steve5215

Q: Why does my photo album create several folders and duplicate my photos in the folders?

Why does my photo album create several folders and duplicate my photos in the folders?

iPhone 6 Plus, iOS 9.2.1

Posted on Mar 1, 2016 9:44 AM

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Q: Why does my photo album create several folders and duplicate my photos in the folders?

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  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu Mar 1, 2016 10:17 AM in response to steve5215
    Level 6 (16,260 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 1, 2016 10:17 AM in response to steve5215

    Would you provide more details about your issue? When does this happen? Is it after an upgrade of iOS to a newer version?

  • by steve5215,

    steve5215 steve5215 Mar 1, 2016 11:07 AM in response to elcpu
    Level 1 (3 points)
    Mar 1, 2016 11:07 AM in response to elcpu

    It happens randomly and it's not usually when I do an upgrade. It always says that the folders are "from my computer" and some of the folders are named after old photo folders that I have deleted from my computer a long time ago.

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu Mar 1, 2016 11:29 AM in response to steve5215
    Level 6 (16,260 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 1, 2016 11:29 AM in response to steve5215

    The reason I asked is that I have a similar issue but in my case it only happens when I upgrade to a new iOS. When I upgrade I get duplicate copies of my albums with duplicate photos in them (the duplicates are actually just pointers, not actual photos). I have Restored my iPad as New but to no avail. I have also removed all metadata from the photos using a 3rd party program but also to no avail. Re-syncing the Photos albums (folders) restores all to normal until the next iOS upgrade. I have an open case with AppleCare on this but they have not been able to provide a fix. They even replaced my iPad but to no avail either. The issue is likely in iOS and only happens to very few users. Here is link to another thread on this (somewhat old):

    My photo albums suddenly mixed up?

     

    All I can suggest at this point is to do a Forced Restart and then re-sync the Albums/Folders. May this will help you.

     

    BTW, I also get "junk" albums that are named after old albums/folders that I long ago deleted from my computer. Somehow the photos, even with no discernable metadata, must contain some reference to the old albums - either that or iTunes on the computer retains this info (a new fresh installation of iTunes did not fix, could be in the iTunes data folder itself).

  • by steve5215,

    steve5215 steve5215 Mar 1, 2016 11:31 AM in response to elcpu
    Level 1 (3 points)
    Mar 1, 2016 11:31 AM in response to elcpu

    Yes, when I do re-sync the photos, the duplicate folders disappear. But they re-appear some days or weeks later, and I don't know what triggers it. Thanks for your responses.

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu Mar 1, 2016 2:59 PM in response to steve5215
    Level 6 (16,260 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 1, 2016 2:59 PM in response to steve5215

    Steve, I have a contact at AppleCare and I spoke with him today. He is familiar with my case. I emailed him a link to your post and also the link to the other post above, similar issue. He will forward these up the chain. It would help if you can add additional details here about anything that may be triggering your duplicates as Apple will be reading this thread. Next time this happens you might want to see if there is anything that prompted it. In my case it is clear that an iOS upgrade is what triggers it, no issues in between upgrades.

  • by Lawrence Finch,Apple recommended

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Mar 2, 2016 5:55 AM in response to steve5215
    Level 8 (38,117 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 2, 2016 5:55 AM in response to steve5215

    If they were synced from your computer you have to "unsync" them. Connect the phone to your computer, click on its icon in iTunes. Then click on "Photos" in the left navigation bar. Uncheck Sync photos. Then click Apply or Sync, whichever appears.

  • by steve5215,

    steve5215 steve5215 Mar 2, 2016 5:57 AM in response to Lawrence Finch
    Level 1 (3 points)
    Mar 2, 2016 5:57 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

    Thanks. I followed your instructions and unchecked the "sync photos" option in iTunes. Hopefully this will solve the problem for me.

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu Mar 2, 2016 8:29 AM in response to steve5215
    Level 6 (16,260 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 2, 2016 8:29 AM in response to steve5215

    steve5215 wrote:

    Thanks. I followed your instructions and unchecked the "sync photos" option in iTunes. Hopefully this will solve the problem for me.

     

    Sorry to say but that will likely not solve your problem. Your photos (like mine) were synced from your computer to your iPhone using iTunes. In order to remove these photos from your iPhone you have to reverse the process, i.e., unsync them. Connecting your iPhone to your computer and unchecking the "sync photos" option in iTunes and then doing a new sync will remove the photos and the duplicates but IMO they will reappear again like they have in the past. You mentioned above that "It happens randomly. It always says that the folders are "from my computer" and some of the folders are named after old photo folders that I have deleted from my computer a long time ago." Unchecking "sync photos" only impacts syncs that your do after you do the unchecking. If your issue occurs on your phone when it is not connected to iTunes, "unchecking" will have no effect. Unchecking just helps you remove the pictures once you get the duplicates. And as you also mentioned above you already do that: "Yes, when I do re-sync the photos, the duplicate folders disappear. But they re-appear some days or weeks later, and I don't know what triggers it."

     

    When they reappear are you connected to iTunes or just using your iPhone?

  • by steve5215,

    steve5215 steve5215 Mar 2, 2016 9:03 AM in response to elcpu
    Level 1 (3 points)
    Mar 2, 2016 9:03 AM in response to elcpu

    They reappear when I'm just using my iPhone. Not when I'm connected to iTunes. I am beginning to think that maybe it has something to do with my iCloud backup? Because I was away on a trip in Africa a few months ago and it happened again while I was there. I was thousands of miles away from my laptop and I never got on iTunes while I was in Africa, but the problem still happened.

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu Mar 2, 2016 9:21 AM in response to steve5215
    Level 6 (16,260 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 2, 2016 9:21 AM in response to steve5215

    Then unchecking "sync photos" will not solve your issue, it will just help you remove the duplicates after they appear. Do you backup your photos to iCloud? Settings > iCloud > Photos? If it is OFF then iCloud is likely not the issue. If it is ON you could try with it OFF but I would not hold my breath as I do not think it is an iCloud issue (mine is set to OFF). IMO the issue is a software bug. It happens on my iOS devices when I upgrade the iOS, I get duplicate Albums that contain duplicate photos and they can only be removed by unsyncing them. My issue has been going on for a year and AppleCare Level 2 has tweaked about every option available to no avail, even replacing my iPad (it happens on my iPhone also) and Restoring my iPad as New, not from backup. Some others are having the same issue:   My photo albums suddenly mixed up? 

    The issue has been escalated to Engineering and I am hoping that something comes out of it eventually.

  • by steve5215,

    steve5215 steve5215 Mar 2, 2016 9:46 AM in response to elcpu
    Level 1 (3 points)
    Mar 2, 2016 9:46 AM in response to elcpu

    My iCloud photo backup is set to "off" as well so I guess I'm back to square one on this issue.

  • by d13avo,

    d13avo d13avo Jun 1, 2016 5:09 AM in response to steve5215
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 1, 2016 5:09 AM in response to steve5215

    Hi is there any update on this as its been happening to me also for over twelve months, cheers.

  • by americanbachelor,

    americanbachelor americanbachelor Sep 22, 2016 6:41 PM in response to elcpu
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 22, 2016 6:41 PM in response to elcpu

    same problem here.

    is there a way I can get an alert when this is solved?