Updating Firmware on Apple USB Camera Adapter (Lightning) in 2026

sharward

Yesterday I purchased a new Apple USB Camera Adapter as recommended to me in my recent post seeking advice on connecting and supplying power to a digital audio interface from my new-to-me semi-vintage iPad Pro 10.5.

Its firmware version is currently 1.0.1, and the current firmware version is 1.0.5. I am prompted to update the firmware upon connecting it to the iPad. Unfortunately, despite many hours of waiting, the update does not occur. 😥

To those who use this adapter with an iPad with a Lightning port:

Which firmware version are you running? (Settings > General > About > Apple USB Camera Adapter > Firmware Version)
Which model number of iPad are you running? (Settings > General > About > Apple USB Camera Adapter > Model Number)
Were you ever prompted to update firmware? Was it successful? When?

My hypothesis is that the firmware is somehow not available to the operating system despite having good Internet connectivity.

I have no other iPads, and no iPhones. I might attempt to ask around to see if anyone has one who will allow me to attempt to update this adapter's firmware using their devices, or maybe check in at the Apple Store Genius Bar to see if they can update its firmware for me.

I don't know what if any differences exist between 1.0.1 and 1.0.5. Apple does not publish release notes for this product.

WebHiker

I have the same issue. My understanding is that there are two hardware versions of the adapter. The older one prompts to update even though it is incapable of doing so. It's a bug that you can simply ignore. Just click Update or Cancel and carry on.

Plug the adapter into your iPad and check Settings → About → Apple USB Camera Adapter. If you have Hardware Version 1.0.0 it will not update, but works just fine.

sharward

Indeed, that is what I have! What a weird quirk. OK, I won't fret about its inability to update and incessant need to nag me about it every time I connect it. Thanks so much for the reassurance!

peter

I have hardware 1.0.0 and firmware 1.0.5 but I never saw the adapter being updated. At least I can't remember.

WebHiker

peter It happens to me every time I plug the adapter in to my 9th Gen iPad. According to AI it's a known issue, but I was unable to find any information about it through any official channels.

haroon12121

I ran into something similar with my Lightning iPad and the Apple USB 3 Camera Adapter.

In my case, the firmware update didn't install immediately either. It just kept saying an update was available, but nothing happened for quite a while. What eventually worked was leaving the adapter connected, keeping the iPad on Wi-Fi, plugged into power, and letting it sit for a while. I also restarted the iPad once before trying again.

If it's still stuck after several hours, I'd suspect either a temporary issue with Apple's firmware delivery or a problem with that particular adapter. Trying it with another Lightning iPad or iPhone is a good idea, and if an Apple Store is nearby, the Genius Bar should be able to confirm whether the adapter updates normally.

Unfortunately, Apple doesn't publish firmware release notes for these adapters, so it's hard to know exactly what changed between 1.0.1 and 1.0.5. If you do find a solution, I'd be interested to hear what finally worked.