Photos taken on my iPhone have not synced to my mac in 2 weeks. I've checked that my iCloud permissions are still on, i have the most up-to-date iOs on both devices...I've copied the photo's library into a new folder. Still nothing. What else can I try?
MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.4
If you've copied the library to a new folder, it will no longer be your system library, and therefore will not sync.
In preferences check the circled button. It should be greyed out. Also double check the icloud preferences. See any differences to the second screenshot?
If you've copied the library to a new folder, it will no longer be your system library, and therefore will not sync.
In preferences check the circled button. It should be greyed out. Also double check the icloud preferences. See any differences to the second screenshot?
Three weeks ago, I was cleaning my other iPhone, old 5s, I still have 6s and working great. Cleaning means emptying it out of everything I put in it like music, pictures, notes, etc. Well little that I know it was deleting from my mac, 6s, and icloud, whatever I was deleting from my old 5s. I caught all this happening two days later when half of my pictures from my library are gone. Therefore, in the excitement of being able to finally put my Airport Time Capsule to use, I went ahead and recovered my “Pictures”, just the “Pictures” folder, from a backup two days passed. All was well and all pictures and videos were back as if nothing happened, and iPhone 5s is in the coffin. Then I realized none of the pictures nor videos that I’ve newly taken with my iPhone 6s are getting sync with my mac. Though, I see newly taken pics and vids in “icloud.com” and my iPhone 6s but not in my mac. All my devices have been updated to the latest and the greatest software upgrade push with in the last couple weeks. Can someone please help me as to why my new pics and vids aren’t syncing with my mac, or is it my mac not syncing? I’m attaching a couple of screenshots that might help. Screenshots shows two “Pictures” folders, how do I make it like before, with only one “Pictures” folder? Can you please send me a step by step procedure becuse I am pretty much stupid. Thank you. B
Hola Tony. I just want to thank you for helping me out with my troubles. Not fixed yet and I think it just got worst after 23 hours of working on it. My alias says "bfromcincinnati" but I've actually moved to San Juan Puerto Rico, my new home. Unfortunately, we don't have an apple store here. It was so much easier in Cincinnati with apple store and I can just go see one of the geniuses. I wonder what it would take to open an apple store here in PR, but that's another topic for another day. Now Tony you are my genius and I appreciate all your help. Well as the line in the movie “stupid is, stupid does”. The results. I ended up with one more “Pictures” folder in both “Finder” and “Photos – Preference”, total of 3 now. I’m a tidy geek and I’d like rid of extra folders and files that I don’t need. I have to say I must’ve tried these 6 times. I’ve recovered then deleted several times, “Pictures” folder and “Photos Library”. I tried dragging the other “Pictures” folder unto the far left most column “Pictures” folder but it’s not allowing me. Then I tried to recover again to an earlier backup then clicked on the un-greyed “Use as System Library”. Then after a long moment, when I open “Photos” app, all my pictures will show up in my “Library” as if its fixed. But when I click on “My Albums” to see my folders I created when I organized all my pictures for ease of finding, the folders are there but without pictures. So, I would start over again. It doesn’t seem to allow me to recover from the last recovery time and I’d have to recover from an earlier recovery time previous the one I’ve used. Then it comes up with all my created folders in “My Albums” as I want it, with pictures as I set it up from a long time ago, but missing the newer pictures that didn’t sync, then back to my original trouble. At this time, the “Use as System Library” would be un-greyed again. I would click it and become greyed out. Then after a long moment, the pictures in the “Library” shows up again as if its fixed and synced up with my iPhone, but the folders in “My Album” are empty again. Hence, I needed a step by step instructions. More screenshots below. Reminder, you're helping me, the stupid guy. Thank you. B
The answer remains obscure. Am I supposed to check the red circled box or not?
Is my iCloud preferences supposed to look like that or not?
If I have to go through these obscure programming machinations, please remind me, why did I buy a Mac?
Mac OSs and their integration are getting perilously close to "blue screen of death" uselessness.
I don't need these headaches. In simple language - how to make my photos on my cloud sync with Photos on my Mac. The upload from my iPhone to iCloud has obviously worked. They are there in the cloud. But not on my Mac. Why? How to fix?
If the circled button is not greyed out then click it. Only the system photo library will sync to iCloud, and if you've created a new library, or moved it, it will no longer be the system library, so you need to set it as the system library.
Yes, your icloud preferences should look like that (or similar options chosen depending on your version of MacOS)
These are not machinations - these are what you need to do to enable iCloud photos on your mac. Simple settings.
The double pictures folder probably doesn't matter - though it would make sense to drag it into the first pictures folder just to keep things tidy. Check there isn't already a library in the first folder with the same name which might then be over written. As always, before doing anything drastic make sure you have a backup.
However - as explained above. The library you are using is not your system library. That button (use as system photo library) is not greyed out.
Click it to set your library as the system library and the button should then grey out.. Then double check your icloud photos is still enabled and it should all start syncing.
OK
First, I think every time you restore, you are restoring the whole pictures folder, not just the photos library. Not to worry though, you can just put the library you want to use in the top level pictures folder and delete the lower level folders.
Now - to your albums. When you reconnect the library to iCloud, it will start a complete new sync. With your 50GB library this can take at least a couple of days full time (48 hours) - or perhaps longer depending on your internet speed. And albums are the last items to sync, so it is normal for them to be unpopulated until the sync is completed. You need to just let it finish with out changing library or turning off iCloud.
Leave your mac on, connected to power with photos open. Check the sync status at the bottom of the all photos view. Eventually it will say "updated just now" which means the sync is complete. It is normal for the status to not change for long periods while the sync is ongoing. Bear in mind - every time you stop/start icloud - or set a new library as the system library - you are starting the whole sync from the beginning again.
tony thank you thank you thank you. it is all very good now. you are the genius!!! b
You are very welcome. Thanks for getting back and letting me know. 😀👍
photos not syncing
