Can't download Photos from iCloud library to Mac

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Level 1

8 points

Can't download Photos from iCloud library to Mac

I generally take photos on my iPhone 6 and want to to view them on my other devices including iPAD and Macbook Pro. I think this is what iCloud library is intended to do. I have successfully uploaded all photos from the iPhone to iCloud Library and subsequently downloaded these onto the iPAD, just by setting up iCloud Library and Photos correctly. However, the same photos are not always downloading onto the Mac. I have a Macbook Pro running Yosemite 10.10.5. and running Photos Version 1.0.1 (215.65.0). When I take a small number of photos the syncing works fine and photos are present on all 3 devices. However, if I go on holiday and take, say 500 photos, with iCloud switched off, when I switch it on it works OK to upload to iCloud and download to the iPAD, but not to the Mac. On the Mac it will starting preparing the upload and downloading but then iCloud Library Selection in Photos>Preferences>iCloud will uncheck itself and the upload/downloading stops. I have tried this many times. I have also checked that the Systems Preferences>iCloud>Photos is checked. Again, this sometimes goes from being checked (tick) to a - sign. I have 50GB capacity in my iCloud account and only use less than 20% of this.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5), Photos Version 1.0.1 (215.65.0)

Posted on Apr 27, 2016 2:45 AM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

200,789 points

Apr 27, 2016 5:10 AM in response to kipper55

Where is your Photos Library stored on your Mac? On an external drive? If the drive is not compatible with iCloud Photo Library, the iCloud option will get unchecked again automatically. The filesystem needs to be MAcOS Extended (Journaled), the needs to be locally mounted, and not used for Time Machine backups. iCloud will also be turned off automatically, if you enable iCloud for a different library on your Mac, for example iPhoto or Aperture. Only one library at time can sync with iCloud.

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Answer 2

kipper55 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 28, 2016 4:14 AM in response to léonie

Thanks for your response but unfortunately this doesn't help. My Photos Library is on the internal drive on the Mac, in the default folder. I do not have another library on my Mac (have never used iPhoto or Aperture). The fact that the syncing works when there are small number of photos involved but trips up when there is a relatively larger amount of data makes me think that the settings are OK but the data size is causing the issue

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

200,789 points

Apr 28, 2016 4:43 AM in response to kipper55

On the Mac it will starting preparing the upload and downloading but then iCloud Library Selection in Photos>Preferences>iCloud will uncheck itself and the upload/downloading stops

Are you perhaps running out of storage on your Mac? iCloud Photo Library will stop downloading, if the free storage is critically low. Do you still have at least 10GB of free storage?

Did you edit the photos on the iPad or iPhone in an external editor? that might have changed the format of the photos?

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Answer 4

kipper55 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 28, 2016 4:59 AM in response to léonie

I have more than 200GB free. The photos and videos have not been edited (not deliberately anyhow). They have just been viewed on the iPhone and iPAD - so I assume the format is the same

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Answer 5

LarryHN

Level 10

106,142 points

Apr 28, 2016 6:44 AM in response to kipper55

What is iCLoud switched off on here

However, if I go on holiday and take, say 500 photos, with iCloud switched off, when I switch it on it works OK to upload to iCloud and download to the iPAD,

in general if you switch iCLoud off and back on everything has to be uploaded again and it can take a long time - nothing is downloaded until the upload is complete

What is the status of the upload on each device? I'm not clear why you are turning it on and off but I suggest you simply leave it on all the time - that is how it is designed to work

LN

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Answer 6

kipper55 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 28, 2016 7:18 AM in response to LarryHN

I am referring to switching off Photos under the iCloud Settings on the iPhone. This is because when on holiday I might get very limited Wi-Fi access, so if I do I don't want to use what there is to upload photos to the iCloud Library. I figure better to wait until I'm on a fast connection when back home. Normally I leave iCloud switched on, on all devices. The uploading to iCloud Library is not the problem. This happens as normal when switched on when I have good Wi-Fi. And the downloading from iCloud Library to my iPad is also not a problem. Its just downloading onto the Mac where I have an issue.

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Answer 7

LarryHN

Level 10

106,142 points

Apr 28, 2016 7:21 AM in response to kipper55

and

What is the status of the upload on each device?

WE can not see you so we have to have you provide information to help

LN

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Answer 8

kipper55 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 28, 2016 7:51 AM in response to LarryHN

This is the status of iCloud Library on each device :

iPhone - Last Updated 4 minutes ago

iPad - Last Updated yesterday

Mac - Uploading 1,045 items (about 3 minutes ago), Adding 1,642 items (just now)

I expect on the Mac the iCloud Library selection (under Photos>Preferences>iCloud) will soon switch itself off. It usually does after about 10 minutes

Larry, does that answer your question about the status on each device? If you meant something else , please explain. Appreciate your help.

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Answer 9

LarryHN

Level 10

106,142 points

Apr 28, 2016 7:57 AM in response to kipper55

Yes it does and it explains why nothing is downloading to your Mac

nothing is downloaded until the upload is complete

That is the answer to your question

In Photos see what this shows - make a new smart album (file menu ==> new smart album) with the criteria photo is unable to be uploaded to iCloud Photo Library and see what the results are

LN

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Answer 10

kipper55 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 28, 2016 8:27 AM in response to LarryHN

When setting up a new smart album, the choices of criteria are only as follows:

Photo is/is not favourite/hidden/edited/movie/RAW/referenced/tagged with GPS

I've tried all - this is the feedback

Photo is favourite ......0 items matched

Photo is not favourite ......1,172 items matched

Photo is hidden ........0 items matched

Photo is not hidden ........1,172 items matched

Photo is edited .......... 3 items matched

Photo is not edited .......... 1,169 items matched

Photo is movie ............6 items matched

Photo is not movie ...........1,166 items matched

Photo is RAW ......0 items matched

Photo is not RAW ......1,172 items matched

Photo is referenced ......0 items matched

Photo is not reference ......1,172 items matched

I don't have the option to say photo is unable to be uploaded to iCloud Photo Library

FYI, on the iPAD I have 2,076 Photos and 44 Videos. Photos libraries on iPad and Mac are meant to be identical because they are both copies of the iCloud library

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Answer 11

léonie

Level 10

200,789 points

Apr 28, 2016 8:36 AM in response to kipper55

I don't have the option to say photo is unable to be uploaded to iCloud Photo Library

That is because you are not yet running El Capitan. This constraint "photo is unable to be uploaded to iCloud Photo Library" has been introduced with the improved version of Photos in El Capitan. Is it not available in Yosemite. The iCloud handling is more robust in El Capitan.

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Answer 12

kipper55 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 28, 2016 9:32 AM in response to léonie

Thanks Leone. Yes, I am still running Yosemite. I'm not ready to upgrade to El Capitan yet. I have some important work projects for which I use MS Office 365 extensively. From what I have read I believe there are still issues with Office 365 on El C, so I don't want to take the risk. Even if El C is the ONLY way to solve my Photos problem, I will still not upgrade yet. I wonder if you and Larry feel an El C upgrade would solve my issue?

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Answer 13

léonie

Level 10

200,789 points

Apr 28, 2016 11:22 AM in response to kipper55

I wonder if you and Larry feel an El C upgrade would solve my issue?

Photos for Mac is better usable in El Capitan. The integration with iOS 9 is better. But I am not sure, if that would d solve the current problem. Have you checked, if the photo in iCloud are o.k.?

Can you download the missing photos from the Photos.app at www.icloud.com? DO they download correctly, if you download them manually?

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Answer 14

LarryHN

Level 10

106,142 points

Apr 28, 2016 11:58 AM in response to kipper55

Not sure about your specific problem but Photos 1.5 in OS X 10.11.4 has many, many bug fixes adn new features including the ability to find photos that will not upload to ICPL - there is a good chance it will resolve your problem totally but if it does not it will be easier to find he issue when we can see what is not working

Guess you will be stuck until MS upgrades their software to work with Apple's current software (unfortunately by then OS X 10.12.x will probably be out and here we co again)

LN

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Answer 15

kipper55 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 29, 2016 8:07 AM in response to LarryHN

Thanks Leone and Larry. Conclusion - El Capitan upgrade will probably sort this out and at some time in the future I will pluck up courage to do this upgrade. In the meantime I'll have to live with my Photos issues. Cheers

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