Follow an import while it runs

Once you start an import, the files go straight from your computer to your library, a few at a time. The import screen shows how it’s going.

Keep the tab open until the import finishes. The files are read from your computer, so the import can only continue while the page is open. If you try to close the tab mid-import, your browser asks you to confirm.

What you’ll see

Importing … of … shows how many files have been dealt with so far.
The progress bar shows how much has been uploaded, with a rough estimate of the time left once it has enough to go on.
Uploading now lists the files on their way, with how far along each one is.
Three running totals:
- Added: new photos and videos now in your library.
- Already in library: files you already had. They aren’t uploaded again.
- Didn’t import: files that failed. They’re listed under Files that didn’t import, with the reason.

Pause and resume

Click Pause to stop starting new files, for example to free up your connection for a while. Files already uploading finish first. Click Resume to carry on.

When the uploads finish

When every file has been uploaded, Magpie finishes the job on its side: it applies dates, places and albums to each photo. You’ll see Wrapping up: applying dates, places and albums… and then a count of files processed.

When everything is done, you’ll see one of these:

Everything is processed and in your library.
Processed — a few files couldn’t be imported. The files are listed with the reason. See Duplicates, skipped and failed files.

Then:

See your timeline takes you to your photos.
Import more starts another import.
Try these again appears when some files didn’t import. It retries just those.

Phone sync in the imports list

If you back up photos from the Magpie phone app, each phone appears in the imports list as Phone sync — device name, for example “Phone sync — Ana’s iPhone”. The list is on the library’s imports page.

The job counts the photos and videos your phone has sent, in the same totals as any import.
It stays open while your phone keeps syncing. You don’t need to do anything to finish it. After a day with nothing new, Magpie finishes it for you, and your phone starts a new one the next time it syncs.
A phone sync job that finished with nothing sent doesn’t show in the list.
If the phone’s name isn’t known, the job is called Phone sync.

If you close the tab or lose your connection

Nothing already imported is lost. To carry on:

Open Imports again and choose the same kind of import.
Choose the same files or folder as before.
Start the import again.

Files that made it the first time are recognized and counted under Already in library, so only the rest are uploaded. It’s safe to run the same import as many times as you need.

If your connection drops for a moment, Magpie retries on its own. Files that still don’t make it show Connection lost., and Try these again sends them once the import has finished.