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Ugh - Must iPhone bring iTunes to front when it's plugged in?

MBHockey

MBHockey

macrumors 601
Original poster
Oct 4, 2003
4,063
314
Connecticut
In my opinion, it is quite obnoxious that EVERY time i plug in my iPhone it has to send iTunes to the forefront of all my open apps.

I plug it in when I come home from work to charge and sync it, but it does it all automatically so why does iTunes pop to the front like a nagging Windows app saying "HEY LOOK AT MEME!!!1111" every time I plug it in?

I turned off automatic sync when the iPhone is connected, but that didn't stop this obnoxious iTunes behavior. Any way around it?

Edit: I should mention that this happens because I usually keep iTunes minimized to the Dock, and it maximizes when I connect the phone -- which I guess makes logical sense. It doesn't do it if the window is hidden or simply in the background, which is nice. :p
 
I forget exactly how I did it, but iTunes doesn't automatically launch when I connect my iPhone.

I know I changed something though, because it used to do it by default.
 
Sobe said:
I forget exactly how I did it, but iTunes doesn't automatically launch when I connect my iPhone.

I know I changed something though, because it used to do it by default.
Click to expand...


mine NEVER brought itunes to the front, to the best of my knowledge. There must be an option somewhere in itunes.
also, do you have a mac or pc? That could make a difference (ie: windows has an option on what to do when the iphone is plugged in)
 
Here you are...
 

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As I mentioned in my initial post, auto-sync is not the cause of this. There used to be a setting in iTunes (the Summary page for iPhone) that allowed you to deselect the opening of iTunes when an iPhone was attached...but that seems to be gone now. Oh well.
 
This drives me nuts too!
Turning off auto sync isn't the answer for me, because I usually want it to sync when I plug it in. I just don't want the iTunes window to open - I'm getting sick of closing it all the time! Sync it, but don't open the iTunes window - anyone have a hack/tweak/workaround?
 
iwasnevy said:
This drives me nuts too!
Sync it, but don't open the iTunes window - anyone have a hack/tweak/workaround?
Click to expand...

No, because it syncs with iTunes, so iTunes has to be open.

I just keep iTunes in its own Space, so I never really have to worry about it.
 
JBaker122586 said:
No, because it syncs with iTunes, so iTunes has to be open.

I just keep iTunes in its own Space, so I never really have to worry about it.
Click to expand...

Well, yes, iTunes has to be running, but there's no reason the window has to open or come to the front - it could sync with the iTunes window closed - I know because I can close the window in the middle of a sync and it still keeps on syncin away. Running iTunes in a seperate space would work, but seems cumbersome to me. I'd rather find a tweak to write to a plist file to make itunes remain hidden when the iphone is plugged in.
 
I'm pretty sure that on the main iPhone tab of iTunes (when the phone is plugged in) there is a check box for "Startup iTunes automatically when connected". See if deselecting that fixes the problem.
 
wwooden said:
I'm pretty sure that on the main iPhone tab of iTunes (when the phone is plugged in) there is a check box for "Startup iTunes automatically when connected". See if deselecting that fixes the problem.
Click to expand...
Maybe you're not using a current version of iTunes, because, as noted already by the OP, there is no such option.
MBHockey said:
There used to be a setting in iTunes (the Summary page for iPhone) that allowed you to deselect the opening of iTunes when an iPhone was attached...but that seems to be gone now. Oh well.
Click to expand...
 
It is a minor annoyance, but I've gotten used to expecting it when I plug my iPhone in, so it doesn't bother me too much. I only plug my iPhone in when I'm ready.
 
On a similar note,
Is there any way to stop my iMac from waking from sleep each time i put my iPhone in the dock? I presume it powers up because it detects USB activity, but it's a real pain in the ass, since I then have to wait for a bit, enter my password, potentially cancel the sync and put the mac back to sleep.
A small annoyance I know, but it grates on me having to do this every night!
 
Tallest Skil said:
Set syncing to manual and iTunes won't open.
Click to expand...
You've missed the boat as well.
The OP is not complaining about iTunes launching when plugging his iPhone. He's talking about iTunes' window maximising/coming to the front (because it was already running) when plugging the iPhone. And it's been said already, setting sync to manual is not the solution (if there are any) for this behaviour.
 
Tallest Skil said:
Set syncing to manual and iTunes won't open.

Or something. :D Mine doesn't, so it can be done.
Click to expand...

The problem with that is... I have iTunes always running (It needs to be for my AppleTV. It's always a pain when I'm ready to watch my AppleTV and I can't browse my shows, so I have to take out my iPhone, open Jaadu VNC, connect to my Mac Pro, launch iTunes, close Jaadu, go to my first home screen, and lock my iPhone. The other solution is that I get up and walk 10 feet... what a hassle that would be. So I leave iTunes running and it does indeed pop up when it detects an iPhone.
 
MBHockey said:
I should mention that this happens because I usually keep iTunes minimized to the Dock, and it maximizes when I connect the phone -- which I guess makes logical sense. It doesn't do it if the window is hidden or simply in the background, which is nice. :p
Click to expand...

Why why WHY would you minimize a program?

Command-H, baby!

Geez, it's like you people LIKE clicking on tiny things instead of using the keyboard.

Command-H
Command-Tab
Command-Tab then switch Tab to ~

3 things. Learn them. Use them. Be happy! :D
 
Ya ... I'm big on hiding, and I never fully close iTunes. Red Button to hide is all I need.

Besides, I use my iPhone in a more "classic" phone way, and I charge it just on my nightstand for the most part (or at work if I need it). I only go for a full-on sync maybe about once a week or so.
 
cellocello said:
Ya ... I'm big on hiding, and I never fully close iTunes. Red Button to hide is all I need.

Besides, I use my iPhone in a more "classic" phone way, and I charge it just on my nightstand for the most part (or at work if I need it). I only go for a full-on sync maybe about once a week or so.
Click to expand...

The red button doesn't hide, it closes the window. Hiding is CMD-H. I usually like having iTunes showing (in minimized mode, not in Dock), but that's just me. I like the mini player.
 
cellocello said:
Red button and CMD-H don't do the same thing in iTunes?
Click to expand...

Nope. When you hide an app, the menu bar for that app also hides. When you close the iTunes window, you're just closing a window. Clicking the iTunes icon automatically re-opens the default window. Mail works the same way.

By the way. Close is CMD-W and hide is CMD-H. I also have my Dock icons gray out when they're hidden, so I can tell what's hidden and what's just in the background. In your case, you're just closing iTunes' default window and sending it to the background when you click on another app.
 
Has anyone found a way to keep iTunes 'hidden' even when an iPhone is plugged into their Mac? I use the Command + H method when a sync begins but it would be nice to keep it hidden.
 
I've still not found an answer to this.

I have my iPhone synced to my mac at home but like to keep it charged in my mac at work. It really annoys me that it launches iTunes everytime I plug it in.

I have the "Disable automatic syncing for iPhones and iPods" ticked on, in preferences and the "automatically sync when iPhone is connected" ticked off in the iPhone Summery tab.

Also was it just me or did this sort it's self out for a week after iTunes 8.2 was released. Now it's gone back to normal!

Any one figured it out yet?

{stew}
 
Why are you syncing daily? If it's just the Address Book and Calendar, subscribe to MobileMe to sync over the air and you won't have to worry about plugging it in so frequently.
 
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