can not sync photos with ios 11.3 and itunes 12.7.4

I concur with the ability to sync but the longer run times. However, my initial problem in getting a sync (empty albums) could have been complicated with multiple iPod Cache Files located on my active drives. I am slowly adding photo albums and files back to my phone but, as you report, the sync times are extrorniarily long! I am currently at about three hours trying to sync 7818 photos fkrom my computer. Combining them into seperate albums is unacceptable in my opinion. How would I ever be able to find anything? Clearly, this problem started for me with the current version of iTunes 12.7.4.76. A correction from Apple absolutley needs to come. I am adding the last bunch of photos to the phone (iPhone 8 plus) about 1000 this morning. I started the sync at 8 AM and I am still "reading photos". Archive bits are set on the folders and photos. Also, this could have something to do with iOs interaction as well.

I manage to sync everything back to my iphone after following instructions from philipp273 remedy. Roll back itunes to 12.7.3 and everything is in order again. Having said that I think Apple should really have a patch to address this. Really thankful to philipp273 for providing the online solution. It is amazing that apple support could not identify this issue. I went to my country local apple store on 2 occassion and was told to purchase the 200GB icloud storage to address my issue! I contacted apple (Consultant based in Australia) and he even asked me to reset my iphone but to no avail. I really make me think thrice if i should promptly update my software in future!. Good luck

Here is an update of my experiences as of 04/24/2018 at 8:34 AM. Based on my observations in putting photos back on my iPhone from losing them in the origonal troubleshooting, the program is syncing BUT iTunes DOES NOT recognize previous syncs of photos and treats every sync as a brand new one. I have observed increasing sync times up to 3.5 hours as I added more photos back to 7818 which are now on the phone. I had this number synced in yesterday.

Today I did not add any photos (same 7818). I started my backup and sync at 7:37 AM. Backup was completed at 7:40 AM. I am currently on "reading photos" at 8:34 AM. UNFORTUNATELY, I EXPECT ANOTHER 3.5 HOUR SYNC.

Yesterday, my Apple advisor called me back to report that engineering was still working on the matter. The only thing he had to add was that engineering is aware of the problem from other users. I discussed my theory of this possibility with him yesterday. For me this is the worst possible scenario as my normal routine is to backup to my computer every morning. This is going to adversly affect that routine as well as my photos issues.

APPLE PL;EASE FIND A RESOLUTION FOR THIS SOON! It has been 3 weeks!.

How does one know that the old itl file is, in fact, associated with the previous version of itunes? Or is that the way it always is? I backup daily and I am concerned that it could be associated with the current version.

Files in the Previous iTunes Libraries folder are associated with the date you update to a particular build of iTunes that made changes to internal layout of the .itl file. iTunes 12.7.4.76 did this, as did iTunes 12.7.0.116. An older library can always be opened by a newer version of iTunes, it will be updated if necessary. A newer library cannot be opened on an older build. If you want to roll back to 12.7.3.46, for example, then a compatible library should be the most recent from your Previous iTunes Library folder, however if you're using Time Machine you could also pick out a suitable backup copy from there.

tt2

It looks like Apple finally fixed this; I had to turn off syncing photos because I didn't want to upgrade. iOS 11.3.1 seems to address the photos sync; the first sync took a few minutes but smooth sailing after that once I re-enabled photos sync. Still takes a bit but seems to be working for me on Windows 10.

It looks like Apple finally fixed this; I had to turn off syncing photos because I didn't want to upgrade. iOS 11.3.1 seems to address the photos sync; the first sync took a few minutes but smooth sailing after that once I re-enabled photos sync. Still takes a bit but seems to be working for me on Windows 10 iTunes 12.7.4.

UPDATE: It worked one time; which I believe based upon some new music failing to sync was a false positive, and while it now longer gets stuck just times out with an"unable to sync error" after about 10-15 minutes.

I also can confirm that iOS 11.3.1 does not seem to help. I added it at the request of my Apple advisor on this problem. MY sync last night after I updated was about 2.5 hours for 7818 photos. This was a "no additional photos" sync same as yesterday. However, the sync yesterday was 3.5 hours but some really weird stuff happened. I cannot confirm if the same thing happened last night as I was not at the computer when the sync finished.

What appears to be happening, if I believe what iTunes is saying, is that for some reason, iTunes is reading each phtograph each time I sync. It is not making use of the archive bit which is set on the file. THIS IS A GUESS as I really do not understand the details of how iTunes is supposed to operate. My apple advisor has said to me that only the engineers understand those details.

Like everyone else, it is taking a long time to get this resolved and in addition to adversly impacting my photos it is messing up my backup routine.

Guys,

I'm now on iTunes 12.7.3 and the sync went perfectly well with my iPad Pro 10.5 (iOS 11.3) the first time round. Got all my photos in order but subsequent syncs, it keeps failing - "sync session failed to finished". I've tried hard rebooting my iPad Pro multiple times, uninstalling and reinstalling iTunes 12.7.3 as well but to no avail. Anyone else getting this as well? Or is there a solution to this?

new updates for iTunes and I.O.S. havnt helped,updated I.O.S. to 11.3.1. and iTunes 12.7.4.8 thinking error syncing photos will be resolved but no such luck.

Now cannot revert back to itunes 12.7.3

bad news for us having this photo syncing issue.

Search in this thread for posts from ASC User turingtest2. He provides details on how to revert back to iTunes 12.7.3. I'm just waiting for an update to iTunes to fix the issue, since I don't sync photos real often. I can always hope for the change.

So after 3 weeks, dealing hours on the phones with apple support. Trying countless techniques. Making a video of the problem of the sync to be sent to the engineers. Sending itunes data to engineers. Downgrade. Update to itunes 12.7.4.8, upgrade IOS 11.3.1. AND STILL THE SAME PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *** APPLE IS DOING!!!!!!!

Begin to think its the beginning of the end of the Apple empire. Begin to think to sell my iphone and go to Samsung or Google... My patience have limit especially when you spend more than 1000$ for a iphone!!!

The blurb Apple attached to the update did not say it was issued to solve this problem so I didn't expect it to have done that. Hopefully they are still working on a fix but they would not hold up issuing a fix for other problems whilst still trying to sort the photo problem out.

Try ErgoEdbo's method of deleting (or moving to another folder) the iPod photo cache. Attach phone, unselect synch photos and synch the phone, detach from computer then re-boot phone. Re-attach phone, synch photos. Might be worth just synching over the most important albums first as the initial synch will take a while to re-add all the photos. Today I added 3 albums containing 34 photos after downloading the OS update and it took around 10 minutes to do a back up and synch those photos.

Same problem:- upgraded to 12.7.4, ios 11.3.1 on an iphone X bought last week. Apart from the fact that it was screwed, straight out of the box screen going haywire - "A lemon" - Apple renewed it with no audible apology or concern for the 2 weeks I had wasted trying to "fix" it and waiting for the first available appointment at the Genius Bar - must be very busy). Phew!

here is what I did:-

1) Set my 7 Apple devices to ignore syncing photos

2) Deleted all photos from the 7 devices - they are all backed up in 2 places in amongst 26tb of storage

3) Did NOT downgrade to iTunes Virusware 12.7.3

4) Did delete the absolutely Rubbish Google photos app - where's the sorting by name order for the people who actually organise stuff in "Photo Folders" ? Nowhere? It's for little girls and boys who like to see last week's pix

5) Did copy and paste to my 1tb of Google Drive storage all the vids and photos I will ever want and DO use Google Drive

6) And said bibi to Apple's time wasting rubbish and photo syncing - i will be deleting their music sync too soon when they mess that up

Come back Jobs all is forgiven

Cook you're a disgrace

End of story

Life's too short

Denise, Just an update for you here:

As you knew, by scrupulously following the steps in the "fix" which I had posted earlier, I did successfully get all 2500+ photos synced on my iPhone X & iPad Pro (and within their appropriate folders!), and it did take some time initially. The nasty combination of iOS 11.3 and iTunes 11.7.4 made it all quite the challenge, for sure. And then, Apple goes on ahead and releases iOS 11.3.1, worrying me that I'd have to do all of my steps over yet again. However, that didn't turn out to be the case for me. Today, before doing my very 1st sync using iOS 11.3.1 and iTunes 12.7.4, I even added a few new photos into existing folders, added a new folder with some photos, and even added two videos to the mix in my iTunes library. The result: both phone and pad successfully synced, including all of the new additions, in under a total time of 20 minutes! I really feel badly for all of those who "regressed" back to the iTunes 12.7.3 version to address this problem. It appears that doing that causes even more problems overall (putting toothpaste back into the tube..never a good idea!) So, I just wanted to update you and the others here about this (rare) continued success I've had, without any help from (Bad) Apple! And or the sake of anyone else reading this now, I'm re-posting the steps in my "fix that worked" below here:

Step 1: Open your target Photo Folder (which includes all of its sub folders, and DELETE the iPod Photo Cache folder.

Step 2. Perform a sync on your device, but UNCHECK the “Sync Photos” box, when prompted, select “remove all photos from device” (this action will erase existing photos from your device). Complete the sync.

Step 3: After disconnecting USB from PC, perform a “hard reboot” of iPhone or iPad & restart the device(s).

Step 4: Next, begin a new sync, this time, CHECKING the box to “Sync Photos” (this action will result in recopying ALL of your target folders & photos, and can take some time to complete, as it would if you were setting up a brand new device)

Step 5: Hopefully..you can finally smile!

Wishing you all the best of luck!!