Photos not syncing properly across devices

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Level 1

8 points

Photos not syncing properly across devices

A day or two ago, I added a couple of photos to iCloud on my new MacBook (13 in, M4, 2025), and deleted a few at the same time.

For some reason, however, these changes have not synced to Photos on either my iPhone (13 Mini) or iPad (10th generation). All these devices are on the same WiFi network and are logged into the same Apple account - so I can't understand what the issue is. I'm also only using just under 50GB of 200GB iCloud storage.

However, if I add or remove a photo to/from iCloud on my phone or iPad, that change is reflected on the MacBook, so I think it's on that device that the problem may lie; I don't recall having this issue on the 2017 MacBook that my new one replaced. But my iCloud settings on the MacBook all seem to be correct. If anyone can tell me where I'm going wrong, I'd be very grateful!

MacBook Air 13″

Posted on Sep 4, 2025 10:31 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 4, 2025 10:44 AM in response to sc_otter

Of course, pictures don't sync from the Mac to the phone-- they sync from the Mac to iCloud.com, and then Photos on the phone synchronizes its Library with the Library at iCloud.com. So, what do you see at iCloud.com?

What macOS are you using? What iOS? iPadOS?

You could try to narrow things down, with these steps with the Mac:

Restart the computer (of course)

Re-start in Safe Mode. This bypasses certain potentially disruptive processes, and it often helps. Safe Mode is different for different computers, so see this:

Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

Have you tried a forced restart on the Phone?

Force restart iPhone - Apple Support

This is different from a simple Power Off. I had to continue holding the button down past the "slide to power off" message, and then I released the button only after the Apple Logo appeared indicating a re-start.

Let us know what happens…

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Answer 2

sc_otter Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 4, 2025 12:59 PM in response to Richard.Taylor

Hello Richard - and thank you very much for your swift reply.

Just so you know, operating systems are Sequoia 15.6.1 for the MacBook, iOS 18.6.2 for the iPhone, and iPadOS 18.6.2 for the iPad. So everything is completely up to date.

I've tried both force-starting the iPhone and starting up the MacBook in safe mode, but I'm afraid things just got weirder. Photos remain exactly as they were on the iPhone, but in Photos on the MacBook, the pictures I deleted from there have now reappeared. However, the two photos I ADDED on the MacBook remain in Photos on that device, but still don't appear on the iPhone.

I have also logged into iCloud.com as you suggest, and that mirrors what I can see on the iPhone/iPad. So it looks as if, somehow, whatever I do in Photos on the MacBook is 'ignored' by the ecosystem. But surely, any change I make in Photos on any of my devices should be reflected on the other two?

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Answer 3

markwmsn

Level 6

16,613 points

Sep 4, 2025 09:09 PM in response to sc_otter

sc_otter wrote:

I have also logged into iCloud.com as you suggest, and that mirrors what I can see on the iPhone/iPad. So it looks as if, somehow, whatever I do in Photos on the MacBook is 'ignored' by the ecosystem. But surely, any change I make in Photos on any of my devices should be reflected on the other two?

Ideally, yes, but sometimes the upload process on the a device gets jammed up. This should be visible on the device. On a Mac, it would be reflected in the status message below the counts of photos and videos at the bottom of the "All Photos" view of the library. You would like to see a message like "Synced with iCloud Just Now", but it could also show a problem indication. What does it say in your Photos app on the MacBook?

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Answer 4

sc_otter Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 5, 2025 01:33 AM in response to markwmsn

Hi there. In the Photos app on the MacBook, it currently just says '7,420 photos, 307 videos'. In the Photos app on my phone, it says there are '7,725 items'. So there's a discrepancy of two between the devices - the two images that I added to Photos on the MacBook the other day, and are still visible there, but for some reason haven't appeared on iCloud.com.

There's obviously some sort of weird glitch here, but I still can't work out what it is.

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Answer 5

sc_otter Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 5, 2025 10:10 AM in response to markwmsn

So... I appear to have found the glitch. In the iCloud Photos system settings on the MacBook, I went to 'Sync this Mac', which was toggled on. Almost on a whim, I toggled it off and then back on again - and from that point everything started syncing across all my devices properly. No idea why that worked, but there you go. Thank you very much for your help.

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Answer 6

Sep 6, 2025 07:12 AM in response to sc_otter

The "turn it off and turn it on again" process can work, but it can also start a days long re-syncing process and possible data loss, so it is certainly not the first thing to try. We're glad it worked for you!

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Answer 7

markwmsn

Level 6

16,613 points

Sep 5, 2025 06:06 AM in response to sc_otter

No status line at all below the counts, way down at the bottom of All Photos?

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