The ipad cannot be synced. An internal device error occurred.

Well, at least I'm not alone. I spent all evening trying to sync my iphone and ipad after moving my 2017 photos off the camera roll - problems with photos on both. Through some miracle I got the phone sync to work but I'm doomed by this problem with the ipad. Wow - I used to think Apple was a quality operation but no more. It's astonishing this basic function is so f'd up. They really need to get the fundamentals right - maybe back off on developing cars and fix this stuff first. Just amazing - hopefully resolution will be coming soon. I seem to have most of the photos on the device, they are just a disorganized mess and pretty much useless.

I am having the same problem with my iPad, keep getting 'Internal Device Error' trying to sync 17,000 photos from iTunes. Seems to have happened since IOS 11.
I had been contemplating buying a iPhone X, anybody know if I will have the same issue? I don't want one if I can't transfer my photos with iTunes

Andrew9717,

I’m facing the same dilemma. I’m considering purchasing a new iPad and a new iPhone X, but I don’t want them if I can’t get my photos to transfer With iTunes. Since the problem seems to be with iOS 11, I believe that the issue will still exist. Therefore, I’m not upgrading my Apple products until this problem is resolved. I’m even contemplating switching from Apple.

Hi Sunshine4a

I completely agree with you and feel the same. I have two iPhones 6 and iPad Air 2 which I have put my photos on with iTunes for the last few years.

I think you are correct that we will have the same problem with new products but how can we find out??

I am also going to look at alternatives to Apple products if they don’t fix it soon.

Best wishes

And

Hi Andrew9717,

I think I read in this forum that users who purchased a new product still had the issue, but I don’t remember who it was. I have also put my photos on multiple devices through iTunes for the last few years. So frustrating!

Thanks!

Many thanks patriot56 for the information, that answers the question well. Very disappointing.

So I suppose the burning question is will Apple fix the issue and when?

Shall I look for an alternative phone?

All the best

Andrew

I got them to sync only on my iphone. The ipad never worked - had this internal device error and all my photo folders and photos were gone. I don't remember the exact sequence I went through to get the phone to work but I created a new 2016 and 2017 folder and those new folders didn't sync - just weren't there at all though the pictures were in there if I didn't try to find them in Albums. So based on some things I found online I moved my folders from one nested level down to the first level in My Pictures (this is on a PC). Then the folders appeared but not the photos. Somewhere along the line I got an error copying items. Then I found something saying I needed to run the latest update so I did that. Then when I ran the sync again it seemed to end up stuck somewhere in the sync - can't remember where. However all the folders appeared but none had any photos in them. So then I ran the sync again and just let it continue for who knows how long and when I came back everything was there - all the folders and all the photos in the folders. I thought I had it made then so I decided to run the update on the ipad and then sync. Then I ran into this device error.

Hi Bormimern,

Thanks for the info. I have a PC too. My photos, at least the ones that were on my iPhone prior to the iOS 11 update are still on my iPhone. Any new folders added subsequent to the update will not copy over. Unfortunately, in an attempt to sync my iPad, I unchecked and removed all of my photos, now I can’t get them back. My folders appear, but with no photos. Actually, some random folders have photos, but with no rhyme or reason. Every time I sync, a few more seem to copy over.

Hi Sunshine 4a

I did exactly the same thing, removed all the photos and started a fresh thinking it would be a good thing to do. Now I can only get back about 100-200 photos at a time before the Internal Device Error pops up! Yes it is random where they get deposited!! I am really pleased I found this thread because I thought I was doing something wrong or that my PC was faulty. I wasted hours of my time trying to get it to work, very frustrating.

At one point I had the same as Bormimern, folders present but no photos!!

I am losing hope also! I think at the moment Apple are too busy with the iPhone battery issues.

Anyone, recommend a suitably iPhone alternative?

Hi Andrew9717,

Same here; I thought that I was doing som wrong or my PC was faulty. I wasted hours too. Them, I decided to post in this community, and someone directed me to this forum. Honestly,I thought that I was alone in transferring my PC photos to my devices. I do not personally know anyone else who does that. I’m beyond frustrated,but happy to know that I’m not alone.

Hi,

Just to add the growing chorus of clearly unhappy Apple customer. i have had this problem with both my IPAD Air 2 and IPAD pro. I have even tried to sync with just folders of photos (instead of using iphoto) but not all photos are synced. Sometimes I will get the "internal device error" but in most cases it completes with no error but the number of photos on the IPAD is a lot less than on the IMAC.

I have reset my IPAD and tried to sync again. That did not resolved the issue. I even loaded iTUNES on WINDOWs 10 and tried that . The error I was getting was slightly different but the result was the same.

The main reason for using the IPAD was to sync my camera photos to my IPAD. If this basic function does not even worked ..then I dont need my IMAC and IPAD.

Chengpoh and Paardeslager,

That was my main reason for having my iPad was to sync my camera photos to my iPad, as well. I don‘t have a Mac, I have a Dell PC… now I don’t need my iPad anymore. Thank goodness I didn’t upgrade to a more expensive one like I planned. Its useless!

Hi Sunshine4a

I tried moving the photos over in batches by ticking a few folders at a time. It took a long time to get to 10,000 of 17,000 photos then I got a completely different error related to memory! So don’t waste your time with that.