11 Fixes for Photos Not Syncing Between iPhone and iPad
iCloud integration works well among all Apple devices. The default Photos app is powered by iCloud to sync your iPhone photos on iPad and Mac. Thanks to a seamlessiCloud setup, your recent vacation memories are readily available to check on a big iPad screen. However, sometimes, the Photos app doesn’t sync media between iPhone and iPad. Here are the best ways to fix the issue.
Several factors can affect iCloud sync between iPhone and iPad. Let’s start with the basics first and move to advanced tricks to enable a glitch-free Photos syncing on iPhone and iPad.
Table of Contents
1. Check Network Connection on iPhone and iPad
If you have network connection issues on your iPhone or iPad, the Photos app can’t sync the latest pictures and videos. You can swipe down from the top-right corner and enable the Airplane mode. Disable it after a minute to reset the network on iPhone and iPad.
Now, connect to a high-speed Wi-Fi network, and your iCloud media should appear on the Photos app for iPad.
2. Make Sure to Use Same Apple ID
You need to use the same Apple ID on your iPhone and iPad to sync media between the two devices.
1.OpenSettingson your iPhone and go to your profile. Check the Apple ID.
2.LaunchSettingson your iPad and sign in with the same Apple account.
Wait for some time and launch the Photos app and check your synced images and videos.
3. Sign Out and Sign In Again
Photos syncing may break due to an account authentication error on either of the devices. You need to sign out from the current account and sign back in.
1.OpenSettingson iPhone and iPad.
2.Go to your profile.
3.Scroll down and sign out from your Apple ID.
Sign in again on both devices and try your luck again.
4. Enable iCloud Photos Sync
You can disable the iCloud Photos sync and enable it again to fix such issues.
1.OpenSettingson your iPhone and go to your profile.
2.SelectiCloudand tapPhotosfrom the following menu.
3.Disable theSync this iPhonetoggle and enable it again.
It may take some time to sync your photos to iCloud. Open the Photos app on your iPad and check your iCloud memories.
5. Check iCloud Storage
If you runshort on iCloud storage, the media syncing stops on all your Apple devices.
1.Open iCloud in iPhoneSettings(check the steps above).
2.Glance over a detailed iCloud breakdown for your Apple account.
If you are indeed low on iCloud space, buy one of the iCloud+ or Apple One plans. The pricing starts at $0.99 for 50GB. Apart from iCloud storage, you also get privacy add-ons like iCloud Private Relay and the ability to create temporary email addresses.
6. Turn off Low Power Mode
When you enable the Low Power mode on your iPhone, the system disables all the background tasks, such as iCloud syncing. You need to disable the Low Power mode using the steps below.
1.OpenSettingsand scroll toBattery.
2.Disable theLow Power Mode.
The steps are the same for an iPad too.
7. Turn off Low Data Mode
Low Data Mode helps reduce mobile data usage on your iPhone. When the option is enabled, automatic updates and background tasks like Photos syncing are paused. Let’s disable low data mode.
1.OpenSettingsand selectMobile Service.
2.Select your main SIM. Disable theLow Data Modetoggle.
8. Restart Photos App
You can restart the Photos app on iPhone and iPad to fix glitches like sync. Swipe up and hold from the bottom to open the recent apps menu. Swipe up on Photos to close it. Open it again to start media syncing.
9. Free Up Local Space
Media syncing may pause due to a lack of device storage. Here’s how you’re able to free up space on your iPhone.
1.Open Settings on your iPhone and scroll toGeneral.
2.SelectiPhone Storageand check the detailed breakdown from the following menu.
You can glance over irrelevant apps and uninstall them to free up space.
10. Check iCloud Status
When the iCloud servers face an outage, photos may not sync between your iPhone and iPad. Apple offers a dedicatedSystem Status pageto check the status of all the services.
You can use the link below and ensure a green indicator beside Photos. If it’s flashing orange or red, wait for some time and try again.
11. Update iPhone and iPad
Outdated iOS and iPadOS on your iPhone and iPad can cause issues with Photos syncing between two devices. It’s time to install the latest software update.
1.Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2.SelectGeneraland openSoftware Update.
Download and install the latest OS on both devices.
Check Your Memories on iPad
The Photos app is a joy to use on an iPad. However, the app not syncing your iCloud images from your iPhone can break your experience. The steps above should take care of Photos syncing issues on all your devices.
Not happy with iCloud? You can easilytransfer photos to Google Photoswhich is platform agnostic and offersadvanced features.
Parth Shah
Parth previously worked at EOTO.tech covering tech news. He is currently freelancing at TechWiser, Android Police, and GuidingTech writing about apps comparisons, tutorials, software tips and tricks, and diving deep into iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows platforms.
