Gear up and use iCloud Photos

iCloud Photos works with the Photos app to continue your photos and videos securely stored in iCloud, and up to engagement on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, Apple TV, 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 you have enough storage

How iCloud Photos works

iCloud Photos automatically keeps every photograph and video you have in iCloud, so you can access your library from any device, anytime yous desire. Any changes you make to your collection on one device alter 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 find the moment, family member, or friend you're looking for.

Depending on your net speed, the time information technology takes for yous to see your photos and videos on all of your devices and iCloud.com might vary.

Turn on iCloud Photos

Make certain that you gear up iCloud and sign in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on all of your devices. If you have a PC, you need Windows 7 or later and iCloud for Windows.

On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

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

On your Mac

  1. Choose Apple tree bill of fare  > System Preferences.
  2. Click Apple ID.
  3. Click iCloud in the sidebar, so select Photos.

If y'all have an earlier version of macOS, become to System Preferences > iCloud. Click Options adjacent to Photos, so select iCloud Photos.

On Apple TV 4K and Apple Boob tube Hard disk

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

On your Windows PC

What happens when y'all edit or delete photos

Your photos and videos are stored in iCloud in their original formats at full 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 capture with these devices are in HEIF and HEVC format. When you edit or delete photos or videos, information technology'due south reflected beyond all of your devices.

Edits evidence upwardly 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 photograph automatically updates across all your devices, including your Apple TV. So when you lot ingather or enhance a photo from your iPhone, you lot meet the changes when you access your library from your Mac. Your original photos and videos are stored in iCloud and you can get dorsum to them at whatever time, and revert any changes you made.

Photos delete from all of your devices

The photos and videos that you delete on one device are deleted everywhere that you utilise iCloud Photos. Photos and videos stay in the Recently Deleted folder for 30 days before they're deleted permanently.

Download copies of your photos and videos

When you lot turn on iCloud Photos, your photos and videos automatically upload to iCloud. They're non 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

  1. Open the Photos app, then select one or more photos or videos.
  2. Tap the share push.
  3. Tap AirDrop, and then select the device that you desire to share with. Learn more about using AirDrop.

Download photos and videos from your Mac

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

Brand sure that you have plenty storage

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

If yous need more iCloud storage

When you sign up for iCloud, you lot automatically get 5GB of free storage. If you demand more than space, you tin can buy more than iCloud storage. Plans start at 50GB for $0.99 (USD) a month. If you choose 200GB or 2TB plans, you can share your storage with family unit. Learn how to buy more than iCloud storage.

If you need more device storage

iCloud Photos keeps all your photos and videos in their original, loftier-resolution version. To save storage space on your device, you lot 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 only when you need space, starting with the photos and videos you admission least. You can download the original photos and videos over Wi-Fi or cellular when you need them.

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

On your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

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

On your Mac

  1. Open up the Photos app and click Photos in the menu 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 time it takes for your photos and videos to upload to iCloud depends on the size of your collection and your internet speed. If you have a large collection of photos and videos, your upload might take more fourth dimension than usual. You can see the status and intermission the upload for one day.

  • On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod affect, open the Photos app, go to the Library tab, and tap All Photos. Then scroll to the lesser of your screen.
  • On your Mac, open the Photos app. Select Library in the sidebar, then click All Photos in the list of tabs in the toolbar. Scroll to the bottom of your photos and click Suspension.

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