Andy Long
Original Poster
Apr 19, 2018

Android app - stuck on "getting photos"

Hi. I have recently reinstalled the Photos app on my S8 running Oreo. Now, when I open the app, I just have "getting photos" and it only displays any locally stored images. I have tried clearing data & cache, removing SD, rebooting phone, uninstall/reinstall of the app, connecting power and wifi, signing in and out of the app and nothing seems to work. 

My photos are all available on the web at photos.google.com and I can search for images. So, for example, if I search for a place, all of the images are returned taken in that place and they are then visible permanently in the app. 

Any suggestions as this is a real problem for me!
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Recommended Answer
Emma - Community Specialist
Community Specialist
Apr 20, 2018
Hi Andy and Richard,

Thanks for posting in the Google Photos Help Forum.

I do understand the inconvenience as your Google Photos app is stuck. Therefore, I recommend trying the steps below in sequence, this may help in fixing the issue:
  • Make sure your device is up-to-date.
  • Make sure the App is up-to-date.
  • Try restarting the App through the following steps:
    • Go to your App Settings.
    • Click stop on the afflicted App with the Force Stop button.
    • Wait a few seconds to make sure the App has stopped processing, and then attempt to re-start it.
  • Close the background running apps through the following steps:
    • Go to your App Settings.
    • Display the Active Apps on your device.
    • Select the App you wish to close and Force Stop it.
    • Repeat this step with all active Apps.
  • Try clearing your App cache through the following steps:
    • Tap the system Settings tab on the main screen of your device.
    • Tap the General section of settings that is on the far right.
    • Tap Storage in the General tab.
    • Clear the cache data once storage calculates the data.
    • Back out of the storage section. 
    • Tap Applications and find the application in question.
    • Tap the application and clear the cache (if available).
    • Clear the data for the application if there is no cache to clear.
    • Exit the settings screen and restart the device.
Let me know if this helps.

Best,
Emma
Original Poster Andy Long marked this as an answer
Helpful?
All Replies (12)
Richard Hinton
Apr 19, 2018
It's happening to me and quite a few others, but Google hasn't seemed to acknowledge that it's an issue yet.
Emma - Community Specialist
Community Specialist
Recommended Answer
Apr 20, 2018
Hi Andy and Richard,

Thanks for posting in the Google Photos Help Forum.

I do understand the inconvenience as your Google Photos app is stuck. Therefore, I recommend trying the steps below in sequence, this may help in fixing the issue:
  • Make sure your device is up-to-date.
  • Make sure the App is up-to-date.
  • Try restarting the App through the following steps:
    • Go to your App Settings.
    • Click stop on the afflicted App with the Force Stop button.
    • Wait a few seconds to make sure the App has stopped processing, and then attempt to re-start it.
  • Close the background running apps through the following steps:
    • Go to your App Settings.
    • Display the Active Apps on your device.
    • Select the App you wish to close and Force Stop it.
    • Repeat this step with all active Apps.
  • Try clearing your App cache through the following steps:
    • Tap the system Settings tab on the main screen of your device.
    • Tap the General section of settings that is on the far right.
    • Tap Storage in the General tab.
    • Clear the cache data once storage calculates the data.
    • Back out of the storage section. 
    • Tap Applications and find the application in question.
    • Tap the application and clear the cache (if available).
    • Clear the data for the application if there is no cache to clear.
    • Exit the settings screen and restart the device.
Let me know if this helps.

Best,
Emma
Original Poster Andy Long marked this as an answer
Andy Long
Original Poster
Apr 20, 2018
Hi Emma,

This appears to have fixed the problem. I am fairly sure I had tried most of these steps previously, but following them methodically as described has kicked the app into life again. 

Many thanks for your help,

Andy
Emma - Community Specialist
Community Specialist
Apr 23, 2018
Hi Andy,

Thanks for posting back.

I'm glad to know that the issue you were facing is resolved.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Best,
Emma
Matt Baker _
May 19, 2018
Didn't work for me in a Note8.
Vladimir Zhelyazko
Jul 5, 2018
For me to, it doesn't work this fix solution
Last edited Jul 5, 2018
Alvin Toh
Jul 10, 2018
Tried a few things. All didn't work.
Uninstalled and installed updates. didn't work.
Did the 3 recommended actions above on clearing cache and data. Didn't work.
Unchecked batter optimization on the app. Didn't work

This "Getting photos' problem been plaguing my Android 7 for one month. And now photos aren't back up to the cloud.
Zachary Beals
Aug 26, 2018
I'm having the same problem on my Pixel with android P - The photos are not uploaded, the number of photos remaining under settings-backup doesn't change - nothing happens at all.  I'm EXTREMELY glad I checked since I took a lot of photos that I don't want to lose, so I had to back them up manually.  The fact that it's silently failing so spectacularly is really concerning and destroys all trust I have.
Last edited Aug 26, 2018
User 16050613847730240569
Sep 4, 2018
New Note 9 having the same problem. Cleared cache, force stopped, removed and re-installed, verified permissions, and still just sits there getting my photos.
Last edited Sep 4, 2018
Xjebeh Bshsbsbb
Feb 9, 2019
adjusting the Google Play Services permission (allowing storage access) solved it for me
Kumar Vikash 8615
Oct 27, 2019
Here are my 2 cents on this. Had been facing this issue for 2 days. Basically it was stuck on Getting Your Photos screen and not uploading any of the new photos. I manually clicked the upload (little cloud button with up arrow) on one of the photos. This suddenly triggered the ghost out of my application, and the process quickly finished. Within a minute the process was complete and the upload started.
Kamarul Ariffin Kamal
Dec 4, 2019
Yeah this works for me. Thanks!!
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