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jmorg65
Known Participant
January 19, 2026
Answered

Random photos on iPhone 17 Pro showing up in LrC Import window... used to show ALL photos...??

  • January 19, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 236 views

Before approximately November 11 2025, when I plugged in my iPhone (currently usuing iPhone 17 Pro on iOS 26.2), all the photos and videos in the Photos app would show in the Import window of LrC (v 15.1). Since that time, and continuing to this day, only a small handful of photos show in the Import window. The rest don't show up so I cannot import them directly from my iPhone, which is a huge pain.

 

I have 224 photos and videos (mostly photos) in my Photos app that are properly syncing between the phone and desktop and online cloud (can see them in all location). But, as noted above, only about 2 dozen that are seemingly random. For instance, some from close to November 11, some as recent as yesterday, most days if a photo or two are showing in the Import window, other photos from the same day and timeframe are not showing up.

 

Is there a permissions or other issue that was introduced with an update to iOS or LrC around the timeframe I'm mentioning of early November 2025? How to fix this so all photos and videos show again?

Correct answer JohanElzenga

@Sameer K thabks. I have auto updates on for both iPhone and creative cloud on my Mac so always on the latest versions. No change in the behavior. Infinite forever sync and somehow disconnected or unable to receive updates made on the Mac. Attached image of Lr Mobile sync issue. 


On the iPhone, disable 'Optimize Storage'. This option offloads images to Apple iCloud, and leaves only a link to the online images on the iPhone. Lightroom Classic cannot deal with that. It needs the images to be on the device.

 

1 reply

A
Community Manager
AlekeCommunity Manager
Community Manager
January 20, 2026

Hi @jmorg65, thanks for reaching out. 

Are the photos that are not being detected located somewhere different from the ones that do appear? As a first step, it can help to double check that your Mac has full disk access. You can follow the steps here: https://adobe.ly/4pK84nz
Thanks so much.
Alek

*(If you mention me with an @, like @Aleke, I’ll get a notification and can respond faster.)*
J
jmorg65Author
Known Participant
January 20, 2026

@Aleke No. They are all in my Photos library on the phone and desktop and cloud. Same library. Just some show and others do not. Has been going on since November.

 

And LrC desktop already has Full Disk Access per your instructions and it has had that for a long time. No changes there.

 

But, given all the photos are on the iPhone in the same file structure but only some appear and others don't, does that help clarify on other possible fixes?

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