PE 2020 can't import photos from iPhone 7

[augeydoggy]

Just  installed PE 2020 (had major catalog conversion problems that Adobe support couldn't resolve, but I found a workaround), and it will not import photos from my iPhone 7 (iOS 13.2). PE sees the phone, finds all the photos, can't retrieve thumbnails (tho once it did get some of them) then says it cannot import the items because the phone is not connected or busy. There is no problem connecting the phone to iTunes or seeing everything on it.

[99jon]

Try launching Image Capture and then copy the files from the phone into the Pictures folder or a named folder. Then use the Organizer File menu to get the photos from the folder.

[imjack2]

This is a known problem and exists since iOS 13.1.2 which was around November 2019. It's not an Adobe issue! I have tested it with PSE 13 and PSE 2019 (v.17)
Today my iPhone  7+ was updated to iOS 13.4.1 and the problem still exists. The problem has been reported for Windows 10 and MacOS 10.14.6 machines.

I have been in contact with Apple support Europe and after extensive troubleshooting by their support people I was contacted by them after a week or two. They updated me with the current status of the issue. Apple engineers are reviewing the case and as soon as a solution is found an update (iOS?) will be forthcoming. That was 5 months (!) ago and I am almost giving up hope an iOS update that fixes this bug is forthcoming soon...
The best I can think of is that everyone with this problem contacts Apple support and demand a solution for a well known problem. 
The more people report to Apple, the higher this issue will rise on the iOS bug fix list.

[Greg_S.]

Thanks for reporting this.  I have assumed it is not an Adobe problem because the bug exists with other software.  I just wasn't sure whether it was a Microsoft or Apple issue. 

[pet236]

If it's Microsoft or Apple issue does not matter, Adobe got my money. I bought an Adobe Product (PE 2020) wich is supposed to import pictures from iOS devices correctly. PE 2020 is sold with this feature and it just doesn't work, to anyone, especially with PE 2020 for Windows. Is that quality ? or reliabily ? Sure, I can understand it may be not easy to work with Apple or MS... in this case would had been more fair to remove this feature from PE 2020.

[imjack2]

I'm just an ordinary Adobe user who has researched this issue quite a long time, actually since last November.
As import of files from a certain device to Mac of PC is made impossible due to a bug in the operating system of that certain device, then you cannot hold Adobe nor Microsoft responsible as it is beyond their reach.
However, Adobe, Microsoft and other image import/edit S/W product engineers should contact Apple and demand an ASAP solution to this situation!!

[imjack2]

Having now iOS 13.7 on my iPhone 7+, I found just by chance the option to set the Camera to most compatible file format which solved the problem as it stores only JPEG and h.263 videos.

1. Navigate to Settings > Camera > Formats
2. Select the "Most Compatible" option (NOT the "High Efficiency"!!)

[imjack2]

Sorry, typo.
h.263 should be h.264

[Skippy12345]

Agree - stick to the most compatible option as the new Apple format is not yet supported in PSE.

One other item to note that I found recently:  The date a video is taken may not be correct when imported into a PC, either directly via PSE or indirectly via Syncios.  It appears that reviewing or editing the video on the phone will change the date created/modified within iOS, and this is the date taken across, not the actual date/time in the metadata.

Anyone else with the same problem?

[Skippy12345]

This is a problem with Apple IOS as much as PSE and lots of us have experienced this (for every version of PSE).  Your best option is to forget about PSE to download IOS content - I use syncios instead - free software and also keeps the right date/times on the photos (unlike PSE). Might be fixed in a future version of IOS and/or PSE but I would not be holding my breath.

[imjack2]

Indeed, Syncios is a good workaround for this situation. In order to allow PSE to rename the files (advanced rename) you have to download the images (and videos...) to a disk-on-key device and then you are able to use the PE Photo Downloader (Import - From Camera or Card Reader).

[sweepling]

Have a look at this link: https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/latest-ios-13-1-2-seems-to-cause-problem-impo...

Major conflict between Adobe PSE and Apple (inc iphone 7 and SE).  I set iPhones to 'most compatable' format, genuine Apple cable plugged directly into PC (not an extension).  Seems to work for me now. If you have the best format HEIV?? videos on your phone it may fail.  If you use Windows get the necessary CODECs from the Windows store.