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David Wilkie Author

Level 2

173 points

Photos iCloud updating with no visible progress

I am trying to sync my photo databases between my iPhone (running iOS 15.1.1) and two Macs (running MacOS Monterey 12.2.1). On one of my Macs (a new MacBook Pro with M1 Pro), the Photos app seems perpetually "Updating..." and is not reflecting changes on the other two devices even after a week. In fact, the system photo database file does not change in size, which makes it wonder that anything is helping.

For reference, here is what each device shows...

iPhone

35,413 Photos
3,584 Videos

iMac that says "Updated Just Now"

35,334 photos
3,571 videos
257.65 GB* in the system photos database "Photos Library"

MacBook Pro that seems stuck on "Updating..." (does not mirror iPhone)

35,449 photos
3,578 videos
108.72 GB* in the system photos database "Photos Library.photoslibrary" file

Note: ^^^ these values do not appear to be changing

*both the iMac and MacBook Pro are logged into the same iCloud account and have Photos preferences "Optimize Mac Storage" which makes it very curious the large discrepancy in system photos database files.

I've read through posts stating that, for very large photo databases, "just wait" and so I have. But it's now been at least a week. I've set the MacBook to not sleep and kept it connected to ethernet that is showing about 100 MB/s upload and download speeds. Nothing noticeable changes.

Also for reference: If I take a new picture with my iPhone, it shows up in Photos in the "Updated Just Now" iMac but does not show up in the "Updating" MacBook Pro. That seems fishy.

I have other photos databases I need to import and merge, so the MacBook Pro stuck on "Updating..." is delaying my efforts and is making me wonder if I have a problem that no amount of waiting will solve? If so, are there any other remedies or solutions? I am tempted to delete the database and copy over the one from the iMac, but I fear that the MacBook Pro actually has some photos/videos that the other two devices (or iCloud) has that I could lose if I do that.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Posted on Feb 14, 2022 9:59 AM

Top-ranking reply

TonyCollinet

Level 7

23,903 points

Posted on Feb 15, 2022 2:20 AM

When you turn on iCloud the first thing it has to do is compare the complete local library with the iCloud library - this can take some time - before the sync even starts (this is what "updating" often means)

You will have at least a 257GB library - assuming everything on your other devices is also on your iMac. If you have different sets of photos on the devices, then it will be even bigger.

For reference, my 50GB library took full 48 hours to sync. If yours goes at the same speed, you could expect more than 5 times that, so more than 10 days 24/7. Are you leaving your mac on - photos open, connected to power and sleep disabled? If not do so.

Now if you have enabled iCloud on the three devices at the same time, it will be even more complex, because that comparison is being done for one device, as the iCloud library is being updated by another device.

I think you are going to have to continue to be patient for a while longer.

Also make sure you have enough space for the resulting combined library in iCloud, and in all devices - PLUS a significant margin to allow the sync to take place.

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Photos iCloud updating with no visible progress

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