There were issues with the ability to share content and install updates. This has now been fixed!
The “there was an error while preparing to share. please try again later” is a problem that has been present for a while. Google has released 9 fixes to fix the issue.
Apple’s Airdrop and iCloud services have been praised for their efficient operation time and time again. They, too, aren’t free of glitches that wreak havoc on the whole experience.
If you see the message “Unable to Share: An error occurred while preparing to share,” it means something went wrong. If you get a “Please try again later” notice while attempting to share media from your iCloud pictures library on your iPhone or iPad, don’t worry; we’ve got you covered.
The problem might be caused by a transient software bug, a difficulty with iCloud sync, a bad internet connection, or even the iPhone’s low power mode.
We’ve gone through seven different methods to fix the ‘there was an issue while preparing to share’ mistake in this article.
Restarting your phone, although simple, may help you resolve most software or hardware-related issues. Try a soft restart first, then a force (or hard) restart.
- For devices without a Home button, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button, as well as any of the volume buttons, for a few seconds until a slider appears; then, switch off the device as directed.
- For devices with a Home button: Users will not need to push any volume buttons to power off a device with a Home button. To bring up the slider, hold down the Sleep/Wake button and do as directed.
iPhone must be restarted manually.
If a normal restart doesn’t fix the problem, try a force restart. For other iPhone models, hit the same keys as before; however, do not let go of the key when the slider displays; instead, keep pressing until the phone shuts down.
- iPhone 8, iPhone X, and later: Press and hold the Volume Up button for a few seconds, then press and hold the Volume Down button. Then, until Apple’s logo shows, press and hold the side button.
- If your iPad doesn’t have a Home button, press and hold the Volume Up button, then the Volume Down button. Then, until the device restarts, press and hold the power button.
- Press and hold the power button and the Volume Down button until Apple’s logo shows on the iPhone 7, 7Plus, and 7th-generation iPod Touch.
- iPhone 6s and older, iPad with Home button, and iPod Touch 6th generation and older: Press and hold the Home and Power buttons together until the Apple logo displays.
To turn on the smartphone, long-press the power button.
Also see: 5 Fixes for Liquid Detection in Lightning Connector
Some internet forums indicate that logging out and back in to the iCloud account would resolve the issue. If you’re still experiencing problems after trying all of the solutions given above, it’s worth a go.
To sign out of your iCloud account, go to your iPhone’s settings and follow the procedures outlined below.
- At the top of the settings, tap on your iCloud account account name.
- On the following screen, scroll down to the bottom and press Sign Out.
Re-enter your iCloud account to check whether the problem has been resolved.
If you’re away from a charging station and running short on energy, the iPhone’s low power mode may be a lifesaver, since it disables all unneeded background activities and reduces the phone’s speed to preserve battery.
It may, however, result in the ‘an error occurred while preparing to share’ issue. Here’s how to turn off iPhone’s low-power mode.
To deactivate the low power mode, go to your iPhone’s settings and follow the procedures outlined below.
- Scroll down to Battery and press it.
- Tap the toggle button next to Low Power Mode on the following page.
- You’ll see that the iPhone’s battery transforms from yellow to white when you off low power mode.
- Toggle the low-power mode on by tapping the toggle button one more.
Alternatively, you may use the Control Centre to deactivate it.
Also see: MacBook won’t turn on: 7 Solutions
If nothing has worked so far after enabling iCloud backups for Photos, you might try toggling the iCloud Photos function. Open the settings app on your iPhone or iPad and follow the procedures shown below.
- Scroll down to Photos and hit it.
- Then scroll down and hit the toggle button next to iCloud Photos to turn it off and on.
If you select storage optimization, iCloud will save a compressed and compatible version of your picture library, which you can quickly transfer to your Mac or PC. These compressed versions, on the other hand, may result in a sharing error.
To avoid this problem, take the procedures outlined below to save original files of your images on iCloud.
- Scroll down to Photos and hit it.
- Then, under Transfer to Mac or PC, scroll down and touch on Keep Originals.
Also see: Google Maps Sound Issues: 9 Solutions
If none of the previous suggestions work, check your internet connection. If you’re using WiFi, attempt to lessen wireless interference by relocating the router to a better location or eliminating obstacles in the path.
Also, use sites like fast.com or speedtest.net to see whether your internet connection has a significant latency. Restart the router if the latency metrics are too high.
You may also repair the ‘there was an error while preparing to share’ problem by switching your iPhone’s internet connection from WiFi to cellular data or vice versa.
If nothing else works, try resetting the network settings, which will just reset the Carrier and WiFi settings.
To reset your iPhone’s network settings, go to Settings > General > Reset Network Settings.
- Scroll down to General and touch it.
- Reset by pressing the Reset button.
- Then, on the following screen, hit Reset Network Settings.
Also see: 9 Ways to Fix FaceTime Photos That Won’t Save
A hard reset will help erase temporary software issues that may be generating the ‘there was an error while preparing to share’ message on your iPhone or iPad.
Learn how to hard reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in this article.
Keep in mind that the stages for various versions of Apple’s devices may change somewhat. You may hard reset your Apple device in one of three distinct methods, depending on the model.
You may power cycle your device in addition to rebooting it and putting it on airplane mode for a time to repair the ‘there was an issue while preparing to share’ problem.
Because you can’t physically detach an iPhone or iPad from its power source – the battery — you’ll have to totally deplete the battery and then let it rest for a time before recharging it.
Also see: How can I remove my Reddit account from my iPhone?
Yatharth thinks social media is the best thing that has ever occurred to humanity since it allows people to communicate across boundaries. He writes about Apple, gaming, and social media platforms, as well as other oddities in technology.
Yatharth may be reached at [email protected]
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The “iphone unable to share photos error” is a problem that has been present for a while. Google has released 9 fixes to fix the issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does it say error while preparing to share?
A: This is most likely due to the size of your video. You may have a file type that does not support video (e.g., mp3) and you will need to convert it first before sharing.
Why cant I share anything from my iPhone?
A: Unfortunately, iOS locks down the file system in certain apps to prevent users from accidentally modifying files that are not theirs.
Why wont my iPhone let me share pictures?
A: You need to be sharing with a device that you have an Apple ID connected too. If your iPhone is under the name of John Smith and you want to share it on Facebook, you would need to change your phones name in order for this picture to show up as shared.
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