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Go back to my question iPhone User profile for user: alymalone alymalone Author User level: Level 1 88 points Messages finish indexing

I am trying to assess previous photos I have sent my friends or family. But none of them are loading.

when I click the info button under messages and usually that is where all the pictures will it , the message pops up “shared links, photos, and more will be shown once massages finishes indexing”

does anyone know what that means?!?

below is an attached picture of the message

iPhone XS

Posted on Oct 5, 2019 9:32 AM

Me too (10546) Me too Me too (10546) Me too Reply Question marked as Top-ranking reply User profile for user: Carminuch Carminuch User level: Level 1 4 points

Posted on Oct 9, 2019 4:12 AM

After 7 iPhone restore's, multiple chats with Apple Support, a call to Apple Support and 2 visits to the Genius Bar i believe I have figured out the problem. Apple could not figure out the issue or the Genius bar.

So basically apple tells you after iphone migration to leave the phone that's being migrated connected to WiFi for 24-48 hours.

I did this and all my messages said "more photos will be shown once messages finishes indexing"

My next attempt was to backup the phone via my Mac Book. To which my first attempt I noticed, after restoring the phone from backup it was still using icloud. The genius bar told me that was "strange" a restore from backup should simply upload everything to the phone as is.

Well after extensive research, apple new policy of "backup to your computer"

A backup from your a computer doesn't include:

  • Content from the iTunes and App Stores, or PDFs downloaded directly to Apple Books
  • Content synced from iTunes, like imported MP3s or CDs, videos, books, and photos
  • Data already stored in iCloud, like iCloud Photos, iMessages, and text (SMS) and multimedia (MMS) messages
  • Face ID or Touch ID settings
  • Apple Pay information and settings
  • Apple Mail data
  • Activity, Health, and Keychain data (to back up this content, you'll need to use Encrypted Backup in iTunes.)

So regardless if your backing up from your computer your messages are still being transfered via iCloud.

These are the steps I took.

I deleted my iCloud backup and created a new one. Keep in mind you will still need your old device. I only chose to backup on icloud the essentials such as messages. I restored from my computer backup photos and such.

Restored my iPhone via backup from my computer.

Once restored, I by-passed all the promts to "Set up later in settings"

Once at my home screen I turnded on iCloud

This instantly restored my messages.

I have the same message displayed "more photos will be shown once messages finishes indexing"

Within minutes all my photos within messages were showing up in the "info" tab. My messages backup was 23gb and was done within the hour.

Again, take in mind i tried almost every option available to me that apple told me to do and what i was thinking of. Glad to say I finally got it to work.

Hope this helps.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply User profile for user: Carminuch Carminuch User level: Level 1 4 points

Oct 9, 2019 4:12 AM in response to alymalone

After 7 iPhone restore's, multiple chats with Apple Support, a call to Apple Support and 2 visits to the Genius Bar i believe I have figured out the problem. Apple could not figure out the issue or the Genius bar.

So basically apple tells you after iphone migration to leave the phone that's being migrated connected to WiFi for 24-48 hours.

I did this and all my messages said "more photos will be shown once messages finishes indexing"

My next attempt was to backup the phone via my Mac Book. To which my first attempt I noticed, after restoring the phone from backup it was still using icloud. The genius bar told me that was "strange" a restore from backup should simply upload everything to the phone as is.

Well after extensive research, apple new policy of "backup to your computer"

A backup from your a computer doesn't include:

  • Content from the iTunes and App Stores, or PDFs downloaded directly to Apple Books
  • Content synced from iTunes, like imported MP3s or CDs, videos, books, and photos
  • Data already stored in iCloud, like iCloud Photos, iMessages, and text (SMS) and multimedia (MMS) messages
  • Face ID or Touch ID settings
  • Apple Pay information and settings
  • Apple Mail data
  • Activity, Health, and Keychain data (to back up this content, you'll need to use Encrypted Backup in iTunes.)

So regardless if your backing up from your computer your messages are still being transfered via iCloud.

These are the steps I took.

I deleted my iCloud backup and created a new one. Keep in mind you will still need your old device. I only chose to backup on icloud the essentials such as messages. I restored from my computer backup photos and such.

Restored my iPhone via backup from my computer.

Once restored, I by-passed all the promts to "Set up later in settings"

Once at my home screen I turnded on iCloud

This instantly restored my messages.

I have the same message displayed "more photos will be shown once messages finishes indexing"

Within minutes all my photos within messages were showing up in the "info" tab. My messages backup was 23gb and was done within the hour.

Again, take in mind i tried almost every option available to me that apple told me to do and what i was thinking of. Glad to say I finally got it to work.

Hope this helps.

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User profile for user: dustinsmithtx dustinsmithtx User level: Level 1 4 points

Oct 28, 2019 6:39 PM in response to alymalone

I had this same issue after I utilized my most recent iCloud Backup for my new iPhone 11 Pro. Try going to Settings > Phone > My Number. My phone number was not entered under the 'My Number' tab. I entered my phone number and immediately everything repopulated (photos, links, etc).

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User profile for user: bluesport2k bluesport2k User level: Level 1 4 points

Oct 18, 2019 5:30 PM in response to mag_

I used the “Turn on iCloud” method just for messages and it worked for me. You may have to buy more iCloud storage (is there a conspiracy here?) but it only cost me $.99. It does take a while (18 GB of messages) so I just let it run all night and got everything back, except the indexing error message, the next morning. Just made an iTunes backup of the fixed phone and will now get off iCloud and save $.99 a month, lol. Have patience with this method; someone said “I have tried toggling on/off Messages in iCloud at least a dozen times with no luck” but that’s not how it works. Follow the tip above... good luck.

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User profile for user: Papascall Papascall User level: Level 1 8 points

Dec 1, 2019 10:23 AM in response to alymalone

That just happened to me. I went to settings, tapped my name, then iCloud, found that messages was turned off. I just turned it back on. All fixed. 👍

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User profile for user: RiffRandall RiffRandall User level: Level 1 4 points

Dec 20, 2019 6:06 PM in response to alymalone

I was told by Apple that they are aware of it. In the meantime, go to settings> Siri & Search then scroll down to messages. Click on messages. Turn off the first two toggles. Turn off the phone for 2 minutes. Turn it back on then go back and turn those 2 toggles back on. Give it 24 hours for the pictures to come back. It works for some. I’m only 20 minutes in so I’m still waiting but at least it’s a shot and they are aware of the problem. I couldn’t stand to lose those memories! Oh, and be sure to have the “download and keep original photos” on in iCloud as opposed to “optimize phone storage.” If you have enough space.

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User profile for user: usr3 usr3 User level: Level 1 4 points

Nov 2, 2019 6:01 PM in response to alymalone

Plugging my iphone into my imac solved this for me

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User profile for user: Crewlikethis Crewlikethis User level: Level 1 4 points

Dec 6, 2019 10:29 AM in response to jamili81

The latest update, 13.3 fixed this issue for me.

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User profile for user: jonlimber jonlimber User level: Level 1 4 points

Oct 10, 2019 3:47 PM in response to brianklugman

i have text convos from 2017. It took my phone about an hour (hour and a half max) to do everything (without incident)

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User profile for user: JMpls JMpls User level: Level 1 9 points

Oct 12, 2019 8:15 AM in response to maeghan240

The only real workaround right now would be to scroll through your messages and save the photos to your phone. The photos are still available in the message thread. Nothing appears to be missing.

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User profile for user: Robgla Robgla User level: Level 1 14 points

Oct 7, 2019 1:08 AM in response to alymalone

so I left my mob over night & hoped the pics would download. Strangely I have one txt message / contact & his pics have all appeared. Not for everyone though. If I scroll up through the txt msg then the pics are downloaded but still do not appear in the media list. I don’t have the time to sit & scroll up through all my txt msgs to find a pic! 🥵

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User profile for user: Canfish16 Canfish16 User level: Level 1 9 points

Oct 7, 2019 4:48 AM in response to Robgla

This is the same thing for me. Photos are there if I scroll back through the thread, and for a couple threads, they appear when I click on the i but most have the message that they will be available one messages finishes indexing. This needs to be fixed Apple!

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User profile for user: ChrystinaC ChrystinaC User level: Level 1 9 points

Oct 7, 2019 4:38 PM in response to alymalone

I noticed this when I switched from my iPhone XS to 11 Pro, as well as on my iPad when I upgraded to iOS 13. I have been back and forth with Apple support since September 25 when I first noticed the issue. I’ve been through every troubleshooting step they’ve asked of me and still nothing. I’ve spoken to multiple Senior Advisors and nothing. If you have figured out something that has worked for you, please let me know.

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User profile for user: Aliestrema Aliestrema User level: Level 1 4 points

Oct 8, 2019 11:23 AM in response to alymalone

This is insane. I woke up this morning and my phone automatically updated which i have turned off. Photos that were sent to me 3 days ago are missing and not downloading. I get the same "indexing" message at the bottom and when i click to download nothing happens. I've tried the steps below but nothing is helping. Apparently this is a new issue?

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User profile for user: Salda Salda User level: Level 2 255 points

Nov 12, 2019 7:21 AM in response to alymalone

I've been fighting this for weeks. Initially noticed it when I did a wipe and restore of my 7+ running iOS 13. Would get all the right feedback "Downloading messages" progress bar, the option to "Download all images" in message threads, etc, but nothing will bring back the images in the media list. All photos are in iCloud, I wiped my MacBook Pro and it has them all. Even got a new iPhone 11 and thought maybe it was an issue with the previous phone, nope, it's definitely an iOS issue. None of the solutions have worked for me.

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User profile for user: meridith37 meridith37 User level: Level 1 4 points

Jan 30, 2020 5:41 PM in response to UM_videostar

Call them. It happened to me again and I was not a happy camper - I can’t tell what they told me to do but I did it and was at 78% battery and whatever they did and helped me with worked for the 2nd time of this super annoying issue

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