Amazon Photos Not Working In 2023? Try These 14 Fixes to Get Your Pictures Back

Has this ever happened to you? You open up Amazon Photos to look back on some great memories, only to find the app just won‘t work properly. It crashes unexpectedly, hangs on the loading screen forever, or just refuses to let you access your photos at all. SUPER frustrating, right?

If you rely on Amazon Photos for storing your precious photos and videos in the cloud, then an app malfunction can feel like the end of the world. I mean, what if all those cherished memories get lost in cyberspace?!

Not to worry, friend. In this guide, I‘ll walk you through over a dozen solutions to try when Amazon Photos just won‘t cooperate. With the right troubleshooting steps, you can get your pictures back up where they belong and prevent future app issues.

I‘ll also answer common questions on what happens if you delete Amazon Photos and compare it to competitors like Google Photos.

Let‘s dive in and get your photo memories safe in the cloud again!

Just How Widespread Are Issues with Amazon Photos?

Before we start troubleshooting, you may be wondering just how common it is for Amazon Photos users to encounter app problems like crashing or inability to access photos.

Well, according to recent 2022 reports from app tracking sites like Downdetector.com, there‘s been a noticeable uptick in Amazon Photos issues just in the past few months.

For example, in October 2022 alone, around 67% of reported problems with Amazon Photos related to issues with the app, like inability to log in or access photos. That‘s a lot of unhappy users!

Additionally, between January 2022 and October 2022, Downdetector logged over 6,500 reports of problems with Amazon Photos on Android and iOS devices.

The peak times for reported issues were:

• March 2022: 1,364 reports
• May 2022: 1,168 reports
• July 2022: 1,256 reports

So if you‘ve been experiencing crashes, lag, inability to upload or download photos, or other infuriating issues with Amazon Photos lately – you are definitely not alone!

Clearly the app has been glitching out more frequently for thousands of users. But don‘t abandon hope, the solutions below can help get it back on track!

14 Fixes to Try When Amazon Photos Isn‘t Working

Without further ado, here are 14 troubleshooting steps to try when you encounter issues getting Amazon Photos to work properly:

1. Force Close and Reopen the App

If Amazon Photos is frozen or unresponsive, force closing the app and reopening it is the first thing to try.

On iPhone:

• Double tap the Home button
• Swipe up on the Amazon Photos preview to close it
• Tap the app icon again to restart

On Android:

• Open Settings
• Tap Apps
• Choose Amazon Photos
• Tap Force Stop
• Open Amazon Photos again

This refresh clears any glitches and resets things, potentially fixing your problem.

2. Clear App Cache and Data

Over time, corrupt or outdated cached files and data can accumulate and cause app performance issues.

Clearing out this temporary info resets Amazon Photos to a clean slate.

On iPhone:

• Delete the Amazon Photos app
• Reinstall it from the App Store

On Android:

• Go to Settings > Apps
• Select Amazon Photos
• Tap Clear Cache and Clear Data

Then open Amazon Photos again and see if that helped.

3. Update the App

Using an outdated version of Amazon Photos can introduce bugs and compatibility problems.

Head to the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android) to check for any available app updates.

Install the latest version, open it up, and your issues may be solved.

4. Restart Your Device

An oldie but goodie troubleshooting step – restarting your phone or tablet can work miracles when apps are misbehaving.

This resets connections and clears out any glitches or memory issues allowing a fresh start for Amazon Photos.

5. Check Your WiFi and Cellular Data

Since Amazon Photos relies on connectivity to access your photos in the cloud, network problems are a common culprit behind issues.

First, make sure you have a strong WiFi or cellular data connection. Then try switching from WiFi to cellular data or vice versa to see if that helps.

Slow internet = problems loading photos.

6. Free Up Storage Space

If your phone storage is full or nearly full, Amazon Photos may have trouble saving new photos or videos from your camera or functioning smoothly in general.

• Delete old apps, files, messages
• Move photos/videos to cloud storage
• Manage and clear cache on other apps

Freeing up internal storage can get Amazon Photos working better.

7. Uninstall and Reinstall Amazon Photos

If all else fails, uninstalling and reinstalling the app often resolves persistent issues and glitches. Just don‘t forget your Amazon login email and password!

8. Sign Out and Back Into Your Amazon Account

Sometimes signing out and then back into your Amazon account in the app settings can fix connection issues that cause problems loading photos.

9. Delete and Re-add Amazon Photos Integration

If you use Apple Photos or Google Photos, try removing Amazon Photos integration and re-adding it. This resets the connections.

10. Contact Amazon Customer Service

Reach out to Amazon‘s customer support for further troubleshooting if you still can‘t get Amazon Photos working properly after trying these tips.

11. Switch to Desktop Uploads

The Amazon Photos mobile app limits uploads to 2GB per photo. For larger files, use the desktop website upload tool instead.

12. Wait It Out

During peak traffic times, Amazon‘s servers can get overwhelmed and cause service disruptions. Be patient and try again later.

13. Review Photo Size and Format

Make sure your photos meet Amazon‘s requirements – under 16MP for Prime members. Certain formats like RAW also don‘t qualify for unlimited storage.

14. Try Alternative Photo Storage Services

If Amazon Photos continues to disappoint, switching services may be your best option. Top choices include:

• Google Photos: Free unlimited storage for photos under 16MP. Easy app and integration with Android. But video limit is 15GB.

• iCloud: Seamlessly integrates with Apple devices and works well if you‘re entrenched in their ecosystem. But paid storage upgrades are expensive.

• Dropbox: Reliable syncing and sharing capabilities. But only 2GB of storage is free.

Bonus: Common Amazon Photos User Errors to Avoid

Sometimes user mistakes can unintentionally cause Amazon Photos mishaps. Be aware of the following…

• Uploading over the mobile file size limit (2GB/photo). Use desktop uploads for large original files.

• Exceeding your storage plan limits by uploading too many or overly large photos and videos. Carefully manage your storage.

• Not properly closing out of the app on your phone when you‘re done using it, allowing it to run endlessly in the background.

• Having an outdated app version that doesn‘t support new Amazon Photos features and services.

• Not uninstalling and reinstalling the app to clear out glitches that may accumulate over time.

• Assuming every single photo issue is Amazon‘s fault without checking your own device first – storage, app version, etc.

Will My Photos Be Deleted If I Remove the App?

If you decide to delete the Amazon Photos app from your iPhone, Android, or other device to troubleshoot issues, rest assured your photos are still safe in the cloud.

Removing the app only deletes it locally from that particular device. All of your photos and videos will remain securely stored in your Amazon Photos account online.

You can then download and install the app again, log in with your Amazon credentials, and access all of your images once more.

So don‘t fret about deleting your memories accidentally! The cloud keeps them around until you purposefully delete images from your Amazon Photos library.

How Does Amazon Photos Compare to Other Cloud Storage Services?

If you‘re still struggling with a non-cooperative Amazon Photos app, you may be wondering how it stacks up against competitors when it comes to reliability.

Here‘s a quick comparison of key factors:

Service	Free Storage	Max Photo Size	Auto Backup	Facial Recognition	Video Storage
Amazon Photos	Unlimited for Prime members	16MP	Yes	Yes	5GB for video
Google Photos	Unlimited under 16MP	16MP	Yes	Yes	15GB cap
iCloud	5GB free	No size limit	Yes for iPhone	Yes with iPhone	Counts toward iCloud storage limit

In terms of photo storage specifically, Amazon Photos is very competitive – offering unlimited full-resolution photo storage for Prime members where other services cap you at "high quality" compressed images.

However, Amazon comes up shorter on video storage, capped at just 5GB for Prime members. iCloud and Google Photos both give you more breathing room for videos.

The facial recognition and automatic backup capabilities are excellent across all three services. But iCloud has tighter integration with Apple devices specifically.

So weigh your priorities – photos vs videos, Amazon ecosystem integration, etc. – when comparing cloud storage options.

Let‘s Get Your Photos Back!

Dealing with an uncooperative Amazon Photos app can be super frustrating. But hopefully with the 14 troubleshooting tips I‘ve provided here, you now have plenty of steps to try getting it back up and running!

Clearing cache, updating the app, freeing up storage, and other simple fixes can often resolve the most common issues users experience.

Just take it one step at a time, and double check for any user errors on your part first before blaming Amazon.

You‘ve got this! With a bit of patience and some troubleshooting dedication, you‘ll get your precious photo memories back where they belong. Let me know how it goes or if any questions come up. Happy photo storing!