Apple Photos High Sierra - Not sync without wifi

By default only downloads from iCloud are done using the cellular network, but not the downloads from iCloud. There is a caution in the iPhone User Guide:

http://help.apple.com/iphone/11/#/iph961b96c4d

Note: To always use cellular data to upload and download from iCloud Photo Library, go to Settings > Photos > Cellular Data, then turn on Unlimited Updates.

Apple Support confirmed this function has been removed from High Sierra.

I have found a work around. You'll need (2) macs and an iPhone or iPad.

- Connect the iPhone or iPad to a mac via USB and turn on internet sharing.

- Configure sharing so the mac shares the USB iPhone or iPad to other macs using WIFI.

- Connect the mac with the iPhoto library to the mac sharing internet via WIFI.

Now the iPhoto mac should show the wifi symbol instead of the hotspot symbol and start syncing.

Sadly this can be accomplished with just an Android phone or mobile hotspot device. Apple has intentionally limited the ability for their products to work together. NOT SMART.

Bobby....

You sir....are a genius.

This Photos syncing over cellular has been one of the most frustrating issues with Apple OS updates breaking EVERYTHING unnecessarily.

Your workaround is amazing. Works perfectly.

I felt bad for the original poster getting lousy support from these people on this thread. English isn't even his first language but I understood very clearly exactly what he was saying.

The Photos app on his laptop stopped syncing over cellular (using a mobile device as a hotspot to share cellular data to your computer) with the High Sierra OS update. It worked with Sierra and stopped working with High Sierra....not Photos for iOS on his iPhone....Photos for mac, just as he said. Can't roll my eyes hard enough. Stupid clear.

So, for anyone else who wants your Photos app to again sync over cellular data shared from a mobile device's hotspot. Follow these steps (thank you, Bobby):

1. You need two apple computers. I used two apple laptops, a MacBook Air and a MacBook Pro.

2. Your primary computer is the computer with your active Photos library on it that you wish to use over cellular data shared from your mobile device's hotspot. Your secondary computer will be the computer that will provide a Wi-Fi connection to your primary computer.

3. Connect your mobile device with Personal Hotspot enabled to your secondary computer, preferably using a USB cable for the best, fastest, most reliable connection.

4. Launch System Preferences on your secondary computer, click "Network." Disable Wi-Fi and verify that there is a green dot next to iPhone USB and you see "Status: Connected"

5. If you don't see iPhone USB with a green dot next to it, check your mobile device. Unlock it and click "Trust" when prompted. iPhone USB should now show up in your Network settings.

6. Click the back arrow in the upper left of System Preferences and then click "Sharing"

Here is the happy part....

7. Click Internet Sharing in the Service list on the left.

8. Select "iPhone USB" in the "Share your connection from:" drop-down menu.

9. Click the checkmark box next to Wi-Fi in the "To computers using:" section below the previously mentioned drop-down menu.

10. Click Wi-Fi Options and configure the Wi-Fi name, security, and password.

11. After you save those Wi-Fi settings, click the checkmark box next to "Internet Sharing" in the Service list on the left.

12. On your primary computer, enable Wi-Fi and look for the Wi-Fi network name (SSID) that you created on your secondary computer. Join it with the password you created.

********

- Nick

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I wish I could get photos to sync using ethernet never mind usb to my iDevice.

It might work, if you disable all VPN and firewall software. Some users reported, that they could sync iCloud Photos Library over an Ethernet connection, if they disabled the VPN or other third party security software. Some VPN software ay need updating to be compatible with High Sierra.

If you took photos on your phone and want to transfer them to your Mac, you don't need to use iCloud Photo Library. You can connect your phone via USB and import the photos just like you'd do before you started using iCPL.

The photos will appear in your library on the Mac and when iCPL syncing happens later on, they don't duplicate.

I do this often when traveling to get hundreds of photos onto my Macbook Pro quickly when there's lousy Internet connectivity.

Photos cannot sync without wifi. If you use a cable you import (not sync) via iTunes which doesn't need wifi.

Report to Apple - iCloud - Photos - Apple

according to the ICPL page - iCloud - Photos - Apple -- they should upload/download over either WiFi or cellular

Your photos. Uploaded automatically.

iCloud Photo Library is built into the Photos app, so when you’re connected via cellular or Wi-Fi, all the photos and videos you take on iPhone and iPad are automatically uploaded as soon as you finish shooting. And photos and videos imported from your DSLR and action cameras to your Mac or iPad are also uploaded to your iCloud Photo Library.

LN

Indeed, it doesn’t sync via personal hotspot anymore. Really annoying, since I have unlimited cellular data and no WiFi at home. Have to go to the mall for a public hotspot or sync at my friends place or work. Crazy limitation that was introduced with High Sierra. Don’t think it’s something we can fix, but Apple has to allow again.

My reply was to Larry, electroach. The support document quoted in his post seems to apply only to the iOs devices (iPad, iPhone) and is omitting, that it requires to enable "unlimited updates", which is off by default.

I am puzzled, because none of Apple's support documents for iCloud Photo Library on a Mac mention at all the requirements for the internet access by iCloud Photo Library. I cannot find in any Help for Photos or iCloud Photo Library, if a Mac needs a certain type of network connection for iCloud Photo Library to be able to update.

Is you Mac connected to power, when you are using the HotSpot? The Mac will also stop updating iCloud, if the battery is low.

I have exactly the same problem. Photos app on High Sierra doesn't sync at all with iCloud, when I'm using Personal Hotspot from my iPhone (either via wi-fi or USB). This is extremely annoying limitation and arrogance by Apple to limit what internet connection I can use for syncing photos. I am not a small kid and I can make my own decisions on how I am using my internet connection. I have unlimited data plan on mobile and no need for any other internet at home. And what if I'm on the road and what to sync photos?

What would be very useful instead of these limitations was a way to trigger, see and control the syncing process in cases when I am concerned about data traffic (e.g. I need to conserve the bandwidth or I'm abroad or I need to conserve iPhone battery, but still want to use it as a hotspot). Really, more transparency in the syncing process would be very helpful.

I just noticed this too; I'm using Personal Hotspot with my phone while Comcast is down to get online with my iMac, and iCloud Photo Library isn't updating.

In one sense I could see it as a feature; it keeps a Mac from quietly using up all your data quota for the month while you innocently use personal hotspot... BUT it should be overridable.

It would be best for you to send your feedback to Apple if you want to see a feature or functionality changed: Feedback - Photos - Apple

Cheers,

GB