Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

> Learn more

> Add to your calendar 

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

User profile for user: jrf_usa
jrf_usa Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

All Photos Deleted and Reinstalled During Each Sync - Catalina to iOS 13

During every sync from my MacBook Pro 2019 to my iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPad mini 5, all 3300 photos are removed from the iOS devices and then reinstalled during the same sync. This happens whenever there’s been even a slight change in the MacBook's Photos app - for example, a new photo added or a deleted photo or an edited photo. Even one change triggers this problem. If there have been NO changes at all, the sync works normally.


The problem began with iOS 13 and Catalina. In the past (using iTunes and Mojave and iOS 12) only the new or changed photos were synced, leaving the other photos as-is. That’s the way it’s supposed to work. But now each sync takes a long time because of the removal and reinstallation of all photos. I really dread syncing now.


I do not use iCloud and I’ve never used iCloud. I sync with a cable connecting my devices to my MacBook.


MacBook: 10.15 with Supplemental Update

iPhone 11 Pro Max: iOS 13.1.3

iPad mini 5: iPadOS 13.1.3


Things I've tried but haven’t solved the problem:


  1. Restored the iOS devices
  2. Deleted iPod Photo Cache on MacBook several times
  3. Turned off “Sync All Photos” and then re-enabled
  4. Removed all photos from iOS devices to re-sync cleanly
  5. Always updated all devices to the most recent macOS and iOS
  6. Used “Option” when opening Photos on MacBook to make sure there’s only one Library
  7. Used “Command - Option” several times to “Repair” photos on MacBook (never found a problem and this completes quickly, maybe two or three minutes)


The Apple senior techs have not been able to solve this. I’m hoping someone here in Apple Discussions can help me.

Posted on Oct 23, 2019 6:00 AM

Reply

Similar questions

22 replies
User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
195,013 points

Oct 25, 2019 8:38 AM in response to jrf_usa

I am using iCloud for syncing, so I cannot test this on my Catalina Mac.


When we synced the iOS devices with iTunes, the syncing created a cache in Photos, with the synced photos. With this cache in place, Photos could easily check, which photos are already on the iOS device. Could you check, if Photos 5.0 on Catalina is still creating a Photo Cache folder, or if this folder is now missing, see: https://web.archive.org/web/20151222081002/https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203156


To check for the iPod Photo Cache folder:

  1. Open the Pictures folder and locate the Photos Library.
  2. Control- or right-click the file, and then choose Show Package Contents from the pop-up menu.
  3. In the window that opens, look for a folder named iPod Photo Cache or similar. Is there such a folder?
  4. Don't remove or modify any file within the library package. Removing or modifying files might cause data loss.
  5. Close the window.

If Photos should no longer create Photo cache folders, it may not be able to remember what has previously been synced.

Is there a folder named iPod Photo Cache or similar?


Reply
User profile for user: loephi
loephi
User level: Level 1
4 points

Jan 6, 2020 12:30 PM in response to orson39

Heyy everyone.


I have kind of the same problem here.


I have additionally the problem, that i have rcreated the new iPhone from a backup and i have now the following issue:


  • Mac has about 7k Fotos (Os10.15)
  • iPhone about 13K Fotos (iOS 13)


At every sync the number of fotos on the iPhone drops to about 8k fotos and the start rising back up to 13k fotos.


My iphone always says "Syncing..." underneath the nr. of Photos displayed in the Fotos app.


Does anyone already have a solution yet? I am not even able to delete all fotos from the iphone and reload them from the mac to the iPhone. i am truly disppointed from apple....

Reply
User profile for user: jrf_usa
jrf_usa Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Oct 25, 2019 10:18 AM in response to léonie

Hello Léonie,


Thanks for your reply; I know you’re one of the experts here.


Notice “Things I’ve Tried..” item #2 of my original post. But I should have written, “Deleted iPod Photo Cache on MacBook several times and a new iPod Photo Cache was created during the next sync.” Sorry I wasn’t clear.


And I’m aware that that folder is crucial for the sync process to work. My iPod Photo Cache folder is filled with cache files, by the way. It’s not empty and it looks as normal as it always looked in the past.


I tried deleting it and letting it regenerate itself during the next sync just in case it somehow got corrupted. But that had no effect on this problem.



Reply
User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
195,013 points

Oct 25, 2019 11:44 PM in response to jrf_usa

Thank you. I wanted to know, if the syncing is still creating the cache or if the procedure has been changed in iOS 13.The support documents describing the cache have been removed, so there is no information by Apple available. It is good to know, that this cache is still created. After the cache has been deleted, it has always resulted in a lengthy new upload of all synced files, but it should not happen, if the cache is in place.


Reply
User profile for user: jrf_usa
jrf_usa Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Oct 26, 2019 5:36 AM in response to léonie

Yes you’re right, Léonie, In the past (Mojave and iOS 12, for example), after deletion of the iPod Photo Cache a long sync occurred while a new cache file was created. Other than that, syncs went quickly because only new photos on my Mac or deleted photos on my Mac or edited photos on my Mac were synced over to the iOS devices, exactly as it’s supposed to work.


But now, using Catalina and iOS 13, any additions or deletions or edits of as few as just one picture are causing ALL photos to be deleted from my iOS devices and then all the photos are re-synced to my devices from scratch - as if it’s the first sync and as if a new cache is being created each time. As I said, now I dread clicking the “Sync” button even though the cache is correctly in place.


i know there are lots of people experiencing unexpected behavior with Photos on Catalina and the Photos app on iOS 13 devices. But I’ve only seen my particular issue referenced a few times in other people's posts. So I’m not alone but maybe it’s not as widespread as other issues.


Should I wait for Catalina 10.15.1 and iOS 13.2 or do you have a suggestion of what I should do now?


I'm reticent to delete my only current Photo Library and import again because that could cause a host of new issues that I've read about - loss of albums and organization, loss of crucial metadata, possibility of error messages, complete loss of access to the new library, and who knows what else. Then I'd be even more frustrated than I am now.


Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Reply
User profile for user: jrf_usa
jrf_usa Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Nov 6, 2019 4:43 AM in response to dasak1

Thank you for confirming it's an iOS problem rather than a Catalina problem; at least that helps narrow it down.


And I think the phrase “The only fix I found...” is not really a “fix” for the syncing problem using iTunes/Finder. Actually I believe you’re saying is that this major problem caused you to stop syncing via iTunes/Finder and to begin using iCloud Photos on all your devices.

Reply
User profile for user: scottfromanjou
scottfromanjou
User level: Level 1
9 points

Nov 6, 2019 7:15 AM in response to jrf_usa

The exact same thing happens to me with my devices. In addition sometimes, photos are duplicated as well and more memory is used. (I have 27k photos and used to be able to sync with my previous iPhone and previous MacOS with no issues - now I only sync about 8K photos due to duplicates and sync time issues...)


My Devices:

iMac 5K (2017) w/ Catalina MacOS 10.15.1

iPhone 11 Pro Max w/ iOS 13.2

iPad Pro w/ iOS 13.2

Reply
User profile for user: TR4FF
TR4FF
User level: Level 1
8 points

Nov 8, 2019 4:22 PM in response to jrf_usa

I also tried all above and last thing I did was to pick empty folder as "photo library" start sync which should remove all photos from iOS device.

Next day I made fresh installation of Catalina, opened Photo App and as always iCloud is turned on as standard for some reason but never mind as I had empty library on iMac. But iCloud turns ON in settings on my iOS device to upload photos, library was deleted day before as I mentioned above.... it uploaded 60 photos from device to iCloud,

So perhaps iPhone keeps a copy and does not delete / remove them as requested?

Reply
User profile for user: Christopher Yip
Christopher Yip
User level: Level 1
20 points

Jan 27, 2020 10:07 PM in response to loephi

Mine too. Always "Syncing" but never end. I was able once to resolve it but that was it. It came back. What I did was to turn iCloud photos on to first clear the iPhone photos. I then turned iCloud photos off, hook the phone up to iTunes, and sync only photos first, unchecked the videos. After the photos have synced, and there is no "Syncing" under the photos count, I then select "Include Videos" and successfully synced everything without the "Syncing" message. But the next time when I added some new photos and videos, I got stuck again. Maybe iPhone learned my trick. I half suspect there's a naughty genie in the phone constantly frustrating my attempt to sync my photos and videos.

Reply

All Photos Deleted and Reinstalled During Each Sync - Catalina to iOS 13

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.
Learn more Sign up