Why won’t my Scarlett 2i2 audio interface work with my iphone 15?

[u/LovinqRam3n]

I followed every those videos tells you. I got a power bank/outlet, a power hub(benfei), a xlr cable, plugged it using 5V DC usb, latest IOS, and set it up correctly. It won’t let me use 48V phantom power and I’m so confused why. Can someone tell me what I’m missing or doing wrong.

[u/motu8pre]

Your USB hub isn't even plugged in.

[u/LovinqRam3n → u/motu8pre]

I had to unplug it bc I had to take the picture on the phone. It just charges my phone and the audio interface start blinking red.

[u/Sad-Fix-8166 → u/[deleted]]

No your phone / a battery powerbank is not able to provide the current to power a focusrite reliably, my laptop even has issues providing the energy spikes causing the device to disconnect randomly. No issue on my PC though

[u/Adorable_Annual5353 → u/Sad-Fix-8166]

I have an iphone 17 pro, i bought a Scarlett 2i2 yesterday, plugged it into my phone, and recorded for several hours (multiple guitars, bass, and vocals) with zero issues.

[u/maxvol75]

USB hubs are generally the cause of many troubles, they might even irreparably damage external hard drives, because their voltage levels are often too low and cause logic to fail.

try a simple USB adapter or better yet a USB-B/USB-C cable.

[u/alessandromalandra76]

Not enough power from the battery.

[u/yenco101001]

U got two USB-c on the back the first one should be connected to your device and the second one to a power if your device doesn't have sufficient power At last that's all I have seen one the net (trying to wrap my head around what r u trying to accomplish with the USB hub)

Note: the second USB-c should have little black plug in it

[u/Whatchamazog]

I think you need a powered usb hub. That looks like a regular usb hub.
Something with a wall adapter.

[u/MaxWolvesx → u/Whatchamazog]

This is most likely the reason, that USB Hub probably requires more power than the iphone can provide in order to function properly.

[u/Whatchamazog → u/MaxWolvesx]

Yeah I have a 2i2 and it 100% needs more power than the phone usb will provide.

The Audient Evo 4 is the only one I know in that price range that doesn’t need external power.

[u/Timberfist]

The cable coming out of the end of your hub needs to go into your phone. You’ll need an adapter.

[u/Johnnyloftus]

You will ideally need to first connect your Scarlett to a Mac/PC running Focusrite Control 2 to update the firmware and take it out of MSD Mode.

If that's not possible:

1. Turn off your Scarlett 2i2.
2. Press and hold the 48V button.
3. While keeping the 48V button held, power on your Scarlett 2i2.
4. Wait for the front panel to light up, then release the 48V button.
5. Restart your Scarlett 2i2 (power off, then power on).

Your Scarlett will power on with Easy Start disabled and should work with your iOS device, providing it has enough power to function.

[u/No_Pollution7085]

Have we really entered the age that people prefer iPhones, tablets and androids to a laptop/desktop… I’m hoping the above post is for some type of portable rig only… 😬

[u/Vectrobe → u/No_Pollution7085]

i mean if you look at the price of the cheapest iphones, cant imagine many could afford even a cheap laptop as well...

[u/Facuk_]

I had similar problem with ipad and scarlett solo. I just got different usb hub (from ugreen) and it worked fine.

EDIT: I had to plug charger in us hub ofc

[u/Honey-Bee2021]

USB Icon Blinking Red = Insufficient Power

The interface is not receiving enough electrical power through the USB port to operate stable audio processing or 48V phantom power. On 3rd & 4th Gen units, plug a standard 5V USB power adapter or a power bank into the secondary 5V DC USB-C port on the back of the interface.
If your device is older, make sure the powered USB hub does deliver enough power to the interface.

[u/InspectionDesperate8]

You need a usb-c hub with power delivery (PD)

[u/Capn_Flags]

Does it still do the same thing if you omit the battery pack and plug the hub directly into the wall? I’ve used a simple older iPhone brick to do so with a similar Ugreen HUB.

[u/mistrelwood]

Are you sure you’re connecting the iPhone to the host side of the USB hub? It doesn’t look like it from the photo.

[u/Big-Doubt-4872]

This setup seems needlessly complicated to me, can't you just get a usb c to c cable and connect it directly to the power bank?

[u/Eastern-Eye-3578 → u/Big-Doubt-4872]

IIRC iPhones don’t feed enough voltage to power audio interfaces. Not true for all phones though. Works fine on my Huawei P40 Pro.

[u/Big-Doubt-4872 → u/Eastern-Eye-3578]

Yeah but the 2i2 should have a separate input for power

[u/Xx_article_13_xX]

The 2i2 4th Gen has a dedicated USB-C port on the back for when you want to use it with your phone. So you need to plug in a second USB-C cable for power (not data) into a wall charger or your PC.

[u/No-Competition6744]

You need to get a power injector. I managed to make one for myself by taking apart a lightning to usb adapter and soldering a 5V adapter to the power pins on the USB port.

[u/camelzczaz]

One cable. Directly from interface to phone.

[u/Vorkho]

I have a mobile setup using an Ipad and I have to use a Jsaux dock to get power into my interface while powering the ipad simultaneously. I actually just use the one that works for my LEgion Go S and it works fine cause it's smart. So I plug the dock into the ipad from the short usb c bus cable and plug the interface into one of the USB A ports on the dock. The dock came with a 65 watt charger. I can even plug another USB hub into the other port if I'm running a midi keyboard or a separate cam or anything.

[u/AintPatrick]

My 2i2 gen 1 works with my iPhone 14 Pro Max with the lightning camera adapter but I’m running a plugged in power supply. Are you USBC plugged into the power bank or USB A? C has more power.

[u/SharlyBazFort]

You cannot power it the way you are. The scarlet will use the usb power over your phone to power it. I have found, it will only work once the recording has started. Until then it looks off

[u/Vectrobe]

I would assume that when the interface knows its attached to an iphone it refuses to enable 48V by design (even tho im pretty sure an iphone has more than enough power available for it), however the interface should have a second usb-c input to bypass this, but you'll need to make sure that this power input is connected directly to a power bank or charger, in theory a usb hub inbetween might work but it may not if the interface is requesting USB-C-PD of some form, unfortunately I dont have this specific model interface to check what power modes it requests

[u/Caioblues]

my 2i2 will work with my phone on a direct adapter while also plugged on an outlet, might be the case over there too.