Cloud photos will not download to IOS app

This is an issue I've been having off and on for months. I have deleted and re-downloaded the app which didn't fix the issue:

cloud synced photos will not download to my IOS app at all, making the app useless to me. The spinning loading logo goes on endlessly, and not a single photo/smart preview will download. 

Using iOS 16.6.1 on IPhone 13