MacDebug

Verified for macOS Tahoe 26.2

title: How to Fix iPhone Photo Upload and Sync Issues in macOS Tahoe 26.2

description: Fix the bug in macOS Tahoe 26.2 where users are unable to upload or sync photos from an iPhone to the Photos app.

category: Photos

How to Fix iPhone Photo Upload and Sync Issues in macOS Tahoe 26.2

A common complaint in macOS Tahoe 26.2 is the inability to import or sync photos from an iPhone via cable or iCloud. Users often see a "Preparing to Import" message that never finishes, or the iPhone simply doesn't appear in the Photos sidebar.

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Method 1: Reset the Trust Settings

If your iPhone is connected via USB but isn't showing up, the "Trust" handshake may have failed.

  1. Disconnect your iPhone from the Mac.
  2. On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset.
  3. Tap Reset Location & Privacy.
  4. Reconnect the iPhone to your Mac and tap Trust on the iPhone screen.

Method 2: Restart the Photo Analysis Daemon

Tahoe's background process for analyzing photos can sometimes hang, blocking new imports.

  1. Open Terminal.
  2. Run the following command:
killall photoanalysisd
  1. Open the Photos app and try importing again.

Method 3: Repair the Photos Library

If the Photos database was corrupted during the 26.2 update, sync will fail.

  1. Close Photos.
  2. Hold down Command + Option and click the Photos icon to open it.
  3. Click Repair to rebuild the library database.

Method 4: Toggle iCloud Photos

If you use iCloud for syncing, the 26.2 update might have stalled the background sync service.

  1. Go to System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos.
  2. Toggle Sync this Mac OFF.
  3. Wait 60 seconds, then toggle it back ON.