Apple "Download your data files" won't download to my Mac

Question

Level 1

4 points

Apple "Download your data files" won't download to my Mac

Using Safari either on my M3 MacBook Pro or Mac Mini (both running up-to-date Sequoia 15.5), I attempt to download the iCloud photo download .zip files I asked Apple to generate for me. The animated download icon appears, and up to about 75 MB of the multi-GB file loads, then downloading stops cold. Double-clicking on the file stub in my Downloads folder returns this message: "Safari can’t resume this download. The file “iCloud Photos Part 1 of 48.zip.download” doesn’t appear to be a valid download file." This happens with each of the data files Apple generated. Using Chrome yields a similar message. I've looked at every Safari and Mac setting that might seem likely to have an effect, I've cleared my cache, etc. Nothing changes. What's my problem?

MacBook Pro 14″, 15.5

Posted on Jul 5, 2025 04:23 PM

Reply

Answer 1

muguy

Level 10

90,026 points

Jul 14, 2025 07:00 PM in response to jevaino

Are you not already syncing to the Photos App?

Reply

Answer 2

Jul 12, 2025 09:05 AM in response to jevaino

How many pictures are you downloading? The limit is 1000, but it usually tells you that.

Is it possible that it's running into an incompatible file? Do you have videos, especially old videos, in your download?

What happens if you try smaller groups?

Reply

Answer 3

Jul 15, 2025 07:04 AM in response to jevaino

If you are "already syncing to the Photos App" as s muguy suggests its seems like you would be, then the best way to make files of your picture is to File>Export them from Mac Photos. Way faster!

Do you have enough storage to download these files? In System Settings>General>Storage, how much space does it say you have used, and how much is free?

Reply