iphone photos will not download to macbook iphoto (Sequoia 15.5)

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Level 1

19 points

iphone photos will not download to macbook iphoto (Sequoia 15.5)

I saw a post about this from June 2025, but the admin had closed it without resolution. This problem was reported by multiple users running Sequoia 15 and and a variety of iphones up to iPhone 15.

I have an iphone 11 and a 2024 macbook running Sequoia 15.5.

The problem: I am not able to download photos from my iphone onto iphoto on my macbook. (I do not use iCloud for photos and as far as I can tell, all related settings are turned off.)

Here is what it looks like on my end: Iphoto opens automatically after I connect my phone to the macbook. In iPhoto, I click on the item under "Devices", which is my phone. The new window shows the photo content from my phone. I then click "Import New Items" or I select a few photos and click "Import". After clicking this, the window automatically switches from the Devices window to the Imports window, which stays empty. If I click back on the device window, it shows a progress bar that has barely started and is making no progress. The process then abruptly stops, the window switches to the blank Import window and nothing happens. The system switches me back to that blank Import window even if I have switched to another app such as Safari, Word, etc. When I click on the Devices window again, it is blank and after a few seconds, the window says "Preparing to import from iPhone 11", my photos from my iphone reappear, and I am back where I started.

My phone and macbook seem to be losing the connection mid-process. But I have no problems snycing anything else on my phone. I have used multiple cables with the same result. The problem is only on iPhoto.

I have not been able to find any kind of a fix for this and am at a point now where my phone is completely full.

Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

iPhone 11, iOS 17

Posted on Aug 27, 2025 07:27 AM

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Answer 1

sidecardog Author

Level 1

19 points

Sep 4, 2025 09:54 AM in response to leroydouglas

I called Apple Support and they told me that this is a known bug with no current solution and it is significant enough that they have a team working to resolve it. I was told to expect a solution to arrive in (hopefully) the next software update. I forgot to ask if they meant the software update for the computer or the phone. Either way, I can update when the fix arrives.

Thanks for your help!

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Answer 2

Aug 27, 2025 09:39 AM in response to sidecardog

sidecardog wrote:

Here is what it looks like on my end: Iphoto opens automatically after I connect my phone to the macbook. In iPhoto, I click on the item under "Devices", which is my phone.

The new window shows the photo content from my phone. I then click "Import New Items" or I select a few photos and click "Import". After clicking this, the window automatically switches from the Devices window to the Imports window, which stays empty.

If I click back on the device window, it shows a progress bar that has barely started and is making no progress. The process then abruptly stops, the window switches to the blank Import window and nothing happens.

The system switches me back to that blank Import window even if I have switched to another app such as Safari, Word, etc. When I click on the Devices window again, it is blank and after a few seconds, the window says "Preparing to import from iPhone 11", my photos from my iphone reappear, and I am back where I started.

My phone and macbook seem to be losing the connection mid-process.

But I have no problems snycing anything else on my phone. I have used multiple cables with the same result. The problem is only on iPhoto.

re: Photos.app

Have not heard this issue before...did you try a different cable(?)

I would try quitting the Photos app, then relaunch it holding the Shift key down— and try again(?) your import.

No resolve

— try a SafeBoot Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support will sort many anomalies

Login and test. Reboot as normal and test. Caches get rebuilt automatically.

This test will tell you if third party interference; most extensions etc are not loaded in safe boot mode.

—Test issue in another user (or guest user) account Change Users & Groups settings on Mac - Apple Support

This will tell you if it a universal issue or isolated to your user/admin account.

Another test would be to create a new library and import some images there and compare your results.

Hold the key down when launching the Photos.app

The current stable release of Sequoia including bug fixes, security updates is macOS 15.6.1

Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support

The current stable release of iOS including bug fixes, security updates is iOS 18.6.2

Update your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

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Answer 3

sidecardog Author

Level 1

19 points

Sep 2, 2025 07:57 AM in response to leroydouglas

I have tried multiple cables. No change

I have rebooted in safe mode. No change

I have relaunched iPhoto while holding down shift. No change.

I have checked users and groups and I am the only user.

I can try to create a new library but your instructions above do not identify which key to hold down while launching the iPhotos app. If you can clarify that, I will give it a try.

Thanks for your help

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Answer 4

Sep 2, 2025 10:03 AM in response to sidecardog

sidecardog wrote:

I can try to create a new library but your instructions above do not identify which key to hold down while launching the iPhotos app. If you can clarify that, I will give it a try.

Thanks for your help

Another test would be to create a new library and import some images there and compare your results.

Hold the Option key down when launching the Photos.app

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