5 Tips to Fix “Accessory May Not be Supported” Error on iPhone and iPad

The “accessory may not be supported” error on iPhone has existed for a long time. Most of us have encountered it at some point or the other. Now, as the name itself suggests, the problem here is related to iPhone accessories. However, there are times where this problem crops up out of the blue, making you wonder what has suddenly gone wrong. If you have run into the “Accessory may not be supported” error on your iPhone or iPad and are looking for a fix, this troubleshooting guide is what you need.

Fix “Accessory May Not Be Supported” Error on iPhone and iPad

So, what could be the reason for the “Accessory may not be supported” alert to appear repeatedly on the iPhone or iPad? From what I can tell, based on my several encounters with the problem, it usually occurs due to an ill-functioning charger. Yeah, you read that right! A fake or faulty charger is the main culprit that often triggers this error.

But what if your charger doesn’t seem to have any fault? Well, this is where the unsupported accessory alert on iOS tends to leave us completely perplexed. Thankfully, some reliable solutions often work in fixing the popup, so let’s talk about them without further ado!

Ensure That Your Accessory is MFi Certified

To troubleshoot the annoying “Accessory may not be supported” error in iOS 14, first ensure that your accessory is MFi (aka Made for iPhone and iPad) certified. If your accessory is not MFi certified, chances are pretty high that it is causing the problem.

What if you are dealing with the USB-C port on your iPad Pro or Air? Well, you should ensure that the accessories are fully compatible with the iPad. The best way to avoid falling prey to fake accessories is to buy them only from well-known brands like Anker and Belkin. Instead of going for cheap knock-offs and endangering the device, it’s always better to buy certified chargers and steer clear of slow-charging speeds and unsupported accessory pop-ups.

So, be sure your charger is designed for the iPhone and iPad to ward off charging issues.

Make Sure the Lightning Port is Clean

Another thing to check right off the bat is the cleanliness of your iPhone’s Lightning port. Believe it or not, tiny particles of dust and pollen tend to sneak in and clog the ports. And if you don’t clean the ports frequently, gunk pile-up can start creating problems. It may prevent accessories from making a stable connection, resulting in the “Accessory may not be supported” error.

So, make sure to clean the charging port. Toothpicks are pretty helpful in cleaning the port and help you get rid of the gunks that may have clogged up the port. Be sure to remove the piled-up gunk gently.

Toothpicks are less likely to cause any damage to your charging port. Still, I would recommend you to use flat toothpicks with rounded tips as they have no sharpness. Besides, it would also be a good idea to have the tiniest bit of cotton on the tip of the toothpick to add a little cushion to the cleaning process.

Ensure That the Accessory is Not Damaged

Damaged accessories are equally responsible for the “Accessory may not be supported” issue to crop up on iOS devices. Therefore, make sure your accessories are in good condition and take a close look at the connectors since they play a vital role in establishing a stable connection.

Try to charge your device using another accessory. If your device starts charging, the problem is with your existing accessory and not the device itself. Now, either you can buy a new charger or use the workaround listed below to get rid of the popup.

Force Restart Your iPhone

If the “Accessory may not be supported” alert still pops up on your iPhone or iPad, force restart your device. It often sorts out common or miscellaneous issues, so give it a shot without fail.

• On iPhone 8 or later and iPad with Face ID: Press and quickly release the volume up button. Then, press and quickly release the volume down button. After that, hold down the side/power button until the screen goes black and you see the Apple logo on the screen.
• On iPhone 7/7 Plus: Press and hold the volume down button and the side button simultaneously until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
• On iPhone 6s or earlier or iPad with Touch ID: Hold down the home button and power button simultaneously until the Apple logo shows up on the screen.

Once your iOS/ iPadOS device has rebooted, plug in the charger to see if you have finally solved the “Accessory may not be supported” error.

Update Your iPhone/iPad

Though faulty or damaged accessories are the chief culprits for the “Accessory may not be supported” alert, software bugs could also be responsible for the issue. Notably, some accessories might require the latest version of iOS. Therefore, update the software on your device to the latest version to eliminate the problem.

To get it done, launch the Settings app on your iOS/ iPadOS device, go to General -> Software Update. If there is any update available, make sure to download and install it. Keep in mind that your device needs to have around 50% battery to perform the software update.

Fixed “Accessory May Not Be Supported” Error on iOS and iPadOS

Hopefully, one of these tips will help you move past the ‘Accessory may not be supported’ error and see your iPhone charge as usual. As outlined above, the problem usually occurs due to faulty accessories. However, in some rare cases, it can crop up due to a clogged charging port. Besides, software bugs might also be behind the problem, given their history of triggering common issues like rapid battery drain, unexpected cellular data consumption, and unstable Wi-Fi connection. That’s why it’s better to look into each aspect.

By the way, which one of these solutions helped you fix the unsupported accessory error on your iOS device? Do let us know in the comments section below.