SharePoint’s method for updating user profile pictures can’t exactly be classed as the most straightforward process and I’ve seen a few issues with it over time.

In this article, I will cover the UserProfileApplicationNotAvailableException error and how to resolve it.

The Error

When running the “Update-SPProfilePhotoStore” command you encounter the following error –

Update-SPProfilePhotoStore : UserProfileApplicationNotAvailableException_Logging :: UserProfileApplicationProxy.ApplicationProperties ProfilePropertyCache does not have 
At line:1 char:1
+ Update-SPProfilePhotoStore -CreateThumbnailsForImportedPhotos 1 -MySiteHostLocat ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 + CategoryInfo : InvalidData: (Microsoft.Offic...ofilePhotoStore:SPCmdletUserProfilePhotoStore) [Update-SPProfilePhotoStore], UserProfileApplicationNotAvailableException
 + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.PowerShell.SPCmdletUserProfilePhotoStore

The Fix

On the SharePoint server ensure you are either –

• Logged in as the SharePoint Farm Account.
• Have access to the SharePoint Farm Account.

If you’re logged on as the Farm Account –

1. Right-Click the ‘SharePoint 2013 Management Shell’.
2. Select ‘Run as administrator’.
3. Enter the ‘Update-SPProfilePhotoStore’ command which should now complete successfully.

If not logged on as the Farm Account –

1. Hold ‘shift’ on your keyboard and right-click the SharePoint Management Shell.
2. Select ‘Run as different user’ in the options menu.
3. In the popup enter the Farm Accounts credentials and click OK.
4. Once the SharePoint Management Shell open run the ‘Update-SPProfilePhotoStore’ command to update the SharePoint profile photo’s.