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Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Original poster
Nov 14, 2011
24,381
31,621
I’m constantly having to manually sync my photos between my iPhone and iPad. The message on my iPhone says syncing was paused for optimizing system performance. Then it gives me an option to resume syncing for one hour. Is there a way to turn this off so photos automatically show up on both devices immediately? What is this optimizing system performance anyway?
 

miq

macrumors regular
Feb 29, 2020
172
193
No, you cannot turn that off. And it's made so that you don't use up battery for syncing, which leads to people complaining that they have battery drain.
Incorrect, it still happens when the phone is plugged in and/or charging.
 

ManuCH

macrumors 65816
May 7, 2009
1,384
1,030
Switzerland
Incorrect, it still happens when the phone is plugged in and/or charging.

Not incorrect. What I was saying is that when you're on battery mode and under a certain threshold, it will stop synchronizing to prevent drain. I never said it *only* does that under this circumstance.

It can also happen when plugged in, depending on what else the system is doing, at what state of charge the battery is, the temperature, and how you're using the phone. It's supposed to be "smart". You cannot fully disable it.
 

VforVelveta

macrumors regular
Nov 16, 2006
242
116
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Not incorrect. What I was saying is that when you're on battery mode and under a certain threshold, it will stop synchronizing to prevent drain. I never said it *only* does that under this circumstance.

It can also happen when plugged in, depending on what else the system is doing, at what state of charge the battery is, the temperature, and how you're using the phone. It's supposed to be "smart". You cannot fully disable it.
Unfortunately in my experience it isn’t “smart” at all. I’m sitting here on an iPad with 85% battery, with the photos app open and nothing going on in the background besides the usual stuff. Just took some photos on my phone and they won’t sync to the iPad unless I tell it to resume. I get wanting to save battery, but if I’m literally looking at the photos app, seems to me that app should have priority in terms of system performance and at least do a sync when the app is opened. Good feature, really poor execution in my experience.
 

Reverend Benny

macrumors 6502a
Apr 28, 2017
773
525
Europe
Unfortunately in my experience it isn’t “smart” at all. I’m sitting here on an iPad with 85% battery, with the photos app open and nothing going on in the background besides the usual stuff. Just took some photos on my phone and they won’t sync to the iPad unless I tell it to resume. I get wanting to save battery, but if I’m literally looking at the photos app, seems to me that app should have priority in terms of system performance and at least do a sync when the app is opened. Good feature, really poor execution in my experience.
Since we don't really know for sure what triggers it on and off its hard to say if its smart or not. But I guess the "resume sync" is there for the reason so that people can trigger it.
I can imagine it could be related to what type of connection you are on as well and what settings you have set in photos.
 

VforVelveta

macrumors regular
Nov 16, 2006
242
116
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Since we don't really know for sure what triggers it on and off its hard to say if its smart or not. But I guess the "resume sync" is there for the reason so that people can trigger it.
I can imagine it could be related to what type of connection you are on as well and what settings you have set in photos.
I think we can know for sure if its smart or not. If something is effectively “smart” then it should provide value without input and without getting in your way. They may be trying to make it be “smart” but that doesn’t mean the end result will match the intent. And in this case, with the app open, looking right at it, I can’t think of anything more smart than to do a sync right when the app is opened. Just looked again, iPad at 100% battery, 15ft from a router connected to a 500Mbps fiber connection, and its optimizing system performance. They might be trying to be smart, but they’re failing at it from my perspective.
 
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ipaqrat

macrumors 6502
Mar 28, 2017
315
333
Yeah! And what about updating gall dern AirPod firmware? Looking right at 'em, charging right there, together, overnights, for a week. C'mon, now.
 

MacCheetah3

macrumors 68020
Nov 14, 2003
2,150
1,117
Central MN
Is there a way to turn this off so photos automatically show up on both devices immediately? What is this optimizing system performance anyway?
As far as I am aware, you’re referring to this, no?


The message on my iPhone says syncing was paused for optimizing system performance. Then it gives me an option to resume syncing for one hour.
My off-the-cuff speculation as to why synchronization and optimizing do not occur simultaneously:

• To know how much or what it can sync, the system needs to optimize what’s already in local storage. If, after optimizing, there’s significant free space, sync (i.e., add) more, and continue that cycle until insufficient space remains — to put it simply
 

NumetalKid

macrumors newbie
May 30, 2024
2
3
Unfortunately in my experience it isn’t “smart” at all. I’m sitting here on an iPad with 85% battery, with the photos app open and nothing going on in the background besides the usual stuff. Just took some photos on my phone and they won’t sync to the iPad unless I tell it to resume. I get wanting to save battery, but if I’m literally looking at the photos app, seems to me that app should have priority in terms of system performance and at least do a sync when the app is opened.

Literally only just signed up to tell you: PREACH 🤘🏻
 
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