Most of the time, we accept the idea of syncing between devices in real time. However, things are far from perfect. Recently, iCloud Photos was unable to sync a new batch of my photos from my iPhone to my PC and Mac. This was very annoying as I wanted to make some quick edits and was running out of time.
Fortunately, I fixed the problem very quickly, but it doesn’t seem like there is a single solution to the problem. Several factors can prevent iCloud Photos from syncing your media library with other devices.
So it’s understandable if you’re having issues with iCloud Photos not syncing properly between your devices. Now, let’s go through a few troubleshooting steps that can fix the problem permanently.
1. Check iCloud.com
Numerous issues can prevent iCloud Photos from uploading photos from your iPhone in the first place. In this case, they will not sync with your other devices.
Therefore, it is best to rule this out before proceeding. To check if your photos are backed up to iCloud, sign in to iCloud.com using any desktop web browser, then click Photos.
Note: Mobile browsers won’t work with iCloud.com, but you can try to load the site on an iPad with desktop mode enabled
If your photos aren’t on iCloud.com, you need to fix issues that prevent your photos from uploading to iCloud. You can use our troubleshooting guide for iCloud photo backups to do this. Otherwise, continue with the next fix.
2. Check iCloud Status
Your photos are available on iCloud.com, but they don’t appear in the Photos app on your other iOS and macOS devices or in the Photos folder on your PC. If that’s the case, the next logical step should be to verify that iCloud Photos is not turned off due to a server-side issue. The easiest way to check this is to visit Apple’s System Status page.
If you see the status next to Photos Not Available (shown as a red dot), keep monitoring the System Status page. You should see a Resolved Issue notification when Apple gets iCloud Photos back on track.
3. Check Internet Connection
I can cite countless instances where my Wi-Fi connection was enabled and iCloud Photos was blocked from syncing to my devices. Check if your devices have proper access to the internet. If the connection seems poor, restart your Wi-Fi router or connect to another hotspot.
iCloud Photos for iOS devices using cellular data won’t sync photos and videos. This is true if there is no permission to use mobile bandwidth. To check if this is the case, go to iPhone/iPad Settings > Photos > Cellular. Turn on the switches next to both Cellular Data and Unlimited Updates.
4. Low Data Mode (iPhone and iPad Only)
If your iOS devices are iOS 13 or higher, you should make sure that Low Data Mode is disabled for your Wi-Fi and cellular connections.
For Wi-Fi connections, open the Settings app, tap Wi-Fi, then tap the i-shaped icon next to the connection network. Turn off the switch next to Low Data Mode on the screen below.
For your cellular connection, go to iPhone Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options. Turn on the switch next to Low Data Mode and you’re ready.
5. Open iCloud Photos
Have you turned on iCloud Photos on all your devices? This is an obvious but common reason why iCloud Photos cannot sync with your iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC. Follow the instructions below to check and enable (if disabled) iCloud Photos.
Enable iCloud Photos — iOS
On iPhone and iPad go to iPhone/iPad Settings > Photos. Then turn on the switch next to iCloud Photos.
Enable iCloud Photos — macOS
Open the Photos app on macOS. Then click Photos (Menu bar) > Preferences > iCloud. Finally, check the box next to iCloud Photos.
Enable iCloud Photos — Windows
Open the iCloud app on Windows. Next, click Options next to Photos and then check the box next to iCloud Photos.
After you turn on iCloud Photos for any of your devices, you may have to wait a while for your photos to become available locally. This is especially true for Windows where iCloud isn’t optimized enough.
6. Check Apple ID
Another reason why iCloud Photos cannot sync your photos is if you use different Apple IDs on your devices. If you are toggling between several Apple IDs, check to see if this is the case.
Check Apple ID – iOS
Open the Settings app on your iPhone, then tap your profile. The email address associated with your Apple ID will be listed on the screen below.
Check Apple ID — macOS
On your Mac, open System Preferences via the Apple menu, then click iCloud. You’ll see the Apple ID and email address listed below the profile portrait.
Check Apple ID — Windows
Just open iCloud app on PC. You can find the Apple ID and email address below the iCloud logo.
If you encountered a device with a different Apple ID, you’ll need to sign out and sign back in with the same Apple ID used on your other devices.
Important: Backup to iCloud before signing out of any iOS or macOS device
7. Reboot Devices
If iCloud Photos continues to fail to sync your photos, restart the problematic device in question. You’d be surprised how often he patches things up.
For those of you who are not familiar with the rather unorthodox shutdown procedure on iPhone X and newer models, press and hold the Volume Up and Power buttons to turn off your device.
8. Sign In/Log Out
Signing in and out of iCloud is another convenient fix you can perform. It can start re-indexing or re-downloading your photos from scratch, though this will likely help fix the problem. This can take a significant amount of time.
Important:
Sign In/Out — iOS
On iPhone, visit the Settings app, tap your profile, then tap Sign Out. Restart your iPhone after signing out and then sign in again.
Sign In/Out — macOS
On Mac, click System Preferences in the Apple menu. Next, click iCloud, then click Sign Out. Restart your Mac and then sign in again.
Sign In/Out — Windows
Open iCloud app on Windows and sign out. After restarting your computer, sign in again.
9. Update Device
Do not ignore the fact that persistent bugs and glitches can prevent iCloud Photos from successfully syncing to your devices. And one of the best ways to fix such problems is to update.
Update Device — iOS
On iPhone, open the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update. If there are updates available, install them.
Update Device — macOS
On a Mac, open System Preferences via the Apple menu, click Software Update, and then install any updates if available.
Update Device — Windows
On Windows, you don’t need to do a full OS update. Instead, open the Apple Software Update utility from the Start menu, and then install any available updates for iCloud and related Apple software programs (such as iTunes).
If you’re using the Windows Store version of iCloud, you’ll need to launch the Windows Store app first. Then proceed to the Downloads and Updates area to install the new updates. However, you usually don’t need to do this as Windows Store apps are automatically updated by default.
10. Remove iCloud Photos
In the rare event that iCloud Photos is unable to sync your photos, consider switching to an alternative cloud storage service. I know. It is not a viable move in most cases. However, if it means syncing your photos between devices until Apple releases a fix for the problem, that’s something you should consider.
Google Photos is your best bet with ‘Unlimited’ storage and great cross-platform compatibility. However, it will come at a cost to your privacy.
I’ve also compiled a list of the best iCloud Photos alternatives. These storage services allow you to sync your photos between most devices and even extend to platforms like Android.
Patched Things
So, did you manage to fix iCloud Photos? I hope you did. Seamless access to your photos and videos is essential to the entire Apple ecosystem experience.
Windows users can also refer to my iCloud Photos troubleshooting guide for alternative ways to access photos if the functionality continues to work.
Next: Did you know that your iPhone can make it take photos in old JPEG format instead of HEIC? Here’s how to do it.
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