Can't edit or share my iPhone photos

I know this is super late but I just recently saw your post. I had the same question and problem. Unfortunately in low power mode the phone will not allow you to upload or share. Once taken out of that mode you will be able to do so. I really hope this helps.

Given the number of people that have indicated “me too”, Apple must be aware of this issue.

I’ve been using iOS and iPhoto (and now photos) for years without issue. This bug manifested itself only when I turned on iCloud Photo Library and optimize phone storage. I’ve got 123k photos and 5k videos.

If you’re patient, you can almost “see” that the bug is related to iCloud sync. If you take a picture, it’s immediately visible in the camera roll on the camera app, but not in Photos. If you display the picture in the camera app, and do nothing - sit there - while connected to WiFi, the share option will become available, presumably after the sync is complete. If you’re not in WiFi and have cellular sync disabled, the option to share will remain greyed out until you’re on WiFi.

What concerns me most is that Apple might consider this expected behavior and not a bug. It’s a terrible customer experience and needs to be fixed.

I finally spent the time to speak with Apple Support, eventually getting my case "escalated" to a Photos app specialist (who was very helpful but took me forever to be put in touch with). He suggested he have my iCloud Photo Library examined by a specialist as there might be some files therein that are causing the problem. Sure enough, about a week later, my entire camera roll is back to normal and no problem accessing/editing photos--just as it should.

Best thing I can recommend is to dedicate some time to work with Apple Support to resolve the issue. It's a bit painstaking, but eventually a solution was found.

If you use iCloud Photo Library and Optimize IPhone Storage option, it might be a problem with your cloud library. I would recommend getting on the phone with Apple Support and getting them to transfer you to a Photos app specialist. They can have someone examine your iCloud Photo Library as there might be something in the cloud clogging up the memory/bandwidth, which can take about a week.

I did it a few weeks ago and everything seems to be working perfectly again—no longer having problems with editing/sharing photos.

I noticed this behavior only occurs with photos taken while iPhone is locked and using camera shortcut/swipe. So all other photos taken while unlocked are able to be edited and shared. Hope Apple release a fix to unlock these photos... Shortcut is as its name describe it to reduce steps having the camera app handy and reachable with a single swipe... But this shortcut becomes to nonsense if these files are not able to be shared or edited for any other purposes through photo/camera roll app.

Here's a workaround that I found if you also have a Mac:

1. Open the problem photo in Photos on the Mac after it syncs.

2. Choose File -> Export -> Export Unmodified Original for 1 Photo

(This will put create two files - a file ending in .HEIC and the movie part of the live photo, ending in .mov.)

3. Delete the problem photo.

4. Choose File -> Import and select both exported files (hold the command key to select multiple files). This will import one photo with the metadata and the video part of the live photo preserved. When it syncs back to your iPhone it should be editable/sharable again.

Curious about you others out there having this issue of not being able to edit or share/export photos you literally JUST effing took. Trying to help determine the cause, as it doesn't seem to be the mass population...

• What version iPhone do you have?I'm on iPhone X
• What iOs version are you running?I'm on 11.3.1
• How many items (photos/videos) are in your iCloud photo library?Mine is over 110k which could be part of the problem
• Do you have your PHOTOS settings set to "Optimize iPhone Storage" or "Download and Keep Originals"?I have mine set to "Optimize iPhone Storage", which I understand requires a stable internet connection because photos are instantly sent to the cloud before they can be edited/exported to other apps.
  
• How long has this been happening for you?I started noticing it back in March 2018
• Do you notice any difference being connected to WiFi vs. LTE/cellular?I do notice that it eventually works while connected to Gigabit bandwidth wifi, but significantly lag time. Otherwise, on cellular, it doesn't seem to work at all.
• When you open PHOTO APP and look at PHOTOS tab, does the status at the very bottom under the photo grid say "Last Updated XX min ago" or "Uploading XXX,XXX photos" or....?For me, it usually says something like "Uploading 113,313 items" and never changes. On the rare occasion that it says "Last Updated" or "Update complete", my photos and editing ability magically work as it should be... which makes me think that the problem lies in when it's constantly updating/syncing to the iCloud server with a very large library.

I know this post is old but from the replies on here it's NOT solved!

My husband and I are having the same problem. Aside from taking a screen shot of the image I want to share/edit and then editing the screen shot to not look like a screen shot; the only other "work around" I have found is turning HDR off completely. We always have the option HDR in the photo app set to "auto"; which makes this even more confusing/frustrating. We would really love to hear from Apple on this post as it would be much easier than sitting on hold for two hours trying to get a live person!

Thanks in advance!

Long time Apple user and patron. Come on Apple, take care of your people. All of us spend $1000's on your products and it would be nice to use them with ease and lack of confusion! 😉

I had the same problem. i went to delete a photo and then "cancelled." And then the edit button worked. Just sayin'...

I agree this is a application defect which I've confirmed exists in iOS 11.2.5 and 11.2.4. Can't speak to previous versions but have gond back through images and suspect it began with 11.2.4.

Have tried rebooting and restoring to no avail. Defect persists and occurs regardless of whether using iCloud or local storage. And this defect seems to have incredible intelligence...knowing "exactly" which photo I wanted to share or edit and then removing that ability! 😉

I can't find any pattern to explain it - it's certainly intermittent and not related to iPhone 6/64GB phone orientation. I just took 3 photos within a few seconds of each other. The middle photo is the only one that can't be shared or edited.

I agree. This needs attention from Apple.

No, they won't be able to help you, unfortunately. It's not the hardware that is broken but the software.

It's recently been announced that Apple is focusing their software development on iOS and macOS bugs, so I really hope this is one of the things they resolve. I recommend all of you go log this as a bug at http://bugreporter.apple.com

The more people who log it, the higher it goes on their to-do list.

Hi Everyone! Even the fact, i'm thinking, like some of you, that the problem is just a bug, from Apple's Photos software. I've got to say, that, i've a practical, but unorthodox, way, for succesfully, pass the thing...check out this: As you're having the picture, just spotted, in the screen of the phone, you will, always, have the possibility, of capturing the screen, pressing, simultaneously, the central and side button of your iPhone...in that way, you'll create an acceptable (maybe not perfect), copy, of the picture you need, and now, you can save it again. That way, the editing or share options will be enabled on your new picture! 😉

Hi I noticed that it happens (no edit, no share) if one takes the photo quickly from standby mode or just after unlocking. If you wait one second more, there is no problem, so I guess somehow the connection temporary phone status influences forever the life of a photo.

It is wrong, it is a big, as you might to want to take a picture as fast as you can sometimes (car accident, a nice family moment etc.)

I had the same issue not being able to do anything to my picture and still couldn’t find any solution but jus a trick u can use a messaging app like telegram send it using the app itself and then try to save the image this time from ur chat history like the other person send that picture then u’ll be able to edit ur new saved pic in Camera roll.