Photos app freezes upon import / photo importing problems

Anonymous
2019-09-12T23:08:28+00:00

Hello, I was trying to import photos from my iPhone via charging cable and upon import the photo app freezes. I reset my phone and tried again and it worked for the first import but another problem is that I can only upload 3-4 videos at a time before the photos app says something went wrong and I have to start the whole process all over again. Because of this, when I go to import again it just freezes once it hits my total photo and video count. This problem has been persistent ever since I started uploading photos and videos this past year or two and it really hinders my progress. Thanks for any help.

-Gabriela

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Connect Phone and PC

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-05-26T06:28:38+00:00

    I do sympathise, a 38 page thread (its length due entirely due to Microsoft's ineptitude of course) is indeed daunting, and I don't blame you for not reading all the way through it.

    I hope you can also sympathise with the frustration of the Android phone and camera users, some of whom have been checking the updates on this thread for many months, when they see the same iPhone workaround being posted over and over and over again.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-05-26T02:32:01+00:00

    Your "solution" doesn't work. It's not the source of the problem.

    The problem is also present for people that don't even use an iPhone.

    This has been stated maaaaany time before.

    Please read the thread before you post something that's already been posted before, without adding any valuable input of your own.

    You are wrong. My solution DOES work for iPhone users and also adds value by helping to avoid proprietary image protocols. I have helped a number of people solve this issue using these changes. 

    Quit wasting people’s time with your childish lectures. If you dont like a response, just move on.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-05-26T02:18:32+00:00

    I only added this as it worked for me multiple times, my apologies that I haven't read all 400 posts. It is a solution for me therefore it may be a solution for others.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-05-26T02:04:32+00:00

    Your "solution" doesn't work. It's not the source of the problem.

    The problem is also present for people that don't even use an iPhone.

    This has been stated maaaaany time before.

    Please read the thread before you post something that's already been posted before, without adding any valuable input of your own.

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-05-26T01:32:27+00:00

    This solution has set me on the right path. But there's an additional, subtle requirement to it that was needed, at least for me.

    Hitting the "Cancel" button at exactly the right time was the key.

    After a couple of tries, I figured the sequence :

    1- click Import

    2- the dialog pops-up; initially the number of photos detected is 0

    3- the dialog says 1 photo detected

    4- then the dialog says X random number of photos detected (sometimes 200, sometimes another number, it varies)

    5- then the dialog says Y random number, which is the max it will show before freezing

    6- the app freezes

    I had to hit Cancel after Step #3, but before Step #4. Exactly at that precise moment, and not just before the max number is shown.

    It goes quick, so you have to be ready.

    If you don't catch it on the first try, proceed as follows :

    • the app will freeze, just close it
    • unplug the phone
    • launch the Photos app
    • plug the phone back
    • Import again, you might need to wait a few seconds for the phone to be detected

    I found that, after a failed attempt where I missed the proper timing for hitting the Cancel button, if I just went ahead and tried to import again right away it would juste freeze, every time. Unplugging and plugging the phone back again, as described above, seems to "reset" something within the Photos app import process, that allows you to try the Cancel trick again.

    So after successfully hitting the Cancel button at the right moment, I clicked on Import again and boom I finally got the photo selection dialog!

    Also, the importing dialog doesn't freeze anymore !

    I deleted the imported pictures and re-imported them all again in one pass with no freeze whatsoever.

    Sorry I don't know if it fixes the app for all other devices one would try to import on the same machine, or if it fixes it only for the specific device that you do the Cancel button trick on... I don't have any other device to try.

    I hope this helps someone else here!

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