If you have an iOS device, iCloud is the most essential computing service you must never let go of. It allows you to instantly back up all of your data, including photos, videos, files, and more.

Well, as iCloud comes with its perks, on the other hand, the service also has limitations. Consumers have complained about a number of issues they have experienced with iCloud, such as restoration from iCloud stuck on time remaining. But, among all issues, the most common one is iCloud photos updating stuck at 1 percent.

In this article

Why is iCloud Photos updating stuck at 1 percent? - Possible Reasons!

There are a number of possible reasons for iCloud photos stuck at 1. Read on to see if you are faced with them.

As iCloud offers its users 5 GB of free storage, which tends to fill up rapidly with files, images, and videos, which could be the cause of iCloud stuck uploading your data.

  • Outdated Software

Update your iPhone to the newest version, because an out-of-date software can cause various issues like your iCloud photos syncing stuck at 1.

  • Low Battery Power Mode is enabled

When your iPhone is on low power mode, it prevents or slows down the syncing of data and the uploading of files to iCloud. To fix the problem, turn off the low battery power mode.

low battery mode
  • Problems with iCloud Photos Settings

It's possible that there's a problem with Settings for your iCloud photos, which is why your iCloud storage is stuck at 1%.

  • Poor Internet Connection

Your photos may fail to upload to iCloud if you do not have a reliable Internet connection.

  • iPhone Storage is Low

When your iPhone's storage is low, it will cause problems with iCloud uploading and cause iCloud photos sync stuck.

  • Issues with an iCloud account

If you updated the credentials of your iCloud account on another iOS device, or made changes to your iCloud Settings, or you are using a wrong Apple ID, these could be the causes of iCloud stuck uploading your data.

Solutions to iCloud Photos stuck at 1%

iCloud photos are stuck on updating at 1%? Well, it's nothing new for iOS users since so many people experience the same problem, but no worries, as you can fix it with these 9 easy and quick fixes.

  • Check Wi-Fi Connection

The iCloud will automatically sync your pictures, videos, and other data if you have a reliable Internet connection. However, if it stops synchronizing your data, check your Wi-Fi connection or reconnect to your Wi-Fi or another Wi-Fi network to see if it continues to sync.

  • Disable Low Power Mode

iCloud photos are stuck at 1 percent because the device is in low power mode; to ensure that this is not the case with your device, disable the low power mode to fix the problem.

Step 1: Go to “Settings.”

open the iPhone's setting

Step 2: Tap on “Battery.”

Step 3: Turn off the toggle to disable the low power mode.

disabled the low power mode
  • Restart the Device

When your iCloud photos are stuck on updating, you should restart your device. This will rapidly resume all of your device's functions and help continue syncing your data. Follow the steps below to restart your device.

Step 1: Press the sleep/wake button until a sliding bar appears.

Step 2: Slide your iPhone to shut it down.

Step 3: After 30 seconds, press and hold the sleep/wake button to power on the device.

restart your iPhone
  • Toggle iCloud Photos on and off

To fix the problems with iCloud Photos uploading getting stuck at 1%, you can toggle iCloud Photos on and off. Here are the easy-to-follow steps.

Step 1: Go to your iPhone's Settings> Tap your name (Apple ID) on top of the screen.

Step 2: Select "iCloud> Photos," and then switch off the button next to "iCloud Photos" to turn it off.

turn on and off iCloud photos on iPhone

Step 3: Now restart your device.

Step 4: Turn on the toggle again.

switch on the toggle to enable iCloud photos
  • Ensure of Enough iCloud Storage

Each iCloud user gets 5 GB of free storage space, which will fill up after a certain amount of time and cause problems with your iCloud uploads.

To fix this, you'll need to create iCloud storage or sign up for one of their plans so you can fit all of your data and avoid problems like your iCloud photos stuck at 1%.

Follow the guidelines below to maximize the storage space on your device.

Step 1: Go to Settings> Select your Apple ID on top.

Step 2: Choose iCloud > Manage Account Storage.

Step 3: You will see a directory listing on the screen. Get rid of old files in iCloud to free up space for new ones.

optimize iCloud storage on iPhone
  • Update Software System

When your device has outdated software, it's possible that your iCloud photos stuck on updating.

Since iPhone users get upgrades so often, you must keep an eye on the latest versions and update your phone.

Here's how you can update your device to fix stuck iCloud uploads.

Step 1: Go on “Settings.

Step 2: Choose General > Software Update.

Step 3: Turn on Automatic Updates, so you don't have to update your phone manually.

turn on the automatic update on iPhone

Step 4: Download and install the update.

update your device and turn on the automatic updates option
  • Sign Out and Sign in iCloud Photos Again

If your iCloud photo sync is stuck, you can try signing out of your account and then signing back into it. This is a simple fix that you can try to resolve the issue. Here’s how:

Step 1: Select Settings > Apple ID from the menu at the top of the screen.

Step 2: Click the "iCloud" option and then "Sign Out."

sign out from your iCloud ID on iPhone

Step 3: Now, sign into your iCloud account again go to Settings> Sign into your phone> Add credentials of your Apple ID.

sign into your iPhone again
  • Optimize iPhone Storage

Most of the time, insufficient device space causes iCloud to get stuck while updating your data. So, if you're getting an error about not having enough space, optimizing your phone's storage is the solution.

To optimize your iPhone's storage, follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to the Settings.

Step 2: Select Photos.

Step 3: Select Optimize iPhone Storage > Remove From iPhone to free up space.

tap on optimize iPhone storage

After you've optimized your iPhone's storage, all of your images will be automatically synced to iCloud.

  • Factory Reset your iPhone

If none of those solutions above work, a factory reset may be required to solve the "iCloud photos stuck at 1" problem. You can factory reset your device using this method.

Step 1: Go to Settings.

Step 2: Tap General> Transfer or Reset iPhone.

Step 3: The screen will display two options for resetting your iPhone. Reset your device using Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen instructions until the device reboots and reset.

reset your iPhone

Back up your photos to PC

When your iCloud photos updating stuck, it means that your backup has stopped and your data is at risk of losing. Because of this, you need a reliable solution for your backup, and MobileTrans is a lifesaver in this case.

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reset your iPhone

As it offers phone and PC backups, MobileTrans makes it easy to create backups without any risk of getting stuck at 1% like iCloud.

  • MobileTrans not only supports WhatsApp, but also WhatsApp Business, LINE, Viber, WeChat, and Kik backups to your Windows PC or Mac.
  • You can back up your phone to a computer to free up your phone's storage space while keeping your data safe as a backup.
  • You can easily build a backup with only a few clicks.
MobileTrans iCloud
1. You can restore the backup on any device whether it's iPhone or Android or PC. 1. With iCloud you can only restore backup on an iOS device.
2. MobileTrans allows you to choose the data before backup. 2.iCloud doesn’t allow you to select data before backing it up.
3. The free trial allows 10 photo/video transfers, 20 imports, and 20 exports only. 3. It gives 5 GB free storage to all of its users.

Conclusion

iCloud photos sync stuck at 1% is an annoying problem that might make you feel frustrated, but now you don't have to worry about it. I've listed all of the possible causes and solutions for the problem, so you can try to fix it and sync your data with iCloud again.

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FAQ

  • Why is iCloud not updating photos?
    The most typical reasons for iCloud not updating photos are a recent change in Settings, a poor Internet connection, no storage left in an iCloud account, a low battery, or full internal storage.
  • Why is my iCloud photo uploading taking so long?
    Your iCloud photos are uploading slower than usual for several reasons, including insufficient storage, a slow Internet connection, an out-of-date software version, or the low power mode.
Navkiran Dhaliwal
Navkiran Dhaliwal Dec 21, 23
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