iCloud Photos is a fantastic service for automatically syncing your precious memories across all your Apple devices. However, there are times when you might want to download all your photos and videos from iCloud to your computer or an external drive for backup, editing, or simply to have a local copy. Whether you’re switching platforms, freeing up iCloud storage, or ensuring you have offline access, this guide will walk you through several straightforward methods to download all your photos from iCloud.
Downloading via Photos App Settings
The Photos app, built into your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, offers a direct way to download your iCloud Photo Library. This method is ideal if you want to sync a complete copy of your iCloud photos to a specific device.
On your iPhone or iPad
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap your name at the top of the Settings menu to access your Apple ID settings.
- Select iCloud, then tap on the Photos option.
- Under the “Photos” section, choose Download and Keep Originals.
Screenshot of iPhone Settings showing iCloud Photos options
By selecting “Download and Keep Originals,” your iPhone or iPad will start downloading the original, full-resolution versions of your iCloud photos and videos. Be aware that this process can take a significant amount of time and storage space, depending on the size of your iCloud Photo Library and your internet connection speed. Ensure you have enough free space on your device before initiating the download.
On your Mac
- Open the Photos app on your Mac.
- In the menu bar at the top of your screen, click on Photos, then choose Settings (or Preferences in older macOS versions).
- Click on the iCloud tab within the Settings window.
- Select Download Originals to this Mac.
Similar to the iPhone and iPad method, selecting “Download Originals to this Mac” will prompt the Photos app to download the original versions of all your iCloud photos and videos to your Mac’s photo library. Again, ensure you have sufficient storage space on your Mac’s hard drive.
Downloading via Shared Albums
If you’re looking to download photos from specific Shared Albums in iCloud, the Photos app provides a simple way to save individual photos or videos. This is particularly useful for grabbing content shared by others or albums you’ve created for sharing.
On your iPhone or iPad
- Open the Photos app and scroll down to the Shared Albums section.
- Select the Shared Album you want to download photos from.
- Tap on the photo or video you wish to download.
- Tap the Share button (the square with an upward arrow) located in the bottom-left corner.
- From the Share Sheet options, choose Save Image or Save Video. The photo or video will be saved to your device’s Camera Roll or Photos library.
On your Mac
- Open the Photos app and select a Shared Album from the left-hand menu.
- Select the photo or video you want to download.
- Control-click (right-click) on the selected photo or video.
- From the context menu, choose Import. This will save a copy of the photo or video to your main Photos library on your Mac.
Downloading via iCloud.com
For downloading photos from iCloud using a web browser, iCloud.com offers a versatile solution accessible from any computer or even your mobile browser. This method is beneficial when you need to download photos to a PC or when you want more control over download options.
On your iPhone or iPad
- Open Safari or your preferred web browser and go to iCloud.com/photos.
- Sign in to your Apple Account using your Apple ID and password.
- Once logged in, tap Select in the top-right corner. Then, tap on the photos and videos you wish to download. To select your entire library, tap Select All.
- Tap the More button (three dots in a circle) at the bottom-right corner.
- Choose Download. Or, for more control, tap More Download Options to select from:
- Unmodified Originals: Downloads the photos and videos in their original format as captured or imported (including RAW formats).
- Highest Resolution: Downloads the best quality version suitable for your device, typically in HEIC or H.265 format for newer Apple devices.
- Most Compatible: Downloads in JPEG or MP4/H.264 formats for maximum compatibility across different devices and platforms.
- Tap Download to start the download process. The downloaded photos will typically be saved as a ZIP file to your device’s Downloads folder.
On your Mac or PC
- Open your web browser and go to iCloud.com/photos.
- Sign in to your Apple Account.
- Click to select one or more photos or videos. To select multiple items, hold the Command key (⌘) on Mac or Control key (Ctrl) on PC while clicking.
- Click the Download button (cloud icon with a down arrow) in the upper-right corner. Alternatively, click the More button (three dots) and then More Download Options to choose from Unmodified Originals, Highest Resolution, or Most Compatible, as described in the iPhone/iPad section.
- Click Download. Your browser will download the selected photos and videos, usually as a ZIP archive.
For users on PC, Apple provides iCloud for Windows, which can be set up to automatically download your iCloud Photos to your PC. For more detailed instructions on setting up iCloud for Windows, refer to Apple Support documentation.
Downloading all your photos from iCloud is a straightforward process, whether you prefer using the built-in Photos app or accessing iCloud through a web browser. Choose the method that best suits your device and needs to ensure you have a secure local backup of your valuable photo and video memories.
