HT203511: Get help using My Photo Stream

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jonmanheim
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Photos will not download Photo Stream photos

I cannot get Photos to work with Photo Stream. It will not sync anything moving forward.  I was able to transfer my iPhoto library to Photos (including Photo Stream photos that had been downloaded to iPhoto already).  But nothing seems to be syncing going forward. I know this because I also have iPhoto set up to download Photo Stream photos and I am seeing photos in there that aren't in Photos.

In Photos iCloud Preferences I have iCloud Library turned off and My Photo Stream turned on.

When I go to iCloud System Preferences, it will not allow me to select Photos. Instead of a checkbox there is a horizontal line (see screenshot).system Preferences.jpg

When I click on Options ... this is what I see. So iCloud Photo Library NOT checked and My Photo Stream checked.

options.jpg

But if I go back to the main iCloud Preferences screen and try to check the Photos checkbox again, I get this message:

exceeds.jpg

My understanding was that if I did not want to use iCloud Photo Library, I would not have to upgrade my iCloud plan to buy more space and could continue to just use Photo Stream.  Can someone tell me what they think is wrong?

 

Jon

Mac mini, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4)

Posted on Nov 8, 2015 8:08 PM

by léonie,Solvedanswer
léonie léonie
Level 10 (106,946 points)
iLife
A:

Sorry, I forgot to mention, that you need to restart the Mac after trashing these files.

Try again, but this time restart.

 

(though never found ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Photos.plist).

Can it be, that you looked in the Library folder rat the top-level of your system drive and not the hidden Library folder in your Home folder?

Posted on Nov 10, 2015 7:43 PM

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jonmanheim

Q: Photos will not download Photo Stream photos

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  • Helpful answers

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Nov 8, 2015 10:24 PM in response to jonmanheim
    Level 10 (106,946 points)
    iLife
    Nov 8, 2015 10:24 PM in response to jonmanheim
    I know this because I also have iPhoto set up to download Photo Stream photos and I am seeing photos in there that aren't in Photos.

    That is probably the problem.

    Only one photo library library on your Mac can sync with My Photo Stream. If you enable My Photo Stream for an iPhoto Library  it will stop syncing to the Photos Library.

  • by jonmanheim,

    jonmanheim jonmanheim Nov 10, 2015 8:22 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2015 8:22 AM in response to léonie

    Doesn't seem to be the problem.  I turned off Photo Stream in iPhoto.  Still unable to select Photo Stream for Photos in System Preferences.  I still get the same request to upgrade my storage on iCloud.  And nothing has downloaded from my Photo Stream to Photos.

    Any other ideas?

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Nov 10, 2015 8:41 AM in response to jonmanheim
    Level 10 (106,946 points)
    iLife
    Nov 10, 2015 8:41 AM in response to jonmanheim
    I still get the same request to upgrade my storage on iCloud.  And nothing has downloaded from my Photo Stream to Photos.

    This is incredible.

    The iCloud storage has nothing to do with My Photo Stream.  My Photo Stream does not count against your iCloud Storage.

    You should only get the warning to upgrade the iCloud Storage if you are using iCloud Photo Library, but not for My Photo Stream.


    Your screenshots are only showing the System Preferences.  What are the settings in Photos > Preferences > iCloud?

    Is iCloud Photo Library in Photos > Preferences > iCloud enabled?




  • by jonmanheim,

    jonmanheim jonmanheim Nov 10, 2015 10:06 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2015 10:06 AM in response to léonie

    In Photos, I have Photo Stream checked but not iCloud storage.  Just like in Systems Preferences

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Nov 10, 2015 10:44 AM in response to jonmanheim
    Level 10 (106,946 points)
    iLife
    Nov 10, 2015 10:44 AM in response to jonmanheim

    Perhaps the preferences files are corrupted and your settings in Photos do not take.

    Try the following:

    • Quit Photos, if it is running and then delete the following folders from your user library, the complete folders, not just the contents.

    ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Photos/

    ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.photostream-agent/

    ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Photos.plist

     

    Your user library may still be hidden.To reveal the hidden User Library:

    • Bring the Finder forward by clicking on the Desktop or the Finder icon in the Dock.
    • Select your user/home folder (with the house icon in the Finder sidebar)
    • With that Finder window as the front window, press the key combination ⌘J to bring up the View options.
    • In the View options panel enable ’Show Library Folder’. That will make your user library folder visible in your Home folder.
    • Open your Home folder, then the Library folder, then Containers.
    • Move the complete folder ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Photos/  to your desktop. Move the entire folder, not just the contents.
    • Remove   ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Photos.plist   as well.

  • by jonmanheim,

    jonmanheim jonmanheim Nov 10, 2015 11:27 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2015 11:27 AM in response to léonie

    Deleted all that stuff (though never found ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Photos.plist).

    Emptied trash.

    Reopened Photos.

    Confirmed only Photo Stream checked in Photos Preferences.

    Photos preferences.jpg

    Tried to turn on Photo Stream for Photos in iCloud System Preferences and still get the request to upgrade my iCloud storageexceeds.jpg

  • by léonie,Solvedanswer

    léonie léonie Nov 10, 2015 7:43 PM in response to jonmanheim
    Level 10 (106,946 points)
    iLife
    Nov 10, 2015 7:43 PM in response to jonmanheim

    Sorry, I forgot to mention, that you need to restart the Mac after trashing these files.

    Try again, but this time restart.

     

    (though never found ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Photos.plist).

    Can it be, that you looked in the Library folder rat the top-level of your system drive and not the hidden Library folder in your Home folder?

  • by jonmanheim,

    jonmanheim jonmanheim Nov 10, 2015 12:15 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2015 12:15 PM in response to léonie

    I'll try again and restart.

    But there really is no such file in my directory as : ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Photos.plist

    plists.jpg

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Nov 10, 2015 1:00 PM in response to jonmanheim
    Level 10 (106,946 points)
    iLife
    Nov 10, 2015 1:00 PM in response to jonmanheim

    If   ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Photos.plist is not there, it might be an indication, that you are having problem with  file ownership and permissions on your Home folder.  Then the preferences you are setting might not be written to the preferences files.

     

     

    See Linc Davis's post how to reset the home folder permissions and access control lists.

    https://discussions.apple.com/message/26800021#26800021

     

    You might ask for help with this problem in the El Capitan forum.

  • by jonmanheim,

    jonmanheim jonmanheim Nov 10, 2015 7:49 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2015 7:49 PM in response to léonie

    Seems fixed!  When I restarted and reopened Photos, my most recent Photo Stream pics were all in there! 

    Though interestingly, the iCloud Preferences (in System Preferences) still don't let me check the Photos box.  Still gives me the warning that I have to buy more iCloud storage.

    I'll keep an eye on whether PhotoStream continues to sync with Photos.

    Thanks!