Fix “Unable to Load Photo or Video” Error on iPhone

Images or Videos taken from iPhones have high resolution. Users of iPhone store their higher quality version pictures along with their files on iCloud to have enough space. Sometimes while trying to view these pictures on iPhone, users face an error. This is more than often a technical issue and is fixable. You can fix the “Unable to Load Photo or Video” Error, also known as  “An Error occurred while loading a higher quality version of this photo or video”, this guide will help you.

How to Fix “Unable to Load Photo or Video” Error on iPhone

The reasons for unable to load Photos and Videos error to occur and to fix and retrieve your higher quality version pictures, here’s what you need to know:

Sync Error

Generally, the photos and videos stored in iCloud need quality internet to load. If the network connectivity is poor, the iCloud server may not sync with your device. You can fix it and try resyncing your device by following these steps:

• Open > Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Apps using iCloud > Photos, and a settings window will open.
• Toggle off iCloud photos and then turn it on after some time.
• If the Toggle was off previously, turn it on and try opening the picture.

Change Network Settings

Network issues can lead to Syncing Errors as mentioned previously. Hence, shifting to a high-speed internet network can fix the error, to Change Network Settings, here are the steps to follow:

• Go to Settings app and tap on ‘Wifi’ and turn on the Wifi.
• If you are already in Wifi, try turning it on and off, or try Shifting to Cellular data.
• To shift to the Cellular data network, open Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Turn on the Cellular Data toggle.

Turn off Low Data Mode

Low Data Mode can restrict iCloud from using more data to load, which could cause the error. To Disable it, follow these steps:

• To turn off Low Data Mode on Wifi settings, open Settings > Wifi > tap on the ‘i’ icon and toggle off low data mode.
• To turn off Low Data Mode on Cellular Data settings, open Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data options > toggle off low data mode.

Update your Software

Even after trying the above steps, the issue remains the same, and in case your software version is old, updating your software might fix the issue. Facing the error often might be because of the bugs in your device. You can fix this by updating your software, and for that, Open Settings > General > Software Update.

Force Restart your Device

Sometimes force restarting your device resets some settings that can solve the issues. To force restart, follow these steps:

• Press and release the ‘Volume Up’ button.
• Press and release the ‘Volume Down’ button.
• Immediately, press and hold the ‘Power’ button till the Apple logo appears, and your device will force restart.

Apart from these methods, some users try signing out and then signing in to iCloud or deleting and restoring Photos or videos. There’s no proof deleting, restoring, or re-signing helps to retrieve images, but there’s no harm in trying. If your problem is not fixed, try contacting Apple Support for more help, and don’t try Factory resetting your device unless required, you should have a proper backup while doing it, as you will end up losing all the data stored on your device.

That’s everything covered on how to Fix “Unable to Load Photo or Video” on iPhone. If you need to fix your frozen iPhone 14 or to fix the Camera Flickering of your iPhone, our respective guides can help you.