The latest iOS, iPadOS updates break the popular iPhone, iPad dongle

End of last week Apple released iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5, which added a Sports tab to the Apple TV app, brought additional wallpaper options to iPhone users, and more. But there is bad news for those who have already downloaded the latest iOS and iPadOS builds on their devices. The updates break iPhone and iPad compatibility with Apple’s Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter Dongle. The accessory connects to an iPhone or iPad via the charging port and has a USB-A port for connecting accessories to your phone or tablet.

The dongle also includes a built-in Lightning port that allows the user to charge their iPhone or iPad while using the dongle to use an accessory. The updates to iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5 broke compatibility with both ports. On Reddit, several users wrote about how their dongle stopped working after installing the iOS 16.5 update.

For example, Redditor FIFanatic writes: “I’m having the exact same problem, just with my digital audio setup – my DAC (Schiit Modi+) worked fine with this adapter connecting my iPhone to it until I upgraded to iOS 16.5 this morning – now it just gives a error message “draws too much current” and won’t even charge my phone let alone communicate with the DAC.”

On the On the Apple Community site, an iPad owner with the handle “Coyle235” tells his sad story. “Updated to 16.5 today. My 7th generation iPad is used for midi music apps. I have an Apple USB Lightning Camera Adapter with charging. The charging port no longer works for the iPad. I have tried different Apple cables. The adapter will allow charging to my iPhone so it’s not a hardware issue I’ve done several reboots/reboots on the iPad Still no success Charging only happens with a direct connection and NOT through the adapter Are there any other solutions available? “

Apple refers to the accessory as a camera adapter, and in the online Apple Store, Apple writes: “After plugging in the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter, your iPad Pro automatically opens the Photos app, which lets you share photos and can choose videos to import and then organizes them into albums.” But iPhone and iPad users buy the dongle to connect USB-A accessories to their devices.