Using iCloud is a simple and effective way to make sure the photos you take with your iPhone are backed up somewhere. But accessing those photos from different devices can be a bit confusing. We’ll go over how to find and view your iCloud photos on your iPhone, Mac, or PC.
Use the latest version of macOS. Update to the latest version of macOS. Go to Apple menu. I've set up the new Photos app, first on my Mac Mini where it successfully uploaded all my iPhoto photos and downloaded my iOS photos. Second, I've set it up on my Macbook Pro where it's now stuck! There are 2979 items left to download of about 7000. Every time I close and re-open the app a couple more are downloaded. Download iCloud Photos from Photos app on Mac: iCloud Photo Library. Enable iCloud photo library from your Mac’s System Preferences settings. Once you enabled, it Open photos app on your Mac. And View all the Photos on your Mac and Try to download. Whether you're freeing up cloud space or don't trust it as a sole source for all your images.
How to access iCloud photos on iPhone
As long as you have iCloud Photo Library turned on on your phone, then the pictures you see in the Photos app are your iCloud photos. It's that simple. However, if you have Optimize Storage turned on, then the photos on your iPhone are just compressed, lower-resolution versions. The full versions are stored in iCloud. You can check if this setting is turned on by going to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos.
Regardless of your iCloud storage plan, there’s a limit of some kind. And there’s no sense wasting the space you’re paying for on pics you don’t want anymore. Use Gemini Photos to quickly scan your library and delete similar photos, blurry images, and other clutter.
Download on the App StoreWhy can’t I see my iCloud photos on iPhone?
One of the most common reasons your iCloud photos might not be showing up on your phone is because you don’t have iCloud Photos on. To check:
- Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud.
- Tap Photos.
- If you need to, tap on the toggle to turn on iCloud Photos.
Another reason could be that iCloud Photos has been restricted to update over Wi-Fi only. To check or allow it to update using your cellular data:
- Go to Settings > Photos > Cellular Data.
- Turn on Cellular Data if it’s off.
How to view iCloud photos on your Mac
It’s easy to take pictures and view them on your iPhone, and when you want to see those pictures on your Mac, it’s just as easy. There are actually two ways you can do it, with the Photos app or in your browser via iCloud.com
Access iCloud photos in the Photos app
As long as both your Mac and your iPhone are signed in to the same iCloud account, then similarly to the Photos app on your iPhone, you’ll be able to view your iCloud pictures from the Photos app on your Mac.
- Open the Photos app.
- Tap the Photos tab.
Another way to access your iCloud photos on all your devices is My Photo Stream, but that feature also shows you the most recent photos. Check out our guide to using My Photo Stream on iPhone and Mac.
View iCloud photos in the browser (Safari, Firefox, or Chrome)
- In your browser of choice, go to iCloud.com.
- Sign in with your iCloud account.
- Tap Photos.
Why can’t I see my iCloud photos on my Mac
If you’re not able to see iCloud Photos when you’re using the Photos app, here are a couple things to check.
How To Download All Photos From Icloud To Macbook Air
- Make sure you’re running the operating system Mac 10.10.3 or later, which is a system requirement to use the Photos app and sync it with iCloud Photos.
- Verify in System Preferences that iCloud Photos is turned on.
- Make sure your Mac is connected to the internet.
- Check which iCloud account you’re signed into. You have to be logged into the same account on all of your devices for iCloud Photos to sync properly.
If you’re having issues with pictures not appearing when you view them through the browser, make sure you have iCloud Photos turned on on your iPhone.
How to access iCloud photos on a PC
Similar to the Mac, you can view your iCloud Photos in two places on your PC. One way is through the Files Explorer and the other is using your browser.
View iCloud photos in File Explorer
To look through your iCloud Photos in File Explorer you’ll first need to download iCloud for Windows. Once you’ve got it installed and have iCloud Photos turned on, then you can view your pictures when you:
- Open a File Explorer window.
- Under Favorites in the sidebar, there’ll be an iCloud Photos folder. Open it.
- Click to open the Downloads folder.
- You can view your photos by year or move them to another folder on your PC.
If you don’t see iCloud Photos listed under your Favorites, then you may need to re-install iCloud for Windows.
Access your photos in the browser
- In your browser of choice, go to iCloud.com.
- Sign in with your iCloud account.
- Tap Photos.
iCloud is a great tool not only for backing up your photos and videos, but also for keeping all your devices in sync. iCloud takes the hassle out of having to send photos back and forth between devices you own, and with these simple instructions, you’ll be able to access your iCloud photos on your Mac, PC, or any other device.
Download Icloud Photos To Macbook Air
Hi marianngabriella,How To Download Icloud Photos To Macbook Air
Thanks for posting your question in the Apple Support Community. I understand that you'd like to turn off the ability for your photos to sync between your devices.It sounds like you have iCloud Photo Library enabled for your iCloud account. This allows you to keep the photos up to date on all of your devices. Any time you make a change on one device (like deleting a photo), that change happens on all other devices where your iCloud photo library is turned on. You have the option to either disable it on only one device, or all of your devices. You can follow the steps to turn it off here:
How do I turn off iCloud Photo Library on only one device?
You can turn off iCloud Photo Library on a single device when you follow these steps:
- On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:
- If you use iOS 10.3 or later, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos, then turn off iCloud Photo Library.
- If you use iOS 10.2 or earlier, go to Settings > iCloud > Photos and turn off iCloud Photo Library.
- On your Mac, go to System Preferences > iCloud > Options next to Photos, then deselect iCloud Photo Library.
- On your Apple TV 4K or Apple TV (4th generation), go to Settings > Accounts > iCloud. Under Photos, press Select to turn off iCloud Photo Library.
If you have Optimize Storage turned on, you might not have all of your original photos and videos on your device. To download the original photos and videos on your iOS device, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos and select Download and Keep Originals. On your Mac, open Photos, choose Photos > Preferences, then select Download Originals to this Mac. Then you can turn off iCloud Photo Library. You can also select the photos and videos that you want to download from iCloud.com.
Before you turn off iCloud Photo Library, you might want to make a copy of your photos and videos.
How do I remove all iCloud Photo Library content from iCloud and my devices?
To turn off your iCloud Photo Library everywhere, follow these steps:
- On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:
- If you use iOS 10.3 or later, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Storage > Manage Storage > iCloud Photo Library, then select Disable and Delete.
- If you use iOS 10.2 or earlier, go to Settings > iCloud > Storage > Manage Storage > iCloud Photo Library, then select Disable and Delete.
- On your Mac, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud. Click Manage, select Photo Library, then select Disable and delete.
Photos and videos are stored in your account for 30 days. To download your photos and videos on your iOS device, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos and select Download and Keep Originals. On your Mac, open Photos, choose Photos > Preferences, then select Download Originals to this Mac. You can also select the photos and videos that you want to download from iCloud.com.
Get help with your iCloud Photo Library
If you decide to turn off iCloud Photo Library on your devices, then you'll need to keep your photos up to date on your devices using another method. You can use these steps to Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Take care.
How To Download Icloud Photos To Macbook Air
Apr 2, 2018 2:26 PM