I have an iMac running High Sierra 10.13.6. When I connect my iPhone 7 (iOS 11.4.1), Photos opens and shows my iPhone as being connected, but it doesn't show any photos or videos I've recorded on my phone since June 2018. So I can't import them onto my iMac. Photos is v3.0 (3291.13.210).
iMac, macOS High Sierra (10.13.6)
What do you mean "that didn't work"? I didn't suggest a fix, I just suggested a way to check for a possible explanation.
What did you find out?
Was iCloud Photo Library enabled in Settings > Photos or not?
If it was, was Optimize iPhone Storage enabled right below it, or was Download and Keep Originals enabled below that?
Then that probably explains it. As noted, "Optimized photos are only represented by thumbnails that don't show up via USB."
Is there a reason you are importing manually when you could enable iCloud Photo Library on your iMac and have all additions (and deletions) synchronized automatically between your phone and your Mac?
Correct. I haven’t enabled it on my iMac because the amount of GBs needed in iCloud would be significantlY more, right? I have a lot more photos/video on my iMac and backup drive because they have the space. if I enabled iCloud Photo Library on my iMac wouldn‘t the photos stored already on my iMac then begin to upload to iCloud as well?
Yes, the photos now on your Mac would upload to iCloud Photo Library if you enabled i ton your Mac.
Have you considered DISabling iCloud Photo Library on your iPhone (if your phone has enough storage)?
I don’t have sufficient space on my phone, which is why I have loaded photos/videos onto my iMac. Are you saying that because of the Optimize Photos setting I can no longer upload photos/vids via USB? Is iCloud the only way?
I'm not privy to Apple's internal thinking, of course, but it doesn't seem like they intend the newest sync mechanism (iCloud Photo Library) and the oldest one (USB transfer) to be used in parallel.
Here's another approach, if not quite as simple:
Visit iCloud.com in a browser on your iMac, sign in with the same Apple ID you use on your phone, switch to the Photos app on the website, and see if you can download the photos and videos from there.
Check to see if perhaps iCloud Photo Library and its option Optimize iPhone Storage have been enabled on your iPhone. Optimized photos are only represented by thumbnails that don't show up via USB.
Thanks for the suggestion, but that didn't work. Any other suggestions? And, apologies for the tardy reply, but I haven't had the opportunity to try your suggestion until now.
Yes, iCloud was on and photos optimized.
Yes. I don’t have a similar size of storage in iCloud. So that is why I transfer photos/video directly to my iMac. It worked in the past just fine.
If you don't have enough iCloud storage to hold your photos, why would you enable iCloud Photo Library?
Photos not importing from iPhone to iMac
