Framework 13 AMD USB-C Port Issues

Community Support
1

Description of the Issue

I’ve encountered a problem with the Framework 13 AMD laptop, specifically involving the USB-C port. When connecting an iPhone 16 Plus to the port, the connection is unstable—the phone repeatedly connects and disconnects. This behavior makes it impossible to maintain a reliable data or charging connection.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Use a Framework 13 AMD laptop.
  2. Connect an iPhone 16 Plus to the USB-C port using a genuine Apple USB-C to Lightning cable.
  3. Observe the connection behavior.

Expected Behavior

The iPhone should remain consistently connected, allowing for uninterrupted charging and data transfer.

Actual Behavior

The connection drops and reconnects repeatedly. This behavior persists regardless of which USB-C port is used on the laptop.

Troubleshooting Attempts

  • Verified the cable works by testing it with another device (no issues observed).
  • Tried different USB-C ports on the Framework 13.
  • Updated to the latest BIOS and drivers available for the Framework 13 AMD.
  • Tested with another iPhone 16 Pro, which exhibited the same behavior.
  • Tested an iPhone 12 Pro and an iPad Pro, which worked without any issues.
  • Tested on both Windows and Linux with the same results.

System Details

  • Laptop Model: Framework 13 AMD
  • BIOS Version: [Insert BIOS version]
  • Processors: 16 × AMD Ryzen 7 7840U w/ Radeon 780M Graphics
  • Memory: 30.6 GiB of RAM
  • Graphics Processor: AMD Radeon 780M
  • Manufacturer: Framework
  • Product Name: Laptop 13 (AMD Ryzen 7040Series)
  • System Version: A7
  • Phone Model: iPhone 16 Plus
  • Cable Used: Genuine Apple USB-C to Lightning

Additional Observations

  • The issue seems to occur only with the iPhone 16 series. Other Apple devices (e.g., iPhone 12 Pro, iPad Pro) and non-Apple USB-C devices connect without problems.
  • The problem persists whether the phone is locked or unlocked.
  • Relevant dmesg output from Linux:
    [ 2518.753739] usb 7-1: new high-speed USB device number 12 using xhci_hcd
[ 2518.888407] usb 7-1: New USB device found, idVendor=05ac, idProduct=12a8, bcdDevice=17.04
[ 2518.888415] usb 7-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 2518.888418] usb 7-1: Product: iPhone
[ 2518.888420] usb 7-1: Manufacturer: Apple Inc.
[ 2518.888422] usb 7-1: SerialNumber: ...
[ 2519.267027] apple-mfi-fastcharge 7-1: USB disconnect, device number 12
[ 2519.498157] usb usb1-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[ 2521.217927] usb usb1-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[ 2521.218022] usb usb1-port1: attempt power cycle
[ 2522.849953] usb usb1-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[ 2523.737949] usb usb1-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[ 2523.738069] usb usb1-port1: unable to enumerate USB device
[ 2524.785890] xhci_hcd 0000:c1:00.3: Refused to change power state from D0 to D3hot
[ 2526.153738] usb usb1-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[ 2527.874281] usb usb1-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[ 2527.874373] usb usb1-port1: attempt power cycle

Request for Assistance

I’m looking for guidance on whether this issue is hardware-related or a driver/firmware compatibility problem. Any troubleshooting tips or updates that might resolve this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please let me know if further details or logs are needed.

2

It is a bios issue and happens with the USB-C iphones (so 15 and 16 series)

3

can they fix this with a bios update

4

Has Framework identified a cause? Or anyone else conclusive proven root cause for that matter. Last I read, it’s only been guesses from forum members. Could be on the Framework side, the apple side, or perhaps most likely, some on both sides.

5

Don’t know about the reason, haven’t seen any official statements. Only that atleast the 3.06 BETA bios mentioned it in the known issues part.

I guess the best guesses right now are somehow related to USB-PD negotiations.

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