How I make OSX never open apps automatically when I connect any hardware?

Question

Every time I connect any device, OSX opens whatever app it thinks is appropriate to handle the device (like iTunes, Photos, Image Capture, and so on).

This is becoming rage inducing to me, of the sort I want to punch something, because I am a dev with lots of test devices, and one of my cables is damaged and the device on it keeps reconnecting, and the computer slowns down a lot when an app opens, AND it steals focus.

So how I make so that it never happens again?

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 17 '16 at 08:26

1

I think I managed to kill the behaviour with a combination of these two methods...

For common devices...

Connect device.
Launch Image Capture [in Applications]
Set "Connecting this iPhone opens:" - No application

For 'one-off' devices...

Install RCDefaultApp which is old but still works in El Capitan
In the Media tab I have simply set all options to 'Ignore' - even though there is no option for USB cards, they don't launch anything either now.

answered Mar 17 '16 at 08:26

Tetsujin

49,589

This didn't worked :( Some devices still auto-open programs. – speeder Apr 21 '16 at 05:11
For iPhones/iPads etc, you need to set each one's behaviour in Image Capture, there's no way round that. Mine definitely doesn't launch anything for USB sticks/SD cards any more. – Tetsujin Apr 21 '16 at 06:29
One iPod stopped doing it for a while, but now started doing it again. – speeder Apr 21 '16 at 12:42
Then it's forgotten, for some reason, just set it again – Tetsujin Apr 21 '16 at 12:45
I am accepting this because is the closest... I never found out a solution, seemly it can't be done. Shame on you Apple. – speeder Feb 10 '17 at 13:42

How I make OSX never open apps automatically when I connect any hardware?

1 Answers1