iPhone XS photos: album says syncing at bottom of screen but never stops and photos are missing.

I have exactly the same problem, and I think it's a bug within iTunes itself or iOS devices but there's no way to know when an update to fix this problem will come.... hopefully soon since it's really annoying

I called Apple again today as I've had a support case open on this since January 2020. I've posted further up this thread but short story is that it's been with the developers for investigation.

Latest update from them was to make sure I've updated to the latest OS version (MacOS 10.15.5 released May 26th / iOS 13.5 released May 20th). Frustratingly they weren't able to say whether the developers have categorically stated that the issue has been fixed in these OS updates but it sounds like they think it may have been and so I'm going to give them a try and if it still doesn't work report back to them on my existing open case.

This is DEFINITELY a bug so if you are suffering the same problem PLEASE phone Apple support and raise a case so we can keep the pressure on.

Glad this worked for you but it has been demonstrated already that the issue is not a function of album size. For example, during testing with Apple Support I was able to replicated the issue with an album of <20 photos. ...but definitely glad it's worked for you!

You are joking, this is a heavy and well known Apple-Only-Bug since iOS 12. You force paying (AppleCare) Apple Users to perform usless things, making them loose much time, instead of resolving this BUG! I feel very shameful about Apple, beeing a convinced Apple-Only user since 1988 (Macintosh SE, MacOS 6.7). But this is defintively too much. Since one year syncing Photos with iTunes form Mac to iOS Devices is simply a desaster....you are offending the memory of Steve Jobs with this very bad service.

It is really a shame how the Apple support does not support paying Apple User. This Photos with iTunes Syncing BUG is a well known Problem. But at Apple Care Support they still do so, like it is a User-Related Problem.

Since 2011 i organize my Pictures on Photos in Albums on my Mac. Of course I have a lot of Pictures (30K), but I pay much monney to have the best Apple Devices like iPadPro 12.8" and iPhoneX and MacBookPro or the best customized iMacs. I also pay AppleCare Support and adressed twice these problems to them, without any solution.

I also have to say, that all worked fine until the release of iOS12, but then syncing started to not work.

Losing Pictures, or plenty of double pictures on the iOS devices.....I count 30K pictures on Photos on the Mac, but maybe only 18K (missing pictures) on the iPhone and 56K on the iPadPro (plenty of doublettes).

The only workaround is...Cancelling all the Pictures from the mobile devices using iTunes (it takes 3-4 times and some tricks to really have all the photos removed, because also this feature doesn't really work) and then RE_SYNCING all the pictures, wich requests some hours of syncing (30k images). Then everything is OK until.....the next syncing....because all that APPLE SYNCING BUG MESS restarts, even if you just added one picture in one Album on Photos aon the MAC....this is a real DESASTER. And I'm total disappointed and decieved.....

Update:

Mac TOTAL photo count in albums I created = 4801

iPhone TOTAL photo count in albums I created = 4801

Mac TOTAL photo count = 4801

iPhone TOTAL photo count = 4777

All numbers match up except for TOTAL photos on iPhone. How is it possible that I have more photos in albums on my iPhone (4801) then actual photos on my iPhone (4777)?

Welcome to iOS13. Apple has a complicated system to create Apple-customized visalisations on Mac Mobile devices....something that the user doesn't need or what the user should be able to disable or customize. This eads to a lack of precision in Syncing the Pictures. The problem is well known since at least one year, but Apple simply doesen't care. They omly care optimizing their profit. It's Tim Cooks Apple vs. Steve Job's Apple.

My statistics in this #ApplePhotosSyncBugContest:

Mac TOTAL photo count in Photos.app in Albums I created = 34'010 (correct number)

iPhone TOTAL photo count in Photos.app albums synced with iTunes = 31'477

iPad Pro TOTAL photo count in Photos.app albums synced with iTunes =38'606 (still increasing, 15 min after iTunes Sync concluded)

Have same issue; did you by chance ever get any guidance from Apple. Thank you.

I'm still waiting for Apple to report back on my case..... Going to call them again today.

Spoke with Apple support yesterday. Understanding is that there is a fix for iOS that needs to be wrapped into a future release. No specific ETA as of yet.

Thank you for keeping everyone up to date! It’s greatly appreciated!

Thanks, much appreciated!