Set up and use iCloud Photos

iCloud Photos works with the Photos app to keep your photos and videos securely stored in iCloud, and up to date on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch on, Mac, Apple Goggle box, and iCloud.com.

iPad Pro and iPhone 12 Pro showing the same iCloud Photo Memory

  • How iCloud Photos works
  • Turn on iCloud Photos
  • What happens when you edit or delete photos
  • Download copies of your photos and videos
  • Make sure that y'all accept enough storage

How iCloud Photos works

iCloud Photos automatically keeps every photo and video you take in iCloud, so you tin access your library from whatever device, someday you desire. Whatever changes yous brand to your collection on ane device modify on your other devices besides. Your photos and videos are organized into Years, Months, Days, and All Photos. And all of your Memories and People are updated everywhere. That way you can quickly notice the moment, family unit fellow member, or friend y'all're looking for.

Depending on your internet speed, the time it takes for yous to meet your photos and videos on all of your devices and iCloud.com might vary.

Turn on iCloud Photos

Make sure that y'all gear up up iCloud and sign in to iCloud with the aforementioned Apple ID on all of your devices. If y'all accept a PC, you need Windows 7 or subsequently and iCloud for Windows.

On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

  1. Become to Settings > [your name].
  2. Tap iCloud.
  3. Tap Photos, and then turn on iCloud Photos.

On your Mac

  1. Cull Apple carte  > Organization Preferences.
  2. Click Apple ID.
  3. Click iCloud in the sidebar, so select Photos.

If you have an before version of macOS, get to System Preferences > iCloud. Click Options adjacent to Photos, then select iCloud Photos.

On Apple tree Tv 4K and Apple tree TV Hd

  1. Go to Settings > Users and Accounts.
  2. Select iCloud.
  3. Plow on iCloud Photos.

On your Windows PC

What happens when you edit or delete photos

Your photos and videos are stored in iCloud in their original formats at total resolution. This includes HEIF, JPEG, RAW, PNG, GIF, TIFF, HEVC, and MP4 besides as special formats you capture with your iPhone or iPad, like slo-mo, time-lapse, 4K videos, and Live Photos. The photos and videos you lot capture with these devices are in HEIF and HEVC format. When yous edit or delete photos or videos, it's reflected across all of your devices.

Edits evidence upward on all of your devices

When you brand edits in the Photos app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch or on your Mac, the photo automatically updates across all your devices, including your Apple tree TV. So when you crop or heighten a photo from your iPhone, you run across the changes when you access your library from your Mac. Your original photos and videos are stored in iCloud and you can go dorsum to them at whatever time, and revert whatsoever changes y'all made.

Photos delete from all of your devices

The photos and videos that you delete on one device are deleted everywhere that you use iCloud Photos. Photos and videos stay in the Recently Deleted folder for thirty days before they're deleted permanently.

Download copies of your photos and videos

When yous turn on iCloud Photos, your photos and videos automatically upload to iCloud. They're not duplicated in your iCloud backup, so you should keep backup copies of your library. Use the steps below to download copies of your photos and videos to your Mac or PC. Or you can import your library to your Mac or PC.

Download your photos and videos from iCloud.com

Download photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch on

  1. Open the Photos app, then select one or more photos or videos.
  2. Tap the share button.
  3. Tap AirDrop, and then select the device that you lot want to share with. Larn more than most using AirDrop.

Download photos and videos from your Mac

  1. On your Mac, open the Photos app.
  2. Select one or more photos or videos.
  3. Drag the content to your desktop, or Command-click and select Share > AirDrop.

Make sure that you lot have enough storage

The photos and videos that you keep in iCloud Photos employ your iCloud storage and your device storage. And as long as yous have enough infinite in iCloud and on your device, you can store as many photos and videos as you similar. Learn more about iCloud storage and device storage.

If you need more iCloud storage

When you sign upwardly for iCloud, you lot automatically get 5GB of free storage. If y'all need more than space, yous tin can purchase more iCloud storage. Plans commencement at 50GB for $0.99 (USD) a calendar month. If you choose 200GB or 2TB plans, you can share your storage with family unit. Acquire how to purchase more iCloud storage.

If y'all need more than device storage

iCloud Photos keeps all your photos and videos in their original, high-resolution version. To save storage space on your device, you can turn on Optimize Storage.

If you plow on Optimize Storage, iCloud Photos automatically manages the size of your library on your device. Your original photos and videos are stored in iCloud and space-saving versions are kept on your device. Your library is optimized simply when you need space, starting with the photos and videos you access least. You can download the original photos and videos over Wi-Fi or cellular when y'all need them.

If yous turn on Download Originals, iCloud Photos keeps your original, full-resolution photos and videos in iCloud and on your device.

On your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

  1. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud.
  2. Tap Photos.
  3. Choose Optimize [device] Storage.

On your Mac

  1. Open the Photos app and click Photos in the bill of fare bar.
  2. Click Preferences.
  3. Go to the iCloud tab and choose a storage setting.

Pause library uploads to iCloud

When you turn on iCloud Photos, the fourth dimension it takes for your photos and videos to upload to iCloud depends on the size of your drove and your net speed. If yous have a large collection of photos and videos, your upload might have more fourth dimension than usual. Yous tin can run across the condition and intermission the upload for one day.

  • On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, open the Photos app, become to the Library tab, and tap All Photos. Then roll to the bottom of your screen.
  • On your Mac, open up the Photos app. Select Library in the sidebar, then click All Photos in the list of tabs in the toolbar. Scroll to the lesser of your photos and click Pause.

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