How to Fix Photos and Videos Not Loading on iPhone

To fix photos and videos not loading on an iPhone, check your internet connection or restart the Photos app. If that doesn’t work, update iOS, free up storage, enable “Download and Keep Originals” in iCloud settings, and ensure videos are in a supported format. Also, try AnyFix to fix photos and videos not loading on iPhone issue with easy steps.

Author Avatar Wanda Norris Last Updated: Sep. 26, 2025

AnyFix – Fix Photos and Videos Not Load Easily

Download AnyFix to fix the “photos and videos won’t load on iPhone” issue within minutes. View your photos and videos instantly without interruptions. Support the latest iOS 26.

iPhone captures some amazing quality photos and videos, and perhaps that is the reason many users prefer to use it as their primary camera. And it’s natural to show your friends some wonderful photos or videos. However, sometimes you open the album, only to find the photos and videos not loading on your iPhone. This issue can occur for several reasons, but fortunately, there are effective ways to fix it. Check this post and learn how to fix photos and videos not loading on iPhone.

Why Are Photos and Videos Not Loading on iPhone?

Before you jump into the actual fixes and get rid of the issue on your iPhone, you may be interested in finding out the cause of the issue on your device. There could be various factors playing a role in the problem, and the following are some of the common reasons why your photos and videos are not loading on your iPhone.

Reason 1. Optimize Storage Option is Enabled

This is the most common reason why your content is not properly loading in the Photos app on your device. The optimized storage option saves your content on iCloud and only shows the thumbnails of your content on your device. Therefore, when you tap on the content, it keeps loading and does not show anything.
Reason 2. The Internet Is Not Working

If your photos are saved on the cloud and your Internet is not working, your iPhone will have trouble downloading and showing your content. Your Internet has to be active and stable for your iPhone to fetch content over the cloud.
Reason 3. Insufficient Memory Space on Your iPhone

If your iPhone does not have enough memory space available to load your content, you will have trouble viewing the content, as it simply can’t load the content due to the lack of memory space. This happens to a lot of users who have an iPhone with the less storage options.

You may also like: How to Find Hidden Photos on iPhone >

How to Fix Photos and Videos Not Loading on iPhone

Now that you know the reasons behind the issue, this section will teach you how you can get rid of the issue using various methods on your iPhone. None of these methods will cost you a penny and these can easily be performed on your iPhone without much technical knowledge.

So if you are ready to fix the photos and videos not loading issue on your iPhone, let’s move to the fixes below:

Fix 1. Use AnyFix to Repair Photos & Videos Not Loading on iPhone

To fix photos and videos not loading on iPhone caused by deeper iOS system glitches, AnyFix is a reliable tool to try. As a professional repair tool, AnyFix can quickly resolve over 150 iOS system problems, including photo and video loading errors, iCloud syncing failures, iPhone black screen, update stuck, etc. It supports various iOS devices, including iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple TV. With its intuitive interface and high success rate, you can repair your iPhone without data loss and get your photos and videos to load smoothly again.

Main Benefits of AnyFix:

  • Fix iPhone photos and videos not loading in 3 minutes.
  • Repair iOS system issues without data loss.
  • Easy system fix steps, no technical skills required.
  • Fix common iPhone problems, including iPhone black screen, iPhone stuck on Apple logo, etc.

Free Download

Free Download

* 100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Follow the steps and fix photos and videos not loading on iPhone:

Step 1. Download and install AnyFix on your computer. Launch AnyFix and click System Repair from the main page.

AnyFix Main Screen

AnyFix Main Screen

Step 2. Choose App Issues and click Start Now.

AnyFix System Repair App Issues

AnyFix System Repair App Issues

Step 3. Choose Standard Repair and then follow the instructions to finish system repair with AnyFix. After repairing, enter the Photos app and load your photos and videos normally.

AnyFix Standard Repair

AnyFix Standard Repair

Fix 2. Turn off the Optimize Storage Feature

The common reason for photos and videos not loading on iPhone could be that you have turned on the optimize storage option on your iPhone. When this option is enabled on your device, all of your media content is saved on iCloud. Therefore, when you request to view content, it loads up from your iCloud, so it takes a bit longer than usual. Follow the steps below to disable the optimize storage option on your iPhone:

Step 1. Launch the Settings app from the springboard of your iPhone.

Open the Settings menu on your iPhone

Open the Settings menu on your iPhone

Step 2. Open Settings, then tap on your name in the banner that appears at the top. It will open the iCloud panel for you.

Step 3. On the iCloud panel that appears on your screen, tap on the option that says iCloud to open the iCloud settings panel.

Access iCloud settings on your iPhone

Access iCloud settings on your iPhone

Step 4. The following screen will offer several iCloud-related options. Tap on the option that says Photos to launch the photos settings panel.

Launch iCloud Photos settings menu

Launch iCloud Photos settings menu

Step 5. Tap on the iCloud Photo Library. Then, ensure the Download and Keep Originals option is tick-marked on your screen. Tap on it if it is not already.

Disable the Optimise iPhone Storage Option

Disable the Optimise iPhone Storage Option

Your iPhone will now download all photos and videos from iCloud. Once the process completes, you can access them in the Photos app.

Fix 3. Refresh the Photos App

Sometimes it could be a minor software glitch causing your photos and videos to not load on your iPhone. In that case, your best solution is to load at least one video in your collection, and it will trigger all the other photos and videos to load up. The following is how you do it:

Step 1. Launch the Photos app from the springboard of your iPhone.

Step 2. When the app launches, tap on any of the videos that you were having issues with while loading.

Step 3. Wait while the video finishes loading on your device. This may take from a few seconds to a few minutes, so be patient while it performs its procedures.

Step 4. When the video has loaded and you can play it, get back to the main interface of the app and try accessing other photos and videos.

Then you will find that you are now able to access all other files as well, and they have all loaded up properly on your iPhone.

Fix 4. Check Internet Connection

When your photos and videos are kept on a cloud-based service, an active Internet connection is essential to get access to your content. All the cloud-based services require you to connect to them using the Internet. To fix photos and videos not loading on iPhone, check if your Internet connection is working and is stable. If there are any issues with your Internet, you may want to reach out to your Internet service provider and ask them to help you fix the issue. Once the issue is fixed, you should be able to access your photos and videos on your iPhone.

Fix 5. Free-up Memory Space

One common reason why photos and videos won’t load on an iPhone is insufficient storage. When your device is running low on memory, the Photos app may fail to download or display content properly. To fix this, you can free up space by deleting unused apps, photos, videos, or other files you no longer need. This not only improves overall performance but also ensures your photos and videos can load smoothly. The steps below show you how to check what’s taking up storage and remove unnecessary items:

Step 1. Launch the Settings app from the main screen of your iPhone.

Step 2. When the settings app launches, tap on the option that says General and then select the Storage & iCloud Usage option.

Access storage settings on your iPhone

Access storage settings on your iPhone

Step 3. On the following screen, tap on the option that says Manage Storage under Storage to view your storage data.

Manage storage options on your iPhone

Manage storage options on your iPhone

Step 4. You should be able to view the list of your apps along with how much memory space each app is using information on your screen.

View and analyze storage information for each app

View and analyze storage information for each app

If you find an app in the list that you don’t use but is using a large amount of your memory space, you should uninstall it on your device to free up memory.

Fix 6. Access the Photos from iCloud

If you don’t want to use an iOS system repair tool for iPhone photos and videos not loading issues, you can also try some ways to load them on a computer. iCloud is convenient for iPhone users to sync and view photos when they have trouble accessing them. You can then transfer the content from your computer to your iPhone using various ways. The following is how to do it:

Step 1. Open a browser on your computer and head over to the iCloud website. Log in to your account.

Step 2. Click on Photos after logging in, and you should be able to view your photos. Download the ones you want to your computer.

Access your photos on the iCloud website

Access your photos on the iCloud website

You can now view all of your downloaded photos on your computer. You can also use an iOS data transfer app to transfer photos to your iPhone.

Fix 7. Update iOS Software

Apple regularly releases new iOS updates to address any emerging software bugs on your iPhone. Failing to install these updates can lead to various technical problems, including iPhone photos not loading. To fix this issue, follow the steps below to update your iPhone manually:

Step 1. Go to Settings > General > Software Update.

iOS 18 Software Update

iOS Software Update

Step 2. Tap on Download and Install.

Step 3. Once the iPhone downloads the update, tap Install Now on the screen and wait until your device restarts.

Fix 8. Verify File Format Compatibility

iPhone not loading photos and videos might also be caused by the file format not being compatible with the built-in Photos app. This often happens with downloaded or transferred videos. To check, try opening the file using the Files app or playing it through iCloud official website in Safari. If it plays there but not in the Photos app, the problem is likely due to the format. To fix this issue, you’ll need to convert the file to a format supported by the iPhone to enable proper playback.

Alternative: Quickly Load Photos and Videos on Computer via Any Trans

Besides iCloud, AnyTrans provides a faster and easier way to view photos and videos on the computer. It takes just seconds to load your photos and videos. Moreover, AnyTrans can download and transfer multiple photos and videos if you want. You can quickly load photos and videos on the computer without effort.

Here’s how to load photos and videos on your computer:

Step 1. Free download AnyTrans and install it on Windows or Mac. Use a Cable to connect your iPhone to the computer.

Free Download

Free Download

* 100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Step 2. Wait for AnyTrans to load your photos and videos.

Choose Device Manager mode and click on the Photos category

Choose Device Manager mode and click on the Photos category

Step 3. Then you can just view the photos or send them from the computer easily. AnyTrans can also help you transfer photos quickly from iPhone to computer or vice versa.

FAQs about Photos and Videos Not Loading on iPhone

Q1. Why won’t videos play on my iPhone photos?

Videos may not play on an iPhone due to unsupported file formats or iOS glitches. Try updating iOS, clearing storage, or repairing the system with a tool like AnyFix.

Q2. Why are my photos not loading in my camera roll?

Photos not loading in a camera roll often happen when iCloud sync issues or low storage. Ensuring a stable Wi-Fi connection and freeing up space can fix this issue.

Q3. Why are all my videos buffering on my iPhone?

Video buffering may be caused by an unstable network or slow iCloud syncing. To ensure smooth playback, connect to a stronger Wi-Fi network or download the videos to your device.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this article provides 8 fixes and 1 alternative way to help you fix photos and videos not loading on iPhone. Among all these solutions, we highly recommend AnyFix, a powerful iOS system repair tool, for its easy steps and fast fix process. Try AnyFix to enjoy a smoother and more reliable iPhone experience without worrying about photos or videos failing to load.

Free Download

Free Download

* 100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Author Avatar
Wanda Norris Twitter Share Facebook Share

Wanda Norris is a junior author in iMobie specializing in iOS tips and solutions. She keeps a close eye on every iOS update to provide practical, easy-to-understand guides that help users solve problems and master their Apple devices.

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