Troubleshooting Piwigo Photo Upload Issue in Microsoft Edge

Introduction

Piwigo is a powerful open-source photo gallery software that allows users to manage and display their photo collections online. However, like many web-based applications, it can occasionally encounter browser-specific issues. One user reported a problem where the last photo uploaded from a mobile device fails to display in Microsoft Edge, while it renders correctly in Firefox and Chrome. This article explores the possible causes of this issue and provides a comprehensive set of solutions to resolve it, based on insights from Piwigo's official documentation, forums, and GitHub discussions.

The Problem

The user observed that when uploading photos from a mobile device to a Piwigo gallery, the final photo in the batch does not display in Microsoft Edge. However, the same photo appears correctly in other browsers like Firefox and Chrome. This discrepancy suggests a browser-specific compatibility issue, possibly related to image rendering, caching, or the upload process in Piwigo.

Possible Causes

Several factors could contribute to this issue, as identified through analysis of Piwigo’s community resources and technical documentation:

1. Browser Compatibility Issues: Microsoft Edge, particularly its Chromium-based versions, may have compatibility problems with Piwigo’s image rendering scripts (e.g., i.php for dynamic image generation). Issues with JavaScript or CSS in Edge have been reported in Piwigo versions 2.10 and above, particularly affecting menus or image carousels.

2. Upload Process Issues: When uploading multiple photos from a mobile device, the asynchronous upload process (e.g., chunked uploads) may fail to properly handle the last photo. This could result in incomplete metadata synchronization or failed thumbnail generation, causing the image to appear blank or missing in Edge.

3. Server-Side Configuration: Piwigo relies on libraries like GD or ImageMagick for image processing. Misconfigured server settings, such as insufficient memory limits, incorrect file permissions, or PHP configuration issues, could prevent the generation of derivative images (e.g., thumbnails) for the last uploaded photo. Edge may be less forgiving of such errors compared to Chrome or Firefox.

4. Caching or Theme Issues: Piwigo’s default themes, such as Bootstrap Darkroom, may have rendering bugs in Edge, especially for mobile uploads. Additionally, browser caching or extensions in Edge could interfere with proper image loading.

Solutions

To address this issue, the following steps are recommended. These assume the user is self-hosting Piwigo (not using the piwigo.com cloud service). Always back up your Piwigo data before making changes.

1. Check the Batch Manager

• Action: Log in to the Piwigo admin panel and navigate to Photos > Batch Manager.
• Steps:
  • Select the album containing the uploaded photos and filter for the current set.
  • Look for the last photo. If it appears as a blank square or "no photo," right-click and select “Show Picture” or copy the i.php URL (e.g., http://your-site.com/i.php?/upload/xxx.jpg) and open it directly in Edge.
  • If the URL returns an error (e.g., 404 or “source not found”), verify the file’s existence in the server’s _data/i/ directory via FTP. Ensure folder permissions are 755 and file permissions are 644.
• Fix: If permissions are incorrect, contact your hosting provider to adjust PHP user permissions. Alternatively, manually sync metadata in the photo’s edit page or use the Admin Tools plugin to regenerate thumbnails.

2. Optimize Server and PHP Configuration

• Action: Modify Piwigo’s configuration to ensure proper resource allocation for image processing.
• Steps:
  • Edit local/config/config.inc.php using the LocalFiles Editor plugin or FTP.
  • Add or adjust the following settings:

    $conf['graphics_library'] = 'imagick'; // Use ImageMagick if available
    $conf['upload_form_chunk_size'] = 5000; // Enable chunked uploads for large batches
    

  • In your server’s php.ini, set:

    memory_limit = 256M
    upload_max_filesize = 20M
    post_max_size = 20M
    

  • Restart the server and test by uploading a small photo (<1MB).
• Note: If using shared hosting, check for mod_security rules that might block uploads (common with providers like Dreamhost). Contact your host to adjust these settings if needed.

3. Browser-Side Fixes

• Update Edge: Ensure you’re using the latest version of Microsoft Edge (version 128 or higher as of August 2025). Update via Settings > About Microsoft Edge.
• Clear Cache: Press Ctrl+Shift+Del in Edge to clear cache, cookies, and site data. Then, reset Edge via Settings > Reset settings.
• Disable Extensions: Temporarily disable all Edge extensions (e.g., ad blockers), as they may interfere with image loading.
• Test Compatibility Mode: Open Edge’s Developer Tools (F12), switch to compatibility mode or emulate Chrome’s user agent, and re-upload the photo to test.
• Workaround: If batch uploads fail, try uploading the last photo individually or use FTP to upload photos, followed by synchronization in Piwigo.

4. Piwigo-Side Adjustments

• Update Piwigo: Ensure you’re running the latest version (14.x or higher as of August 2025). Check for updates in Admin > Check for Upgrades. Older versions, like 2.10, have known Edge-specific bugs.
• Switch Themes: If using Bootstrap Darkroom or Material themes, switch to the default theme in Admin > Appearance > Themes to rule out theme-specific rendering issues.
• Install Plugins:
  • Admin Tools: Simplifies upload and batch management.
  • Always Show Metadata: Ensures EXIF data loads correctly, which is critical for mobile photos.
  • Read Metadata: Manually fixes metadata issues for the last photo.
• Check Permissions: In Batch Manager, edit the last photo and ensure “Who can see this photo” is set to “Everyone.” Verify album permissions in Albums > Properties > Permissions.

5. Mobile-Specific Tests

• Photo Format: Ensure mobile photos are in standard formats (JPEG or PNG, not HEIC). Use your phone’s gallery app to export photos if needed.
• Test from Desktop: Upload the same photos from a computer to determine if the issue is mobile-specific.
• Piwigo Mobile App: If using the Piwigo mobile app, ensure it’s updated. App-specific upload bugs have been reported, so test uploads via the browser instead.

6. If Issues Persist

• Check Logs: In Admin > Tools > Logs, search for errors like add_uploaded_file or derivative_url. Also, review server logs (PHP/Apache) for 500 or 403 errors.
• Community Support: Post on the Piwigo forum (https://piwigo.org/forum/) with details about your Piwigo version, PHP/MySQL versions, Edge version, photo size/format, and error logs. Similar issues have been discussed in threads about photos not displaying after upload.
• Report a Bug: If the issue appears to be a bug, file a report on GitHub (https://github.com/Piwigo/Piwigo/issues) with steps to reproduce.
• Temporary Workaround: Use Chrome or Firefox for uploads, or upload photos via FTP and sync them in Piwigo (Photos > Synchronize).

Conclusion

The issue of the last uploaded photo not displaying in Microsoft Edge while working in Firefox and Chrome is likely due to a combination of browser compatibility, server configuration, or upload process issues in Piwigo. By systematically checking the Batch Manager, optimizing server settings, updating Edge, adjusting Piwigo configurations, and testing mobile-specific factors, users can diagnose and resolve the problem. If the issue persists, leveraging Piwigo’s active community and GitHub resources can provide further assistance. This approach ensures a robust solution for maintaining a seamless photo gallery experience across all browsers.