macOS photos - stop opening import window when iPhone plugged in

[allanimal]

I use MacOS photos for my primary DAM for my photos, and when I’m on my iMac, I’m probably in the middle of culling, rating and/or editing photos from my latest photo shoot.

So when I plug in my iPhone or iPad to charge or backup & sync via the finder, the photos app will automatically switch to the import photos from iPhone or iPad pane, losing my place in the album I am currently working on.

It it possible to turn off this behavior? I know about the “not open photos for this device” checkbox, it is unchecked and it does not help. I do not see anything relevant in preferences.

I’m not afraid of the terminal, so if there is any “defaults write …” commands I could do, please let me know,

If it matters, I’m on Monterey.

[Shamino (David C.)]

You can do it via the Image Capture app. Launch it, select your phone, and then click the “…” button on the toolbar:

Select the app you want to auto-launch (or “No application”) when the device is connected.

[allanimal]

Thanks for the tip, however I do already have it set that way and it does not solve the problem. Photos, if it is not open, will not open when I plug it in, but if it is open, Photos will switch to the import pane.

[Simon]

Yeah, your problem is clearly not the app call itself, but that Photos will—when running—react to plugging in an iOS device. It always does that and unfortunately I know of no option to prevent that. :(

[tommy (Tommy Weir)]

Does the same behaviour occur if Photos is running but not active?

[allanimal]

Yes it does.