G.Lenn

Q: Photos for Mac, stuck on "updating" trying to upload to iCloud Photos Library

Hardware

  • Late 2013 MacBook Pro Retina
  • 2.6 GHz Intel Core i5
  • 8GB RAM
  • Intel Iris Graphics

 

Software

  • Yosemite 10.10.3
  • Photos (latest release that is on Mac Appstore as of 2015-04-10)

 

Problem

Uploading status of Photos to iCloud Photo Library seems to be stuck at "Updating".  No change of progress bar despite hooking up my Mac through wired ethernet for 24 hours.

 

I've tried turning off Photos in iCloud settings and then turning them back on.  Restting, shutting down, all that stuff.  No photos are populating on my iCloud Photo Library from my Mac as far as I can tell.  Not even 1.

 

My Upgrade Process

  • Downloaded Photos Update
  • OPTION + CMD opened Photos app
  • Selected my iPhoto Library on an external USB 3.0 drive
  • Photos started converting the library

 

Photos library finished converting

  • I then tried to enable iCloud Photos Library, but it advised that only the System Photos Library can be used with iCloud.
  • I then changed my System Photos Library to the one on my harddrive.
  • I now am able to successfully enable iCloud Photos Library on the Photos App.

 

Again the problem I am having is that the uploading status seems to be forever stuck at "Updating" in the Photos App.

Anyone with similar problems?  Anyone found a fix / work around?

 

 

Supporting Screenshots

 

iCloud Settings in Photos App

Screen Shot 2015-04-10 at 11.13.19 AM.png

iCloud Settings in System Preferences

Screen Shot 2015-04-10 at 11.31.30 AM.pngScreen Shot 2015-04-10 at 11.32.01 AM.png

 

System Prefs > iCloud > Options Pane

Posted on Apr 10, 2015 8:39 AM

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Q: Photos for Mac, stuck on "updating" trying to upload to iCloud Photos Library

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  • by Liverpool Webmaster,

    Liverpool Webmaster Liverpool Webmaster Jun 15, 2016 4:39 PM in response to Mendeldesign
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 15, 2016 4:39 PM in response to Mendeldesign

    Greetings Mendeldesign. My first suggestion would be to to ensure that you have the latest OS and iOS software (and newest iTunes, iPhoto, etc.) for ALL your devices. From what I have read various versions of operating systems don't "play well" with each other. Once you have the newest version of all the appropriate software, restart your computer and just ONE of your devices. Just start with one device because you don't want your computer to try and download to multiple devices. Turn off sleep mode on your computer (System Preferences > Energy Saver). (Reason, once your computer going to sleep because it disconnects from whatever you had it doing -- like uploading/downloading your information from your iCloud account.)

     

    Make sure your iPhone and other devices have enough memory to download your photos. 35,000 photos can take up a LOT of memory. I downloaded 40K photos to my phone, but had to select "thumbnails" to be stored on the phone because of memory restraints (and I have the 128GB model). I also am using a Nikon camera which takes large memory photos.

     

    Make sure you are signed into your iCloud account on your computer and the device you wish to update and that both are set up to share the appropriate information. Once both accounts are activated the uploading / downloading should commence.

     

    From there the items you selected to share over iCloud should start to migrate. Realize that iPhoto may not be the first thing to migrate.  Also realize that you have a LOT of photos. If they are already on the Cloud that will save you a LOT of time. When I did this the first time it took me 72 hours of continuous operation to upload 35,000 photos to the Cloud and download them again to my devices. That was when the file sharing was brand new and Apple did not have enough servers / bandwidth to handle all of us trying to migrate at the same time. Hopefully that time has improved.

     

    INTERESTINGLY, just this week my iPhone battery bit the dust and I got a NEW iPhone from Apple. THUS -- I had to download my 40K thumbnail photos (and all the other information stored on iCloud) all over again. I started up the process as explained above, noted that the thumbnails were downloading into my phone (abet slowly), then walked away from the computer. I'm not sure exactly how long it took, but somewhere between 2-6 hours later all the thumbnails were downloaded, as were my contacts, emails, keychain, etc.

     

    I hope this helps.

  • by stephenfromsollihull,

    stephenfromsollihull stephenfromsollihull Jun 18, 2016 10:03 PM in response to G.Lenn
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 18, 2016 10:03 PM in response to G.Lenn

    I solved my issue which sounds similar to yours you people are having but closing Photos.

    Then opening activity monitor and searching for photo, force quit all what the search shows up. It will repopulate with them again then open photos. Preferences and tick incloud library. Then mine started to populate and download correctly.

  • by tomyt3,

    tomyt3 tomyt3 Jun 27, 2016 11:30 PM in response to G.Lenn
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 27, 2016 11:30 PM in response to G.Lenn

    I m having this issue for now more than 6 months. It's incredible, but the only thing on my mind now is waiting to go to USA and taking the computer there so someone on an apple store can help me. I have a 30,000 pic library, and upload stops as soon it starts (i think it never really starts).. on the 9th picture. I ve tried using commands to kill processes with terminal, i cannot see activity on my activity monitor, no internet kbytes are sent or recieved. I also killed processes on activity monitor related with photos app. And i even repaired my library. Its very frustrating..

  • by felipepinac,

    felipepinac felipepinac Jul 25, 2016 7:53 PM in response to G.Lenn
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 25, 2016 7:53 PM in response to G.Lenn

    It seems that the problem is with photos that were introduced some metadata AFTER "iPhotos" changed to "Photos".

    I tried almost everything. The only thing that worked for me but its annoying, is this:

     

    EXPORT those photos that wasn't uploaded to iCloud into some file folder > go to safari > iCloud.com > open photos on iCloud.com > click "upload" > select the folder were you saved the photos.

     

    The photos will be uploaded with the correctly TIME. Not sure about PLACES

  • by urukay,

    urukay urukay Jul 29, 2016 9:51 AM in response to G.Lenn
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 29, 2016 9:51 AM in response to G.Lenn

    has anyone found solution to this? i have tried everything but nothing works. Photos are still trying to upload from macbook even they were take by iPhone. and it takes ages and simply cannot complete it. SHAME ON YOU APPLE!!!

  • by felipepinac,

    felipepinac felipepinac Jul 29, 2016 1:22 PM in response to G.Lenn
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 29, 2016 1:22 PM in response to G.Lenn

    AS I told before, one solution was to upload directly from iCloud.com. But my connection is not good and it is tough.

    What i'vê done that worked só far is:

    1) make a backup from all your photos and keep it safe away from Mac

    2) turn off iCloud sharing in the preferences of "photos"

    3) check which photos were upload to "iCloud.com" and delete them from "photos"

    4) clear the trash of "photos"

    5) turn on again iCloud sharing in the preferences, with the remaining photos that were not uploaded

     

    The problem is that photos deleted before will be misplaced for the albuns you created

     

    worked for me.

  • by felipepinac,

    felipepinac felipepinac Jul 29, 2016 1:27 PM in response to G.Lenn
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 29, 2016 1:27 PM in response to G.Lenn

    Notice:

     

    do not delete files from "photos" with the iCloud sharing turned on.

    It will delete photos from iCloud too...

  • by urukay,

    urukay urukay Jul 29, 2016 1:42 PM in response to felipepinac
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 29, 2016 1:42 PM in response to felipepinac

    if i turn off sharing i see no pics, when on, it is trying to upload more than 1000 pictures, but as written before those pics were taken using my iphone. this is crazy, i have tried to reinstall el capitan, but no luck.

  • by urukay,

    urukay urukay Jul 29, 2016 1:42 PM in response to felipepinac
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 29, 2016 1:42 PM in response to felipepinac

    and all my pics are on iCloud, problem is i cannot see them on my mac, only on iphone

  • by felipepinac,

    felipepinac felipepinac Jul 30, 2016 8:42 AM in response to urukay
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 30, 2016 8:42 AM in response to urukay

    So.  Your problem is downloading from iCloud to "Photos"? Not uploading from "Photos" to iCloud??

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Jul 30, 2016 9:27 AM in response to urukay
    Level 10 (84,617 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 30, 2016 9:27 AM in response to urukay

    And have you read the entire thread you are posting in? Everything is covered here - if you need more please start a new thread with the specifics of your system and your issue - it is much too confusing for you and us when you thread Jack an old, solved thread

     

    for help in writing an answerable question see

    Writing an effective Apple Support Communities question

     

    LN

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