Until iOS 4.3.5, my iPad has auto opened iTunes on my MacBook when connected. Now won't, has been rebooted, all settings in iTunes are set to open on connection (per Twerppoet's helpful posts). Any ideas, guys?

Does the iPad still show up when you launch iTunes?

If so, this is probably the result of following some of my advice. When you turn off the auto-syncing in iTunes Preferences under the Devices tab, it also stops the auto launch of iTunes when the iPad is plugged in.

I'm afraid it is an either/or choice. You can have iTunes launch and immediately start to sync, or you have to do it all manually; both launch and sync.

Though you have me stumped with the 'open on connection' comment. I must be having a bad memory day.

Thanks, Twerppoet - your "launch" = my "open". Yes, once I manually launch iTunes, all synchs, etc. work fine. The iPad (and my iPod) are recognized as devices. And I have those two critical settings in iTunes set as you prescribed. But in the last week or so, iTunes has stopped auto-launching when I connect the iPad to the MacBook. Mystery!

If you turn off auto-syncing it also turns off auto launching. I don't know why. It just does.

Or I'm confused about what you are really saying, in which case ignore my repetition. I am getting a bit tired. Time to go to bed.

I rechecked the settings & tested again today - still won't auto-launch, but once launched manually, iTunes works as advertised.

There was the recent iOS update and there have been some recent OS X updates, and maybe even a recent iTunes update -- maybe the Apple programmers just lost a bit or a byte somewhere. If so, it may get fixed.

I'm not going to worry about it anymore - just go with the flow.

Keep up the good work, twerppoet.

With the reminder that there have been a few updates (both iDevice and iTunes), I stopped blowing old smoke and checked it out again. You were right. iTunes no longer auto launches, at least not on my fully updated (except for Lion) iMac.

Not exactly showing my A game this week. Sorry.

And thank you for reminding me that things do change, and that you should "always" listen to what people are saying, not what you think they mean.

And as I wander through my day, suddenly I find the answer.

As I said, when you have auto-sync turned off, the iTunes will not launch. However, the actual launch settings is done per device, not for everything. So, with the iPad plugged in select it in iTunes. On the Summary page you'll see an Open iTunes when this iPad is Connected checkbox. When auto-sync is turned off, the option is grayed out.

I knew this before, and forgot. {Going now, to find a post to bang my head on.}

I've been plagued by the same annoying bug - I've plugged my ipad/iphone in to charge/sync, picked up and gone and realised the sync never happened. Thanks to twerpoet for solving this - i unchecked the summary 'open itunes', closed, then opened and re-checked it.

On doing so, iTunes told me the iTunes Helper would need to be installed - must have got kicked out by either the latest itunes update or by Lion.

Give a lot of credit back to yourself. I use a Mac, and did not even know there was something called iTunes Helper. I'll have to keep that in mind.

BTW, would that be found on the shelf next to the Tuna Helper?

I have the same problem. My settings are in order but auto-launch isn't working. Auto-syncing works once I launch iTunes manually.

I have also updated to IOS 4.3.5