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Another missing My Photo Stream question.

My Photo Stream shows on Mac (in iCloud prefs & in Photos) but does not on iPhone or iPad.


Mac running Mojave, iPad 12.4 and iPhone 13.6.


Note: iCloud Photos is NOT selected on ANY device.

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Aug 12, 2020 4:26 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 12, 2020 4:33 PM

Are you looking in the right place - My Photo Stream - Apple Support?


iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

  • iOS 8 or later: Tap Photos > Albums > My Photo Stream.


10 replies

Aug 13, 2020 2:50 AM in response to Kinoav8r

Pictures are almost exclusively taken on the iPhone.

And on that iPhone, what is your default format?


Settings > Camera > Formats > ??


High Efficiency or Most Compatible?


If High Efficiency, Photo Stream does not support the HEIF format. Try switching to Most Compatible and test. You may have to restart. iCloud Photos does support that format.


I am guessing the iOS devices don't show Photo Steam because you aren't using a format compatible with Photo Stream. Why offer a feature it can't use? The Mac doesn't tie in to format the same way, so you see Photo Stream but it never populates.


See >>> https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205743


Aug 13, 2020 2:28 AM in response to LACAllen

Pictures are almost exclusively taken on the iPhone.


Pictures do not arrive on Mac, except by physically connecting iPhone to Mac and importing.


(I’m hoping that if I can solve the missing My Photo Stream options on iOS issue, that the inability to wireless, and automatically, sync photos to Mac will also be fixed.)


Please note that my use of all caps below is not mean to be snarky. I am trying to emphasize what I’m seeing. The bottom line issue I am trying to address here is that the option to select My Photo Stream on either iOS device DOES NOT EXIST.


Here’s what I see:


iPhone 6s Plus (iOS 13.6.1)

Settings>Name>iCloud>Photos has ONLY TWO options - iCloud Photos & Shared Albums (neither selected).

Photos app (current version for this iOS) available albums are Recents, Import, and Favorites.



iPad mini (2) Retina (iOS 12.4.6)

Settings>Name>iCloud>Photos has ONLY TWO options - iCloud Photos & Shared Albums (neither selected).

Photos app (current version for this iOS) available albums are Camera Roll and Favorites



Mac 21.5 inch 2017 (Mojave 10.14.6)

System Preferences>iCloud>Photos shows THREE options - iCloud Photos, My Photo Stream & Shared Albums (ONLY My Photo Stream selected).




Photos app (Ver 4) shows the following under Library: Photos, Memories, Favorites, People, Imports, My Photo Stream and Recently Deleted. Under Albums: Media Types (Videos, Live Photos and Screenshots) and My Albums (blank). Under Projects (blank).


Aug 13, 2020 4:22 AM in response to Kinoav8r

Kinoav8r wrote:

"Makes no sense." is exactly right. <facepalm emoji here>

Thanks for your effort!

Stay well.

I just fired up an old iPod Touch of mine that does not support HEIF. iOS 12.4.8 although that should not matter.


iCloud Photos is off, but Photo Stream is on. So, like your settings.


I also have a Mac and an iPhone SE2, both with Photo Stream enabled. (iCloud Photos is also enabled, but that is moot.)


Photos created with the iPod are synced to both the Mac and the SE2. The photos must be driven there by Photo Stream, as iCloud Photos is off. If I toggle Photo Stream off on the iPod, photos no longer sync.



They are included in the All Photos album on the Mac and SE2, not called out in an album called Photo Stream. When I delete them on either the Mac or SE2, those deletions are synced, but not to the iPod. That sync is from iCloud Photos, not Photo Stream. I have to go to the iPod and delete them there.


So Photo Stream is working as expected for me.


Hope that helps.

.

And to be sure it's clear.... Photo Stream is a temporary storage option. It is designed to store either 1000 photos or 30 days worth of photos. It is expected you will import them to your library before you hit those limits. So it is a transport mechanism, not an ongoing storage option. It pre-dates iCloud Photos and its 2 way real time syncing.


Aug 12, 2020 7:47 PM in response to Kinoav8r

Kinoav8r wrote:

My Photo Stream shows on Mac (in iCloud prefs & in Photos) but does not on iPhone or iPad.

Mac running Mojave, iPad 12.4 and iPhone 13.6.

Note: iCloud Photos is NOT selected on ANY device.

On which device do you typically create your photos?


Assume photos arrive at your Mac as expected. Assume you have Photo Stream selected on the iOS devices as opposed to it not being visible/selectable.

Aug 13, 2020 2:55 AM in response to LACAllen

Thanks, LACAllen. I had read that elsewhere, but never saw where to check it.


Unfortunately, under Settings>Camera there is no option for Formats.


I see:

Preserve Settings (under that, I see Camera Mode, Filter and Live Photo (only Live Photo is selected).

Grid (not selected)

Scan OR Codes (selected)

Record Video (1080p at 30 fps

Record Slo-mo (720; at 240 fps)

Under HDR - Keep Normal Photo (selected)



Aug 13, 2020 5:39 AM in response to LACAllen

LACAllen wrote:

I just fired up an old iPod Touch of mine that does not support HEIF. iOS 12.4.8 although that should not matter.

iCloud Photos is off, but Photo Stream is on. So, like your settings.


Like your iPod, my iPad mini 2 also doesn't support the HEIF type. So, it's like your iPod, except that I cannot select My Photo Stream on the iPad (or iPhone).


And to be sure it's clear.... Photo Stream is a temporary storage option. It is designed to store either 1000 photos or 30 days worth of photos. It is expected you will import them to your library before you hit those limits. So it is a transport mechanism, not an ongoing storage option. It pre-dates iCloud Photos and its 2 way real time syncing.


Yup, I understand those limitations. Also, those images transferred may have a lesser resolution than the original image (when transferred to other iOS devices).


As I implied above, I'm really hoping that fixing this 'MPS' issue will also resolve the issue of not getting automatic syncing from the iPhone to the Mac.


Cheers,

Another missing My Photo Stream question.

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