phone just fine. My previous Macbook Pro was 11 years old (on El Cap?) and capable of handling latest/greatest iOS devices.

Sure, iTunes sync is pretty much dead at this point, have to bite the bullet and use Finder, but have yet run into any "Apple is forcing me" lock-out situations.

 

[dysamoria]

A bit of doom and gloom, and a stretch, imo.

Seem to recall reading that MacOS Monterey can handle anything on iOS 5 or higher, and iPod Nanos. Saw similar mention in iMazing documentation, and believe they are piggy backing on core Apple functions. My mother's 2012 Mac on Catalina is talking to an iOS 15 phone just fine. My previous Macbook Pro was 11 years old (on El Cap?) and capable of handling latest/greatest iOS devices.

Sure, iTunes sync is pretty much dead at this point, have to bite the bullet and use Finder, but have yet run into any "Apple is forcing me" lock-out situations.

I had to download and reinstall iTunes and download a device update, but, yeah, it still works… mostly. I can no longer sync Safari tabs across all my devices because iOS beyond 12.x locks or Mac OS Safari from High Sierra and older. The ecosystem slowly falls apart for users who aren’t willing or able to keep buying new devices, because Apple don’t care to keep it functional beyond a couple years of product age.

The doom and gloom is warranted, because keeping Apple’s ecosystem functional on older machines demands tech people outside Apple Support, and some issues have no solution (like the Safari tab sync issue I mentioned above). That means users have to figure out the problems on their own, or find someone else who can do it for them.

You should see the thread about iCloud login problems on Sierra and High Sierra…

 

[Cynthia]

Well, I've upgraded to iOS 15.whatever, and I am liking some of the changes (and hating the new bugs, and all the crap Apple STILL HASN'T FIXED since iOS 12.x!!!!).

As expected, I can no longer share Safari tabs with High Sierra. But the thing I was hoping would not be an issue, IS an issue: iTunes "cannot connect to device".

iTunes 12.8.3.1

No update was offered for supporting the devices.

So now I cannot back up my devices until... I get a newer Mac?

UPDATE: Corrected!

I reinstalled iTunes 12.8.3 from https://support.apple.com/kb/dl1977 and it triggered a "An update is required for your iPhone 6s" etc... After a bunch of drive thrashing and faffing about, it finished up and I am back in action.

I have a Mac running High Sierra with iTunes 12.8.3.1. I just got an iPhone 13 yesterday with IOS 15.4.1. iTunes recognized my previous iPhone X so that I could sync my music. Now iTunes doesn't recognize my iPhone 13. When I plug it in I get the "A software update is required to connect to iPhone. Would you like to download and install it?" I always got that with my iPhone X as well, but I just said "not now."

I have been assuming that it refers to an operating system update to High Sierra rather than an update to iTunes. If there is a small update to iTunes I'm excited to do that. I have a new enough iMac to update High Sierra, but I'm holding off due to some software I'm still running (Adobe--the last perpetual license--hate paying subscriptions, but that's a whole other thread)

So is the software update just referring to iTunes, or is it the operating system as well?

 

[BugeyeSTI]

I have a Mac running High Sierra with iTunes 12.8.3.1. I just got an iPhone 13 yesterday with IOS 15.4.1. iTunes recognized my previous iPhone X so that I could sync my music. Now iTunes doesn't recognize my iPhone 13. When I plug it in I get the "A software update is required to connect to iPhone. Would you like to download and install it?" I always got that with my iPhone X as well, but I just said "not now."

I have been assuming that it refers to an operating system update to High Sierra rather than an update to iTunes. If there is a small update to iTunes I'm excited to do that. I have a new enough iMac to update High Sierra, but I'm holding off due to some software I'm still running (Adobe--the last perpetual license--hate paying subscriptions, but that's a whole other thread)

So is the software update just referring to iTunes, or is it the operating system as well?

Just iTunes, has nothing to do with the OS. High Sierra doesn't receive OS updates or even security fixes anymore.. If you want to be able to use your new phone with High Sierra/iTunes you are required the iTunes update.

 

[Cynthia]

Just iTunes, has nothing to do with the OS. High Sierra doesn't receive OS updates or even security fixes anymore.. If you want to be able to use your new phone with High Sierra/iTunes you are required the iTunes update.

I want to make sure I am reading your answer correctly. When I see "A software update is required to connect to iPhone. Would you like to download and install it?" it is asking if I want to update iTunes? It is NOT asking if I want to update High Sierra to a newer OS (Mojave/Catalina/Big Sur/Monterey).

 

[BugeyeSTI]

I want to make sure I am reading your answer correctly. When I see "A software update is required to connect to iPhone. Would you like to download and install it?" it is asking if I want to update iTunes? It is NOT asking if I want to update High Sierra to a newer OS (Mojave/Catalina/Big Sur/Monterey).

That is correct.. I'm assuming you have auto update disabled on your computer? Are you getting prompts to update your OS to Mojave/Catalina/Big Sur/Monterey? If you've disabled auto update you shouldn't be getting any..

 

[dysamoria]

I have a Mac running High Sierra with iTunes 12.8.3.1. I just got an iPhone 13 yesterday with IOS 15.4.1. iTunes recognized my previous iPhone X so that I could sync my music. Now iTunes doesn't recognize my iPhone 13. When I plug it in I get the "A software update is required to connect to iPhone. Would you like to download and install it?" I always got that with my iPhone X as well, but I just said "not now."

I have been assuming that it refers to an operating system update to High Sierra rather than an update to iTunes. If there is a small update to iTunes I'm excited to do that. I have a new enough iMac to update High Sierra, but I'm holding off due to some software I'm still running (Adobe--the last perpetual license--hate paying subscriptions, but that's a whole other thread)

So is the software update just referring to iTunes, or is it the operating system as well?

Sorry for not replying sooner: It's just an iTunes update for device recognition, not an OS upgrade.

 

[Cynthia]

That is correct.. I'm assuming you have auto update disabled on your computer? Are you getting prompts to update your OS to Mojave/Catalina/Big Sur/Monterey? If you've disabled auto update you shouldn't be getting any..

Correct, I have auto update disabled, though I do get a daily notification asking if I want to "update now, remind me tomorrow, or turn on auto-update" (wording to that effect). I just dismiss it.

 

[neil barstow]

Well, I've upgraded to iOS 15.whatever, and I am liking some of the changes (and hating the new bugs, and all the crap Apple STILL HASN'T FIXED since iOS 12.x!!!!).

As expected, I can no longer share Safari tabs with High Sierra. But the thing I was hoping would not be an issue, IS an issue: iTunes "cannot connect to device".

iTunes 12.8.3.1

No update was offered for supporting the devices.

So now I cannot back up my devices until... I get a newer Mac?

UPDATE: Corrected!

I reinstalled iTunes 12.8.3 from https://support.apple.com/kb/dl1977 and it triggered a "An update is required for your iPhone 6s" etc... After a bunch of drive thrashing and faffing about, it finished up and I am back in action.

2022/7 update, yeah I'm still running High Sierra, I'm a long long way from being a serial updater. The link for iTunes 12.8.3 has expired but I did find it here - https://support.apple.com/kb/dl1977?locale=en_GB - it does seem to install OK, so I plugged in my iPhone X with iOS 15 and sure enough up popped a notice that software needed to be updated. And as discussed here that’s just an iTunes update. It took a long long time to download - then offerer to install if iTunes was quit (obviously). But now iTunes is sitting in my dock, inactive, like 20 minutes later, and it won't open "because it is being updated".
After a while I decided to start over - started the downloaded iTunes installer again - at first it said waiting for an installation to complete. Then it ran and now it works, I can see my iPhone X with iSO 15.6, phew, thanks lots for the tips guys.. Backing up now so all seems OK so far
High Sierra has a little more life. I'm pleased about that as it's running legacy software.
Maybe Mojave will suit, might do the upgrade, we'll see.
Mojave has been super slow at running "messages" on another mac here (so that one is going to Catalina) - but High Sierra has been OK!
anyhoo, MUCH appreciated

 

[phillytim]

I'm hoping that High Sierra will back up iOS 16 devices - so I can get one last year out of my ol' 2011 MBPro before moving to a new laptop.