Why does syncing photos change randomly?

Why is it that when I add one new photo to my iPhone and sync it to my library on my MacBook Pro, I can get "syncing photos" with a total of 174 or 1699 or 3496? (totals used as examples, not specifically those but the number can change from a few to the entire library when only one is being added)

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 13.1

Posted on Jan 15, 2023 04:16 PM

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2 replies

Jan 17, 2023 11:05 AM in response to cakasabian

Hello cakasabian,


Depending on how your Photos library is syncing across devices this can be expected behavior. If you're syncing manually the process will look for differences to adjust each time: Sync your photos manually using the Finder - Apple Support


If you're using iCloud Photos, the time it takes to upload new or edited content can vary based on the size of your library and your internet speed: Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support


Regards.

Jan 18, 2023 07:11 AM in response to Drew_7

Thanks for replying, Drew.


I'm syncing manually from my iPhone 12 mini to my M2 MacBook Pro. Both have plenty of space. My entire library is on my MacBook yet when I sync I'm only keeping the last year's worth of photos and videos on my iphone. If it's normal behavior for the number of photos changing with each sync, that's fine. I just thought that if I had 1700 photos on my phone and added one to the library, the only changes would be those who were older than a year that were dropping off and the new additional one, which would normally be less than 10 modified.

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Why does syncing photos change randomly?

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