Shutterfly photo uploads fail most often due to file format limits, oversize images, or blocked app permissions—fix those and try smaller batches.
If your pictures stall, spin forever, or throw vague errors, you’re not alone. Upload trouble usually traces back to a handful of predictable culprits: unsupported formats, giant files, color-profile mismatches, shaky connections, or a phone that isn’t allowed to read its own gallery. This guide gives you fast checks and practical fixes that work on iPhone, Android, and desktop.
Why Your Shutterfly Photos Aren’t Uploading
Start with the quick hits below. Match the symptom to the likely reason and fix.
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Quick Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Instant “can’t upload” message | Unsupported type (e.g., TIFF, GIF, PSD, PDF, WEBP) | Export to JPG or PNG, then retry |
| Progress bar stalls | Oversize photo or huge batch | Keep under 150MB and 100MP per image; send 100–300 at a time |
| Only some files fail | Wrong color space or odd JPEG subtype | Convert to 8-bit sRGB JPG in an editor |
| Works on Wi-Fi, fails on cellular | Network throttling or data saver | Use a strong Wi-Fi network |
| Phone picks zero photos | Photos permission set to “None” or “Selected” | Allow full photo access for the app |
| HEIC files won’t appear on Android | HEIC not accepted by that app path | Convert to JPG or upload on web/iOS app |
| Batch quits midstream | 10GB per-session cap reached | Split into smaller batches |
Check File Types, Sizes, And Color Profiles
The service accepts JPG/JPEG and PNG broadly, plus HEIC/HEIF through the iOS app and website where they convert to JPG on upload. Files outside that set—like TIFF, PSD, PDF, GIF, or WEBP—are blocked. There’s also a ceiling: images over 150MB or above 100 megapixels are rejected, and a single upload session can’t exceed 10GB in total size.
Those limits aren’t random. The pipeline is tuned for 8-bit, sRGB images. If you save in Adobe RGB, ProPhoto, 16-bit, or JPEG2000, you may hit a silent failure. Re-export problem shots as standard JPG (quality 85–92), 8-bit, sRGB. That one step clears many stuck uploads.
Source: see the official upload rules and per-session cap on the Shutterfly Canada Help Center.
Smart Batching So Large Sets Actually Finish
Huge hauls crash more often. Aim for 100–300 photos per pass, or cap the chunk at ~2–3GB. Keep the browser tab in view while it runs, and don’t let your laptop sleep. If the queue is mixed—phone snaps plus old scans—send the scans alone after converting them to clean sRGB JPGs.
Fixes On iPhone And iPad
Most iPhones save pictures as HEIF/HEIC. The site can handle that via the iOS app and web uploader, but edge cases pop up after iOS updates. Try these steps:
Give The App Full Photo Access
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Photos > Shutterfly and switch to “All Photos.” If you chose “Selected Photos,” the picker may show zero items or skip new shots.
Switch New Captures To JPG (Optional)
Open Settings > Camera > Formats and pick “Most Compatible.” New photos save as JPG, which avoids HEIC quirks in older workflows. You can switch back anytime. See Apple’s HEIF/HEVC guide for format choices.
Re-export Stubborn HEICs
In Photos, use Share > Save to Files (which converts many items to JPG), or AirDrop to a Mac with “Send as JPEG” enabled. Third-party converters also work; keep the color profile as sRGB.
Fixes On Android Phones
Two pain points cause most failures on Android: permissions and HEIC visibility.
Grant Photo/Media Permission
Android 13+ can limit an app to “Selected photos.” If uploads show nothing or stall on selection, open Settings > Apps > Shutterfly > Permissions and allow Photos/Media. Google’s permission guide shows the steps on current versions.
Convert HEIC Before Upload
Many Android paths can’t send HEIC/HEIF directly to the app. Use your gallery’s export to JPG, Google Photos’ “Save as device copy,” or a batch converter. Then retry the upload.
Desktop Browser Fixes
On a computer, the web uploader is stable when the browser is up to date and free of blockers that interfere with scripts.
Update, Then Clear Site Data
Update Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari. Next, clear site data for shutterfly.com, or try a private window. Stale cookies and cached scripts explain many spinning loaders.
Pause Extensions Temporarily
Ad blockers, privacy extensions, and script managers sometimes block the uploader. Disable them for the session or add an allow-list entry, then refresh and retry.
Keep The Tab Awake
Set your power plan so the system doesn’t sleep. On laptops, plug in during long runs. If you step away, glance at the queue every few minutes to catch any prompts.
Cloud Sources: iCloud, Google Photos, And Others
When importing from cloud libraries, a hidden roadblock is “optimized” storage. If the full-res file isn’t on the device, the uploader waits on a download that times out. For iCloud Photos, open the photo once so it fetches the full version, or switch the album to download originals before starting the transfer. For Google Photos, use the built-in import or save the items to device storage first.
Advanced Checks That Save Hours
Look For Hidden Color-Space Mismatches
Wide-gamut or 16-bit exports can fail silently. In Lightroom, Photoshop, or Affinity, export as JPG, 8-bit, sRGB, quality 85–92. If you shot RAW, keep sharpening and noise control reasonable; giant, over-processed files bloat above 150MB fast.
Strip Odd Metadata
Corrupt EXIF or GPS tags can stop a batch. Export a fresh copy without location data or with metadata reduced to basics. Many editors offer a “Remove properties” checkbox on export.
Rename And Shorten Paths
Very long filenames and deep folder paths can cause browser hiccups. Keep names simple (letters, numbers, dashes). Avoid characters like &, %, and ?.
What If It’s Their Servers?
During holiday peaks, uploads may crawl. If your connection is fast and smaller batches still crawl, wait 10–15 minutes and try again. Late evenings mid-week usually run smoother.
Platform-Specific Quick Steps (Bookmark This)
| Device | What To Check | Where |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone/iPad | Photos access set to All; Formats set to Most Compatible (optional); retry on Wi-Fi | Settings > Photos; Settings > Camera |
| Android | Photos/Media permission allowed; convert HEIC to JPG; use strong Wi-Fi | Settings > Apps > Permissions |
| Desktop | Update browser; clear site data; pause blockers; keep system awake | Browser settings & extensions |
A Clean Workflow That Almost Never Fails
Prepare The Files
Round up the photos you want into one folder. Re-export problem children to JPG, 8-bit, sRGB. Keep each file under 150MB and under 100MP. If you have scans, downsample to a sane size for print (for most books, 12–24MP is plenty).
Send In Batches
Queue 100–300 items, watch the first 10 move, then let it ride. If the tab hangs, cancel, refresh, and send the next chunk. Stop short of the 10GB cap per session.
Verify In An Album
After each batch, open the album and spot-check a few images at 100% zoom. If anything looks soft or dull, re-export that shot with better settings and reupload.
Helpful References
You’ll find format limits and the 10GB session cap on Shutterfly’s help pages. Apple explains HEIF/HEVC settings on iPhone, and Google documents photo permission controls on Android. Those three links answer 90% of upload questions, and they stay current when apps or file standards change.
Still Stuck? Try This Triage
Switch devices: if the app fails, try the web uploader; if the web fails, try the app. Test a single small JPG you’ve just exported. If that one succeeds, the issue sits with the original files. If it fails on every platform, gather screenshots and contact support with details on file type, sizes, browser version, and time of failure.