How can I sync my Photos albums to my iPhone/iPad without iCloud library?

Hi Leonie,

I have (always) done exactly what you propose. However, doesn't seem to be working now ...

Once the sync is completed, my iPhone has the photos contained in the albums I selected, but the are not organized per album. Instead, they are only available via the "Years" view. As you will see with the following screenshot of my iPhone, the only albums available are those imposed by Apple. Under "My Albums", nothing ...

Frustrating !

For me, it is looking like this, after I sync the iPhone with iTunes. All synced albums appear with the tag "From my Mac" in the album section. My iPhone is an iPhone 5s with iOS 10.2.1

Have you tried to remove the photo cache folders from your Photos Library? If the Photos cache cannot be read or written, the wrong albums may sync.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203156

Also, the wrong albums may be syncing, if your current Photos Library has not been enabeld as the System Photo Library in Photos > Preferences > general. "Use as System Photo Library" needs to be grayed out. If it is not, click it, then restart both Photos and iTunes.

You can sync photos using MyPhotoStream or iTunes sync - the only way to sync organization is using iCloud Photo Library

LN

However, now when I try to sync via iTunes to the iPhone or iPad, the albums do not transfer across, making it less convenient to access the pictures.

How are you syncing with iTunes? The albums and folders should sync perfectly. You have to select the albums you want to sync, when you connect the iPhone to the USB port and sync it with iTunes.

In the "Sync photos" panel select the Photos Library, and then click the checkmark to the left of all albums, smart albums you want to transfer.

The advantage of syncing with iTunes is, that it will also transfer the smart albums, not only the standard albums.

For example:

You are welcome - post back if you ave additional questions

LN

I had two photos libraries on my computer (still not sure how that came about)

A common reason for that is, that Photos will automatically migrate the last iPhoto Library you opened, the first time you launch Photos. This library will be the system photo library. When you later migrate a different iPhoto Library, the one you really want to use, the resulting Photos Library will not be the System Photo Library.

Photos will also create a new library, when it cannot find or access the library you want to use.

Hi Leonie,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Much appreciated.

I re-started both my computer and my iPhone. Thereafter, things synced properly. Should have thought of that before ...

Cheers !