Issue while mapping SharePoint user profile store with Ad pictures using Update-SPProfilePhotoStore

We ran into an issue while synchronizing user photos in Active Directory to user profile store in SharePoint. These are the steps which I followed to perform the sync

1. Configure Mysites Host site collection
2. Configure User Profile Service application.
3. Create profile synchronization connection with Active Directory
4. Setup the mapping for picture property in user profile with ‘thumbnail’ from Active Directory.
5. Run full profile synchronization
6. Run Update-SPProfilePhotoStore powershell to create thumbnail photos for users

Update-SPProfilePhotoStore -CreateThumbnailsForImportedPhotos $true -MySiteHostLocation “http://<my site host>”

Here is where i ran into the following issue:

PowerShell command failed with following error message

Resolution:

The issue as expected is with permissions. The account running this PowerShell command should have Full control on ‘User Profile Service Application’.

Go to Central Admin -> Select user profile service application -> Select Administrators in top ribbon -> Add the account you are running the powershell command and give full control

Select the ‘User Profile Service’ application again, select ‘Permissions’. Add the account and give full control.

Now try running the command, it may take a while to complete, but the command runs successfully.