Downloading originals stuck

Select all photos using [command] + [a], then right-click any photo and select [Play Slideshow] from the menu options. For me, all the originals that were stuck at downloading were forced to complete.

I had the same problem. Photos just stopped downloading originals at a point. Pause/resume did not work, nor restarting Photos, killing the photo library demon processes, logging out or even rebooting macOS.

I finally noticed that the disk space was rather low, so presumably the function stopped for this reason without further information on the cause. After freeing some space it automatically continued downloading until all originals were stored locally.

Apple should add an informative message in Photos when this happens.

PS: Sorry, I just saw that your question is about iOS Photos, whereas my problem was with macOS. But maybe the underlying reason is similar.

It’s still stuck on downloading originals. 2 photos out of 40 thousand. I get the strange error message that an internet connection is required.

I have the same issue with any idevice I restore. For example, an iPad that works before, it works flawless, but with my iPhone 13 Pro, that I have restored to test, it doesn’t work and with a new Apple TV it’s the same. The photos app is completely stuck. I have opened a case with Apple, I hope they can fix it soon.

I am having the same issue on a MBP M1 Max newly configured with 14.2 and now 14.2.1. Downloading originals is not working and at the bottom of my photos library it is stuck at Downloading 42,822 originals. No amount of pausing and resuming or restarting fixes it. Selecting photos and playing a slideshow forces photos to download but this is not the way it should be working. Something in Sonoma Photos or in iCloud seems to be borked. I provided feedback here Feedback - Photos - Apple

and here Feedback - iCloud - Apple

. Older macOS devices seem to work fine.

Same on factory formatted iPhone 12 Pro, iOS 17.2.1. Stuck at 32,226. No progress in 12 hours, and the last time it changed at all was by only 15.

I am looking at the network activity and there's nothing that looks like a sustained file transfer most of the time.

I have tried

• pausing and unpausing
• restarting (this sometimes works)
• with/without ethernet adapter (speeds at least 100 mbps up/down in both, better ping with ethernet, more bandwidth with WiFi)
• disabling auto-lock or leaving it locked
• connected to power or not connected to power (but also charged to 100% the whole time so that thermal throttling from battery charging is not an issue)
• closing all apps except photos
• closing all apps including photos
• selecting a bunch of photos and making a slideshow (this sometimes works)

Size of library is around ~ 40,000 items, so it's not even synced the majority yet. It's been 2 days since I've started syncing the library from scratch (with download originals on) on a factory-reset phone.

Maybe it's getting hung up on organizing the library (faces/places/memories/other structures)? I'm at a loss.

This worked for me. Thanks Montaz! Mine was stuck at 17 downloads, for a week. No progress after resets, library repairs and many angry stares.

Did this simple trick now I've got no stuck downloads.

Thanks!

This works flawlessly.

This worked for me, thanks!

Do you have an update on this? I have already spoken with a senior advisor and haven't gotten far. I do see that this is an issue others are having (Dec).

I did it the first time and in downloaded all but 8. I repaired the library for the second time and it finally worked. I also think Apple did something on their end because I was having the same issue with my iPad. My iPad is almost done downloading all of my originals, and hopefully everything goes without any problems. It seems that finally this nightmare has come to an end.

That you so much for following up. It would've taken me wayyy too long to even think to repair the photo library after the latest update.

TLDR: Thank you and I’m grateful for your ingenious, possibly perfect solution to this particular problem. Some might not consider it a perfect solution and I’ll explain below “a little bit” about why not.  

This has been one of the fastest, easiest fixes I've found in a day long (8+ hours and counting) process of untying from the iCloud; a process that SHOULD/COULD (if Apple wanted it to) take anywhere from 5 seconds to 5 minutes depending on an individuals’ situation. I've actually been WORKING on solutions for 8+ (and counting) hours for this and related iCloud issues while the download process (just for pictures) on my 1 year old Mac Mini has been going on for almost 24 hours. I haven't been able to afford the .99 this month for iCloud subscription due to countless recent setbacks and health emergencies. The problem you provided a 99% solution to is one of many problems that definitely seems purposefully overlooked by Apple; among many other reasons this seems especially true is the fact that this BASIC usability problem is coming from the leading company in an industry that gets so many of it's sales from bragging about it's camera. Apple is often characterized as the company that refines products as their original position as an innovator in the hardware space is becoming more difficult to hold onto now that others have had time to catch up. Apple is supposed to make things fast and simple, but instead, I’m using tons of time I could be using to solve one of my many other financial and health problems I am facing. Trying to save important documents and pictures at this time is an extremely unfortunate burden that I cannot afford and may cost me 1000's of dollars. 

Now to explain the point of what I meant by 99%. I don't know if Apple read your message and thought "well we can't let this loophole get by or we'll lose a couple million a year on iCloud subscriptions." But now instead of being stuck on 1500 then 500 pictures- now I am stuck on 8- a mysterious 8 of which of course the photos app cannot identify. 99% doesn’t seem like such a bad number until you consider that the last 1% could be the most important and Apple doesn’t seem to have a mechanism for the computer to tell the user which ones it couldn’t download (also with picture recognition who knows which ones Apple may have chosen to punish me with and try to remind me NOT  to stop paying iCloud again- if so, more mob style than they are so far.) So now when I stop backing up to iCloud it says It will delete the lower definition pictures (all those 8) and never download the higher quality unless I start backing up to the cloud again. If I start backing up to iCloud again (which I can’t because my iCloud+ subscription,50gb full, has ended) it will restart the process from the beginning (which is 24+ hours and counting for 17GB on a 400GB internet connection) - or actually way before the beginning bc it has to download all the lower quality and delete the higher quality before starting to do the opposite again (if I don’t try to speed up the process which could induce more gliches, oversight, or what is more likely: purposeful punishment for attempting to take my rightful property without paying them the ‘dues’ they demand.) I understand planned obsolescence as well as other factors that play into a companies long-term viability but this DEFINITELY seems like a step too far- and that’s saying a lot considering some of the other things Apple does which may be ethical.

The thousands I've spent on new Apple stuff does not seem to justify such a serious oversight and/or purposeful, brutal, cruel, and unusual punishment Apple has decided to inflict for its .99/month. I wiiiiiiisssh there was at least one more huge competitor in this space besides Android (maybe the Rabbit device in future years.) I have many reasons to love Apple and a growing list of reasons to dislike them. I built my first computer when I was 10 and I’ve used computers in countless ways for decades so I am extremely displeased when a company takes blatant advantage by charging customers because of its size and power- as opposed to charging for innovation or refinement- or more accurately: basic SEMI-modern functionality that Apple could easily provide, but chooses not to. They choose to be 10 years behind when it’s convenient. 

@montaz - genius workaround. Worked perfectly for me. I had to do this trick in each shared album too, but eventually everything was finally there. I am now able to use osxphotos to pull everything out of Apple Photos into a YYYY/MM/DD directory tree with no missing photos reported.

Thanks for posting.

Hello chaiban,

"When there are one or more items that can't upload to iCloud Photos, Photos automatically creates a Smart Album named Unable to Upload." You can check this the photos album. If there are photos or videos in this album, try editing each affected item, then check to see if they uploaded to iCloud. Customers can learn photo editing basics in the this article: Edit photos and videos on iPhone - Apple Support

Thanks for using the Apple Support Communities, and have a great day!

On mac i did as stated here and everything worked. I took some photos and videos on my iPhone. They appeared on the Mac and the originals loaded. But you still need time to make sure that there will be no mistakes the next day.