Downloading photos from icloud photo library is stuck

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Downloading photos from icloud photo library is stuck

(Similar but not identical issues remain unanswered in other forums.)

When I try to open an existing project, a photo book, "Downloading from iCloud Photo Library" begins, but does not finish. The progress bar gets almost all the way and then hangs. It has been sitting that way for over 24 hours. There is no sound of the disk working.

I started this project/photo book several days ago, and this issue happened only when I tried to re-open it to continue working on it. I have 50GB of disk space, and no message about not enough space.

I considered turning off iCloud Photo sync, but the message "If you turn off iCloud library, all documents stored in iCloud will be deleted from this Mac" is confusing: If the photos I was using are on my Mac, why is it downloading from iCloud? I do not want to lose the project.

Why is Photos downloading from the iCloud Library?

How do I access the book project to continue work on it?

MacBook, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), (Aluminum, Late 2008)

Posted on Jul 17, 2018 1:30 AM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

202,235 points

Jul 17, 2018 4:30 AM in response to Jonathan Freund

Why is Photos downloading from the iCloud Library?

That depends on your preference settings for iCloud Photo Library.

There are two options in Photos > Preferences > iCloud: "Download Originals to this Mac" or "Optimize Storage".

If "Optimize Storage" is enabled, iCloud will remove originals from your Mac and keep only the optimized, smaller versions stored locally. Then you will need an internet connection to work with the optimized photos.

Make sure, that you are having enough free disk storage, at least 10GB, better more.

Try to view the photos enlarged from an album or the photos view, to force a download from iCloud.

If photos cannot download the originals, make sure, you are connected to iCloud using a Wi-Fi connection, not a cellular hot spot, and that no antivirus filter, or a VPN connection, or a firewall is blocking the access to Apple's iCloud servers.

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Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

202,235 points

Jul 17, 2018 11:52 PM in response to Jonathan Freund

Is there problem with your iCloud Storage? Are you perhaps running out of cloud storage?

Have you checked, if your iCloud Photo library can be read, if you browse it directly on your iCloud webpage? Sign into www.icloud.com with your iCloud AppleID and launch the Photos.app there. Are all photos still there and readable?

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

202,235 points

Jul 21, 2018 9:30 AM in response to Jonathan Freund

and below that "Downloading 1 Item". It has read that for over an hour and after a restart

One" item" means you are having an item in the library that is neither a video nor an image file, perhaps an audio file.

Such an unidentified foreign object can be causing problems, if it currently not supported for iCloud.

it could help, if you can identify this object.

You could try to search for such a strange object with a smart album. Use the rules

match all

Photo is not video
Filename does not contain ".jpg"
Filename does not contain ".tiff"

Add more rules for all kinds of filename extensions used for your image files.

The smart album should be showing you all items in your library that are neither videos nor images. Is there anything suspicious?

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Answer 4

Jul 17, 2018 11:25 PM in response to léonie

That depends on your preference settings for iCloud Photo Library.

There are two options in Photos > Preferences > iCloud: "Download Originals to this Mac" or "Optimize Storage"

I stopped the iCloud download and changed to "Download Originals". I restarted.

Trying to open the project, I get "Opening [Project name]“ on a status bar that doesn’t move at all.

At the bottom of the Photos view, it reads “4,204 Photos, 186 Videos” and below that "Downloading 1 Item". It has read that for over an hour and after a restart

Some photos have the gray triangle with an exclamation point. I assume that is a photo not yet downloaded from iCloud.

Why the "Downloading 1 item" and not more? Is that 1 item the entire library?

Make sure, that you are having enough free disk storage, at least 10GB, better more.

I have over 50GB of free disk storage.

I have a strong WiFi connection without filters. 110Mbps download, 11Mbps upload.

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Answer 5

Jul 18, 2018 5:08 PM in response to léonie

There should be no problem with iCloud storage: Photos take up 25 GB with 20 GB still available.

iCloud library can be read from iCloud webpage. All photos are there; I did not check each one, but nothing is obviously missing or not full size.

I do still have Optimize Storage checked on iPad and iPhone. I have unchecked "Optimize" on the MacBook, but if I attempt to uncheck "iCloud Photo Library," it gives a warning saying the library is still updating. The status still reads "downloading 1item" although the progress bar is empty/hasnt started.

Photos online, on iPad and iPhone all show fully updated. The number of photos match in all places.

The above has been the same since our first exchange here: MacBook has been on, connected to WiFi, set to not sleep.

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Downloading photos from icloud photo library is stuck

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