How to download photos from iCloud Photo Library

Asya Karapetyan
Asya Karapetyan
Content marketer, who specializes in Mac how-to guides
September 13, 2023

iCloud Photo Library is Apple`s online file storage service, which uploads photos and videos to Apple`s cloud storage. With fewer files needing to be stored on your device, your device’s memory is optimized and more free space is available. These media files are accessible from any devices that have access to your Apple ID.

In one of our previous posts we shared about how you can access your iCloud Photo Library. Today we are going to explain how to download iCloud photos to your iOS, macOS and even Android and Windows devices.

Contents:

  1. How to download one or multiple photos from iCloud
  2. How to download all photos from iCloud to an iPhone or iPad
  3. How to download all photos from iCloud to a Mac
  4. 4How to download all photos from iCloud to a Windows PC

Before we start

Below, you’ll learn how to download photos from iCloud Photos Library. But before, we want to introduce a free application Phone Cleaner for Media Files, that can help you quickly clean up storage space by clearing useless similar and duplicate pictures on your device. It’s free to use.
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Phone Cleaner for Media Files

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How to download one or multiple photos from iCloud

With this method, all you need to download the content is a web browser and photos in your iCloud Photo Library.

If there are multiple photos you want downloaded to the device you are currently using, complete these simple steps:

  1. Open a Web browser and head to icloud.com
    2. If you are using an Android device, before logging in, first tap the Settings button (three-dot icon) on the browser page and select Require Desktop Site. When your device loads the desktop version, it will allow you to proceed with all necessary actions.
  2. Log in with your Apple ID’s email address and password
  3. Click the Photos icon. There you will see all the pictures stored on your iCloud account.

    4. Go to Photos section in iCloud

  4. Hold the Command key and select several media files
  5. In the upper right corner find and click on the download icon

    6. iCloud - download photos

Please note that you can complete the steps above with any of the Apple devices except the iPhone. When you try loading icloud.com on your iPhone, you will be redirected to the Find My iPhone service, which is Apple’s restriction. Below you can find an alternative method of downloading pics to an iPhone.

Download all photos from iCloud to an iPhone or iPad

Here is the fastest way to download all your original photos from iCloud to an iPhone:

  1. Make sure that you have enabled the iCloud Photos option on your device.
  2. Go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad → tap on Apple ID
  3. Select iCloud → Photos
  4. Tick Download and Keep Originals

iCloud Photos settings showing Download and Keep originals option

Please note, after ticking Download and Keep Originals, all new media files will automatically be downloaded to your iPhone or iPad in their original size without your confirmation.

Download all photos from iCloud to a Mac

You can easily download all your media files in their original sizes from iCloud Photos to a Mac. For this, follow the steps below:

  1. Make sure that you have enabled the iCloud Photos option on your device.
  2. Open the Photos app on your Mac.
  3. Click on Photos in the upper left corner → select Preferences.
  4. In the window that opens, select the iCloud section, then tick Download Originals to this Mac

    5. iCloud Photos settings panel

Please note that by ticking the Download Originals to this Mac option, you access a full-resolution version of your entire library. It also means that all new pics from your iCloud Photo Library will be automatically downloaded to your Mac in their original sizes.

Download all photos from iCloud to a Windows PC

There are two possible ways to download original photos from iCloud to a Windows PC:

  • Using a web browser for downloading one or multiple photos. This method was discussed previously in this post.
  • Using the special application, iCloud for Windows.

Here are steps you should complete for downloading original photos from iCloud to a Windows PC:

  1. Make sure that you have installed iCloud for Windows and enabled iCloud Photo Library option on your PC. Here you can find a complete guide on how to enable iCloud Photos on Windows PC.
  2. In the lower right corner, find Show hidden icons and click on it → choose iCloud

    3. icloud icon on windows

  3. Select the Download Photos button

    4. icloud on windows - download photos

  4. Tick the necessary years and then click Download

    5. iCloud - download photos

  5. Now open your File Explorer and select iCloud Photos in the sidebar.
  6. Click the Downloads folder to view all downloaded pictures from your iCloud account.

File explorer for icloud photos on windows

Conclusion

iCloud Photo Library provides users with remote access to their media files. This tool optimizes your device`s storage by keeping a full-resolution version of your entire library in Apple`s cloud storage. To access the original size of your media files, it’s necessary to download them.

In this article, we have described all the possible ways to download original photos from iCloud. But please note that a large amount of photos may consume your device’s storage space. If you are familiar with this problem, we would suggest using the free app for iOS, Phone Cleaner or the free app for Mac – Duplicate File Finder. These apps will allow you to organize your cloud media files and delete unnecessary duplicate photos in just a few clicks.

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