My Photo Stream Folder is Missing in Photos app in Mohave

I have a new problem with Photos. In the MacOS app, there is no My Photo Stream folder. It used to be there so I know everything is set up correctly. I generally have photos from my iPhone show up in the Photos app, but I have had problems having images move from the phone's Camera Roll to Photo Stream (on the phone - so they were missing in the MacOS app as well). But now I don't even have a Photo Stream folder on my iMac. The images from the iPhone ARE in the "Photos" folder but where is the My Photo Stream folder?


What's up?

Posted on Nov 26, 2018 7:26 PM

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Posted on Nov 27, 2018 7:07 AM

The images from the iPhone ARE in the "Photos" folder but where is the My Photo Stream folder?

Did you perhaps enable iCloud Photos in the Photos > Preferences > iCloud?

If iCloud Photos is enabled, the My Photo Stream album will not be shown.

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29 replies

Dec 25, 2018 9:17 PM in response to Mike in Arizona

Same problem here and I too do NOT use iCloud Photo Library. I'm using OS 10.13.6. I had done nothing different... the old Photostream 'album' just disappeared from my laptop's Photos program sometime in the last couple weeks. Photostream still exists like normal on my iPhone. As an infrequent Photos user, I'm really careful to not touch/alter any files or settings as I don't want my pictures to disappear


My fix: in the laptop's Photos/Preferences/General/Library Location I clicked 'Use as System Photo Library'. The indicated file (username/Pictures/Photos Library) is the default name/location. But somehow Photos 'lost' its connection with that default file. At any rate my Photostream pics from the iPhone now show up on the laptop just like they used to. Whew. Thought I'd lost my Christmas shots :)

Nov 30, 2018 9:13 AM in response to Mike in Arizona

You could check in a different user account, if My Photo Stream is working at all with your current iCloud Apple ID. Create a new user account, log in, create a new Photos Library for testing, enable iCloud with My Photo Stream in the System Preferences and in the Photos Preferences.

Does My Photo Stream appear in this new account? https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204443

This will tell you, if your current user account has problems, that will prevent My Photo Stream from showing.

Nov 30, 2018 10:01 AM in response to Mike in Arizona

Does this mean I would add a new user account on the iMac? (with a new Apple ID?)

A new user account, just for testing. You can delete it afterwards. That will give you a pristine, new home folder. Do not change any preference settings, do not launch any third-party applications. But sign into iCloud with the same AppleID that you are using on your iPhone and iPad for My Photo Stream.

Then launch Photos to check, if you can see My Photo Stream for your current AppleID. With a new AppleID it is no longer possible at all to use My Photo Stream. That would be futile. But since it worked for your AppleiD previously, something else must be wrong. My iCloud AppleID is working, when I use a new user account and enable nothing but My Photo Stream.

Nov 27, 2018 9:59 AM in response to Mike in Arizona

In the Photos app iCloud sharing is not enabled but Photostream is.

Which preference do you mean by "iCloud Sharing"?

  • "Shared Album" would not matter
  • But "iCloud Photos" must not be enabled, if you want to see My Photo Stream.


What is enabled in the System Preferences > iCloud? Is My Photo Stream enabled in the System Preferences < iCloud?



My Photo Stream is apparently about to be discontinued. If you recently created a new Apple ID "My Photo Stream" is no longer available. You are not by any chance using a new AppleID?

Nov 29, 2018 12:56 PM in response to léonie

My Photos Library menu has:

Photos

Memories

Favorites

People

Places

Imports

Hidden

Deleted


No My Photo Stream


And now I just took some photos on my iPhone in the same room as the iMac. They are not in Photo Stream on the phone, and they are not in the main Photos folder on the iMac. I think there is some problem with Apple's servers that results in inconsistent syncing. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Very annoying. I will need to hook it to a cable to download the photos.

Nov 27, 2018 12:31 PM in response to léonie

By "iCloud Sharing" I meant the first option in Photos preferences: "iCloud Photos". I have never had that checked since I can't fit all of my photos on the free service.


My Photo Stream is enabled in System Preferences < iCloud. Then you select Photos and see the same options as Photos preferences. I have not touched these options and what used to work does not work now. I have not set up a new Apple ID but I have installed Mojave which is about when I noticed My Photo Stream was missing in the Photos app in the MacOS.

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My Photo Stream Folder is Missing in Photos app in Mohave

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