Photos export hangs

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Level 1

38 points

Photos export hangs

I used to be able to export photos and videos from Photos on my Mac with no problems. Now everything drags and hangs without completing most exports. I tried to export using both the Export and Export Unmodified Original options, and tried to both an external drive as well as my desktop. Sometimes it works, but when it hangs even restarting the Photos program does not fix the problem. If I restart my Mac it will work briefly then hang again. Right now it is stuck exporting just 2 photos.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS High Sierra (10.13.6)

Posted on Nov 25, 2018 11:29 AM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

200,699 points

Nov 25, 2018 11:42 AM in response to dan weisberg

Are you using iCloud Photo Library? The "Downloading" in your screenshot suggests, that the export is failing, because the original image file cannot be downloaded from iCloud.

Are you running out of storage on your Mac or in iCloud? Could something eb blocking the connection to Apple's cloud servers, for example a firewall or an antivirus filter? Do you have any third party security software installed? Are you connected to the internet using a Wi-Fi connection or a cellular hotspot?

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Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

200,699 points

Nov 25, 2018 2:51 PM in response to dan weisberg

Power Photos is one of the safe applications to use as a duplicate cleaner.

Which version of Photos and MacOS do you have installed?

It is hard to tell what might be the problem without a few systematic tests. Try to find out if the problem is only happening for your current Photos Library, or is limited to your user account or system wide - see this checklist:

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-13281

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Answer 3

dan weisberg Author

Level 1

38 points

Nov 25, 2018 12:10 PM in response to léonie

I tried to both a folder on my desktop as well as one on an external drive, which is the preferred location. I do have Power Photos installed as a trial version for removing duplicates but it is not currently running.

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Answer 4

dan weisberg Author

Level 1

38 points

Nov 25, 2018 12:05 PM in response to léonie

I have 85 GB out of 480 GB free on my har drive. I am using iCloud through Wi-fi, and there is no firewall or anti-virus or other security software installed.

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Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

200,699 points

Nov 25, 2018 12:09 PM in response to dan weisberg

That looks good. Where is the folder, that you are trying to export to? On an external drive?

Have you been using any cleaning applications to remove duplicates from your Photos Library?

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Photos export hangs

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