How to Fix ‘Syncing with iCloud Paused’ on iPhone

Aug. 9, 2024

Are you facing an “iCloud Syncing Paused” issue on your iPhone? Well, you aren’t alone. It’s a pretty common problem that often resurfaces on Apple devices. When you see a status message saying “Syncing with iCloud Paused”, it means iCloud isn’tsynchronizing data and other settingsacross your Apple devices as it should. That means, your photos, messages, videos, contacts, and other stuff will only exist on your iPhone, and you can’t access them on your other Apple devices. While it’s damn annoying, you need not worry a lot. This guide will explain why syncing with iCloud is paused and how you can resume iCloud syncing on your iPhone. Without any ado, let’s begin!

Method 1: Restart iPhone

Sometimes, a minor software glitch may cause an iCloud syncing paused problem on your iPhone. Fortunately, a simple restart may help you fix such software bugs and iCloud syncing issues. When yourestart your iPhone, it will reset some temporary settings and address any software glitches to give a fresh start to your device.

To restart an iPhone Home Button, press and hold theVolume up/down buttonand theSide buttonuntil you see the power off slider. If your iPhone is runningiOS 18(currently in Beta), you can also head to the Control Center and tap on the Power icon. Then, drag the power off slider toturn off your iPhone. To turn On your iPhone, press and hold theSide buttonuntil the Apple logo shows up.

One of the most common reasons why youriCloud Photoswon’t sync is because you’re running out of iCloud storage space. Apple offers free 5GB of iCloud storage to sync messages, calendars, notes, photos, and other stuff. If the space is exhausted, iCloud will pause syncing because there isn’t enough space for the incoming data. In such cases, you have tofree up the iCloud storage spaceor considerupgrading to iCloud+.

Here’s how to check your iCloud storage space:

Poor internet connection is another common reason why your iPhone says “Waiting to Sync” or “Syncing with iCloud Paused”. Of course, if your iPhone isn’t connected to the internet, it can’t sync your data to iCloud. So, always make sure that your iPhone is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network or has an active data plan. To verify, you can head to Safari and try opening a website that you usually visit.

Apart from that, double-check that you have disabled Low Data Mode on your iPhone. That’s because Low Data Mode temporarily pauses automatic updates and background tasks like iCloud Sync. While it helps reduce your iPhone data usage when needed, it might also be responsible for why iPhone Photos pauses syncing on your iPhone.

Here’s how to disable Low Data mode on iPhone:

If you’re using Mobile Data, go toSettings -> Mobile/Cellular Data-> Mobile Data Options -> Data Modeand make sure you haven’t selectedLow Data Mode.

If your internet is working fine and you’ve got enough iCloud storage space, but your iPhone still throws the “Syncing with iCloud Paused” error, you should check the status of Apple servers. Sometimes, the problem might be on Apple’s side, and not on iPhone. The iCloud servers might be down for maintenance or there could be some outages. When this happens, no troubleshooting method can help you fix the iCloud won’t sync iPhone data issue. To verify if that’s the case, head tothe Apple System Status pageto know about any recent updates, outages, and upcoming maintenance by Apple.

Your iCloud uploads can also pause if your iPhone doesn’t have ample power. This is one of the most overlooked reasons for “iCloud Syncing Paused on iPhone” problems. To avoid this, you must ensure that your iPhone has enough battery. In case it’s low on power, plug in a charger, and let your iPhone charge uninterruptedly for a few minutes. Once topped up, try again and see if the error is gone.

If your iCloud syncing is paused, or syncing takes a long time, you must check your Apple ID settings. You have to make sure you’ve signed in to iCloud with the correct Apple ID to back up and synchronize your data. Also, if you wish tosync your iPhone and iPador other Apple devices, you must sign in with the same Apple ID on all your devices. In case you’ve got multiple Apple IDs for multiple devices, you may need tochange Apple IDs.

If there’s a mismatch between your iPhone’s date & time and the Apple server’s date & time, you may get an “iCloud Syncing Paused” status message on your iPhone. Therefore, if you’ve set the date & time manually on your iPhone, try to switch it to automatically and check if this helps resume iCloud syncing on your iPhone. Here’s what you need to do:

Low Power Mode is one of thebest battery-saving tips on an iPhone. Apple’s iOS automatically enables Low Power mode when your iPhone’s battery falls below 20%. Besides, you can also choose to enable Low Power Mode manually, whenever you wish to.

Since Low Power Mode Low Power mode helps extend your iPhone’s battery life, it also disables or limits some features on your iPhone, including background activities. So, if your iPhone is in Low Power Mode, it will automatically pause iCloud Syncing as it is a background activity. To fix this, you must disable Low Power Mode.

If your iPhone is running an older version of iOS, it might cause iCloud syncing to slow down and pause because your device doesn’t have the required software update. To fix any incompatibility issues and enjoy optimal performance, you should always keep your iPhone up-to-date with the latest iOS version. Follow the below steps to check for software updates on an iPhone:

Many people often face an iCloud syncing issue for Messages on their iPhones. In most cases, this happens due to a software bug and you can easily fix this by manually syncing messages in the iCloud settings. It will help bypass any temporary issues that might be causing the syncing process to pause.

If you’re facing iCloud syncing issues withContacts, Photos, or any other apps, you can follow the same steps to manually enable iCloud Sync for each app.

Another effective way to resume iCloud syncing on your iPhone is to sign out and back into iCloud. The process is pretty straightforward and will help you fix any bugs or glitches right away. All you need is your Apple ID credentials. In case you don’t remember the password, here’show to reset your Apple ID password.

Follow the below steps to Sign out and back into iCloud:

Once you’ve signed out, open the Settings app, tap on theSign in to your deviceoption at the top, and enter yourApple IDcredentials.

If none of the above steps helped you fix iCloud syncing problems on an iPhone, it’s time to reset network settings. Sometimes, misconfigured network settings may cause iCloud Syncing Paused problems on your iPhone. Of course, it’s not easy to rule out which network setting is giving you the trouble. So, we recommend resetting the network settings on your iPhone.

Thankfully, this process won’t delete any of your downloaded data, so there’s no need toback up your iPhone.It will only delete saved Bluetooth devices, Wi-Fi networks & passwords, VPN details, and other network-related info. So, just make sure to remember your Wi-Fi passwords and other details.

On your iPhone, go toSettings->General->Transfer or Reset iPhone->Reset->Reset Network Settings.

For complete details, you can check out our detailed guide on how toReset Network Settings on an iPhone.

That’s how you can fix the “Syncing with iCloud Paused” issue on iPhone. We hope you’ve found this guide useful and you can now easily sync photos, messages, and other files between your Apple devices. If you’re still stuck somewhere, feel free to reach out to us in the comments below and we’ll sort that together.

Some of the most common reasons why your iCloud syncing is paused include:1. No or poor internet connection.2. Low battery3. Insufficient iCloud storage4. Issues with iCloud servers5. Software bugs6. Incorrect Apple ID settings7. Outdated or corrupted network settings8. Older iOS versions