Fix Photos Not Uploading to iCloud Once & for All

If your iCloud photos are not syncing, or if syncing with iCloud paused mid-process, you're at risk of losing treasured pictures if something happens to the Apple device you took the photos on.

Fix Photos Not Uploading to iCloud

Are your iCloud photos not syncing? iCloud has been described as the glue that holds our Apple devices together. iCloud Photos allows users to save, search, and share photos and videos from any of their Apple devices. This article will show you how to fix iCloud photo syncing issues and get photos uploading to iCloud again. We'll cover the easy fixes before moving on to other possible solutions.

Easy iCloud Photo Syncing Fixes to Try First

• Restart your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
• Make sure your iPhone, iPad, or Mac software is up to date.
• Make sure your device isn't too hot. You may see a message that says "[Device] Needs to Cool Down, syncing paused to protect your device from overheating." Wait for your device to cool, and tap Sync Now when the option appears.
• Make sure there isn't an iCloud glitch. If there isn't a green dot by iCloud Drive, iCloud Backup, and Photos, the problem is on Apple's end.

Check Your Internet Connection

If your iPhone, iPad, or Mac isn't connected to the internet, there's no way for your photos to upload to iCloud. Make sure that your device is connected to the internet via a stable Wi-Fi or cellular network. If you suspect your connection is slow, try an internet speed test.

If you are connected to a cellular network, your device may automatically pause the upload to avoid using up all your data. Try connecting to a Wi-Fi network and tapping resume to continue your iCloud photos upload. If syncing with iCloud paused or isn't working on your Mac, make sure your Mac is connected to a strong Wi-Fi network, too.

Check Your Battery Level

Just like your device may auto-pause the iCloud upload if you aren't connected to Wi-Fi, your photos won't upload to iCloud if your battery is below 20 percent. Try plugging your iPhone, iPad, or Mac into a charger and tapping Sync Now. If you still experience your video or photo stream not updating, keep reading.

Enable Photo Upload in iCloud Settings

You'll need to make sure that the correct settings are enabled to allow your photos to upload to iCloud. The steps below are the same on iPad. To do this:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap your Apple ID profile at the top of the page.
3. Tap iCloud.
4. Tap Photos.
5. Make sure Sync this iPhone is toggled on. ​

Make Sure You Have Enough iCloud Storage

If iCloud photos are not uploading, you might not have enough iCloud storage. Without sufficient storage, your iPhone or iPad won't be able to perform several key functions, including uploading pictures and videos to iCloud Photos. We've written several tips about how to clear iCloud storage and, if your iCloud storage is full and you don't want to clear anything to free up space, how to buy more Apple iCloud storage. To find out how much iCloud storage you're using:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap your Apple Account profile at the top of the page.
3. Tap iCloud.
4. Look at the top bar to see how much of your iCloud storage you've used. ​

​You'll see which apps are using the most storage, and if you're running low, you'll see a section called Recommendations for how to save data. There are a few more ways to clear iCloud storage.

Make Sure You Have Enough Device Storage

As well as needing sufficient iCloud storage, your iPad, iPhone, or Mac needs a certain amount of free storage space to upload your photos and videos to the cloud. Check how much storage your device has, and if you're almost maxed out, take steps to optimize your iPhone, iPad, or Mac's storage.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap iPhone Storage.
4. Look at the top bar to see how much of your iPhone Storage you've used. Your iPhone may take a minute or so to calculate the storage use in each category, so be patient while it does so.
5. As with iCloud Storage, your device will offer recommendations for how to optimize your storage, if necessary. These can be found in the Recommendations section.

How to Speed Up iCloud Photo Upload

If you experience an unusually slow iCloud Photo Upload the steps above can be used to troubleshoot this as well! Make sure your iPhone or iPad is plugged into a charger and connected to a fast Wi-Fi network. If you still experience slow upload time, it may just be a long video that is being uploaded. Otherwise, try restarting your iPhone or iPad and try all the troubleshooting steps. This should speed it up.

By now, you should be able to upload and sync photos to iCloud again. Let me know in the comments if these steps worked to get your photos and videos uploading to iCloud again. If you tried something else that worked, please let us know in the comment section below. If you upgraded iCloud storage and followed all of the troubleshooting steps above and photos are still not uploading to iCloud, contact Apple Support. There might be a hardware issue with your iPhone or iPad.

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