Can’t open shared library. Says iCloud Photos is syncing…

Question

Level 1

5 points

Can’t open shared library. Says iCloud Photos is syncing…

When I try to join a shared library, it says iCloud photos is syncing. To join the shared library, you need to wait for iCloud photos to finish syncing. However, my phone has been trying to sync to iCloud for the last week prior to installing iOS 17 I had over 900 photos available Now I only have 115 and my phone is continuously syncing with the cloud, it never completes. My iPad and my Mac both show the original photos but my phone will not. I checked my phone storage and it shows I still have 19 GB available and the photos need less than six. My iCloud storage is 200 and I’m only using 34. I tried turning sync off and back on and resetting my iPhone (that was a pain I had to reset all apps)

iPhone 12, iOS 17

Posted on Nov 3, 2023 5:15 AM

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Answer 1

dndforney Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 6, 2023 3:45 AM in response to LD150

I had to turn my phone off about 15 times and then back on to get the photos to appear in my library on my phone now there are only 10 that won’t load preview. Thank you for your help.

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Answer 2

LD150

Level 10

98,887 points

Nov 3, 2023 10:44 AM in response to dndforney

Make sure you leave the phone on charge and on Wi-Fi all night for one or more nights.

(Took mine 2 nights to sync 16,000 photos)

You don’t explain who owns the shared library but the owner needs to create the library fully and the owner and the invitee need to be patient and ensure the above happens.

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Answer 3

LD150

Level 10

98,887 points

Nov 4, 2023 3:04 PM in response to dndforney

If you don’t need full size copies turn on optimised iphone storage

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Answer 4

LD150

Level 10

98,887 points

Nov 5, 2023 12:52 AM in response to dndforney

Try powering the phone off then on again. Syncing 1000 optimised photos should take less than an hour.

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Answer 5

LD150

Level 10

98,887 points

Nov 3, 2023 5:24 PM in response to dndforney

OK Shared library is not for you, it is for sharing photos with someone else.

So

Turn off Shared library. All your photos will return to your Personal Library.

Turn on iCloud Photos on all your devices and images will appear on all your devices.

iPhone Settings, [your name], iCloud, Photos, Shared Library, Delete Shared Library

and on all devices…

Settings, [your name], iCloud, Photos, On

Mac settings may be different before Ventura

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Answer 6

dndforney Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 3, 2023 12:25 PM in response to LD150

It’s been charging for 5 days since my photos disappeared. I’m the owner of the shared library, it was an attempt to get my photos viewed on my phone. They were there, but not available anymore. When I hit the dots at the top of the photos next to select. The drop down menu doesn’t even show libraries. I guess I’m screwed using my phone for work.

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