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Help with iTunes Sync - Stuck on importing photos . . .

iTunes 11.1.3 sync with iPhone 4S running latest IOS stuck on "importing photos". I already reinstalled iTunes. Thanks for any help.


B

iPhone 4S, iOS 7.0.4

Posted on Dec 7, 2013 8:54 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Dec 22, 2013 12:33 AM

I have exactly the same problem. I have "Sync Photo from iPhoto" checked in my sync option. Never had photo importing or syncing problem on my iPhone 5 before iPhoto Library updated to version 9.5.1. I think the cause is that iTunes 11.1.3 and iPhoto Library 9.5.1 don't go along with each other.


Apple needs to check this out!

69 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Dec 22, 2013 12:33 AM in response to RL Powell

I have exactly the same problem. I have "Sync Photo from iPhoto" checked in my sync option. Never had photo importing or syncing problem on my iPhone 5 before iPhoto Library updated to version 9.5.1. I think the cause is that iTunes 11.1.3 and iPhoto Library 9.5.1 don't go along with each other.


Apple needs to check this out!

Jan 2, 2014 1:06 PM in response to RL Powell

I had the same issue. I seemed to have fixed it. Here is what I did:



1) Hold down the Option Key and the Command Key.

2) While holding down those keys, click on the iPhoto app.

3) It should give you 4 options. Choose "Rebuild Database"

User uploaded file

5) Click Rebuild. Let this process complete. (Only took a couple minutes on 2009 mac pro)

6) Close iPhoto and iTunes. Restart iTunes and try the iPhone/iPad sync again.


It fixed me right up.

Jan 5, 2014 1:19 PM in response to RL Powell

I also had this issue and have been troubleshooting with Apple Support for months. I have found the cause and believe the solution will not be provided until Apple addresses the bug.

The issue is caused by movies. It doesn't matter if they were filmed on an iPhone or another digital camera but something has happened during a past upgrade that has currupted the handling of our movie files.

The catalyst that helped me identify this was installing Apeture. Any movies imported prior to my installation of Apeture now cannot be exported from iPhoto. Any movies exported post installation of Apeture have the date of export intead of the original date of filming.

I repaired & rebuilt my iPhoto Library... problem still existed.

I created a new iPhoto library and exported my photos (most movies wouldn't export so just exported photos). Tried syncing with iOS devices... no more "Importing Photos" for 4-15 minutes

Added movies to iPhoto and even if I leave the "include Videos" unchecked the "Importing Photos" returns and goes for minutes.

I have sent my findings to Apple and will advise if their engineers give any idea of when this will be fixed.

Jan 6, 2014 8:18 PM in response to RL Powell

I've this same problems too.


Version & Device info:

  • iPhoto v9.5.1 (with 14,000+ photos and 100 short iPhone/iPad video)
  • iTunes v11.1.3
  • Macbook Air 2012
  • OSX 10.9.1


Problem:

  • Unable to sync photo to iPhone 5S via iTunes (sync photo from iPhoto).
  • The sync at iTunes completed but there're nothing at my iPhone 5S.


Tried:

  • Just got my iPhone 5S last week, trying to sync my iPhoto library to it using iTunes. But it keep crashing.
  • So I decided to start from the beginning again... I exported all iPhoto photos and video to folders.
  • Create new iPhoto library and import all photos and videos (with a folder at one time, approx 100-200 photos max in single folder).
  • Then sync to iPhone via iTunes (after each folder imported to iPhoto)
  • Everything went well at first (after synced 12,000+ photos), I can see the 'Events' tab in my iPhone 5S photo library and browse the photos.
  • Today, when I continue syncing the rest via iTunes, after it has completed the sync, all Photos that I'd synced previously is now gone. There're no 'Events' in my iPhone 5S photo library now.
  • Restarted iPhone 5S and also MBA, retried several times to sync and check, no luck! Even though the iTunes sync completes without any alert message, nothing is syncing to my iPhone 5S.
  • In my iPhone 5S, now there're only those new photos and video that I captured last few days. Nothing else.


Previously using iPhone 5 (with the same iPhoto library and everything was so smooth without any problem). Is this iPhone 5S problem or latest iTunes / iPhoto problem(s)?


Anyone else has the same issue and able to solve it? Thanks.

Jan 8, 2014 8:24 AM in response to RL Powell

I'll share what worked for me when I had this exact problem today. Solution is from apple.stackexchange.com.


Deleting

~/Pictures/iPod Photo Cache
and emptying the trash did the trick for me.

Detailed steps

  • Quit itunes.
  • Go to your home folder in the Finder
  • Go to the pictures folder
  • Move "iPod Photo Cache" to the trash.
  • Empty the trash.
  • Open itunes and run a sync


I hope this helps someone.

Feb 9, 2014 3:37 AM in response to Fred_E_L

Unfortunately non of them worked for me. I have ipad3, iphone 4s & iphone 5s and non of them will sync any photos with itunes. I can sync everything else but not the photos. I also have a macbook pro and all of them are fully updated - my windows 7 pc also shows the same error - unable to sync unknown error (-50). So i think it is either itunes or iphoto thats the problem.


I wish we could get some solutions

Feb 10, 2014 1:30 PM in response to leefoo23

Can't Find iPod Photo Cache Folder?


For anyone stuck on finding the iPod Photo Cache folder, when you get into the Pictures folder, you need to Control click on the iPhoto Library file and then choose "Show Package Contents".


And if you are concerned about deleting the folder, this page will re-assure you that it is fine to do so: support.apple.com/kb/ts1314


Otherwise, I tried to solve this problem with importing images by first rebuilding the database which did not work for me, but using the steps to remove the iPod Photo Cache folder did. Thanks for the tip.

Help with iTunes Sync - Stuck on importing photos . . .

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