iOS 16.5 bug prevents Apple’s Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter from working

The Lightning to USB 3 camera adapter, Apple’s own accessory, has stopped working due to a likely bug in iOS 16.5 that should be soon fixed.

Male hand holding Apple's Lightning to USB 3 camera adapter, showcasing the USB-C and USB-A ports
Adapter not working? Blame it on iOS 16.5. | Image: Jeff Benjamin/iDB
  • People are complaining that Apple’s Lightning to USB 3 camera adapter has stopped working after updating their iPhone to iOS 16.5.
  • Apple has not acknowledged the problem, which appears to be a software bug that iOS 16.5.1 or iOS 16.6 should fix.
  • The software updates don’t physically damage Apple’s accessory, which functions without any hiccups on older iOS and iPadOS versions.

iOS 16 bug affects Lightning to USB 3 camera adapter

The $19 accessory connects to the iPhone’s Lighting port and provides USB 3 and USB-A ports on the other end. People use it not only to connect memory card readers to transfer photos and videos from digital cameras to their iPhones and iPads but also to other USB peripherals such as hubs, Ethernet adapters, etc.

However, those who own this adapter say it stopped working after they had installed iOS 16.5 or iPadOS 16.5. Both updates launched on May 19, 2023.

However, neither the iOS 16.5 release notes nor the related security document mentions anything about issues with the accessory. This didn’t stop some affected people from taking to online forums, venting their frustration with the situation on Apple’s Support Communities, Reddit and MacRumors Forums.

One user said their adapter stopped functioning after installing iOS 16.5, and would no longer power anything connected to its ports. “This has to be an issue with iOS 16.5, and I hope it’s resolved quickly,” they wrote. “A very bad look for an official Apple accessory to be rendered inoperable by a step update of iOS.”

Well, software bugs are a fact of life, but this particular poster is right—the bug in question is embarrassing because it cripples Apple’s own accessory.

The camera adapter and lossless audio

The Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter has another great use case—it can send lossless Apple Music to an external digital to analog converter (DAC). However, Apple’s Lightning to 3.5 mm headphone jack adapter makes it even easier to listen to lossless audio because it integrates a 24-bit/48 kHz DAC.

The iPhone lost an integrated DAC by removing the 3.5 mm headphone jack. You can still transmit audio from the iPhone’s Lightning connector. Still, you need a DAC in the middle before feeding the digital signal to analog devices such as Hi-Fi speakers or high-quality studio headphones.