How to access your iCloud photos on an iPhone, PC, or Mac: Header image

iCloud's photo storage feature is an like shooting fish in a barrel and convenient style to keep your photograph library in sync across your devices — and not just on your iPhone and iPad. You can also access your iCloud photos on your Mac or fifty-fifty your PC. Keep reading to see how to access your iCloud photos and turn on iCloud across all of your devices.

How to view iCloud photos on your iPhone

Setting upwardly your iPhone to sync your iCloud photos is a great style to make certain all the pictures yous take are automatically backed up with the rest of your iCloud photo library. But that's not the but way you can view your pictures and videos from iCloud. Below are instructions for syncing your pictures and viewing them in the Photos app, also as how to browse through your iCloud photos if you lot don't want them saved on your telephone.

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Mobile banner: Download Gemini Photos and stop storing photo clutter in iCloud

Option 1. Access your iCloud photos in the Photos app

The most straightforward fashion to view your photos from iCloud on your iPhone is past turning on iCloud Photos in the Settings app then that all of your pictures and videos sync with your device. Follow these steps to plow on iCloud Photos:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap [your name] > iCloud > Photos.
  3. Turn the slider for iCloud Photos on.

Once you have that turned on, you lot'll be able to view all of your pictures and videos in the Photos app.

Option two. View the photos in your browser

If you lot're using a shared iCloud account — or desire to view a unlike photograph library — y'all tin can view pictures from iCloud using your web browser. Follow the steps below to access your iCloud photos without all of them syncing to your device:

  1. Open Safari and go to iCloud.com.
  2. Sign in to your iCloud account.
  3. Tap Photos.

Why don't I come across my iCloud photos on iPhone?

If y'all don't run across your iCloud photos on your iPhone, in that location are a few possible reasons. Here are some mutual problems and things you lot can exercise to resolve them:

  • iCloud Photos is non allowed on cellular data. Syncing pictures and videos tin employ upwards a lot of data, and then in that location'southward a feature that will restrict your phone to updating only when connected to a Wi-Fi network. To allow or restrict updates using cellular data, go to Settings > Photos > Cellular Data.
  • You're signed in to a dissimilar iCloud account. If yous have multiple Apple tree IDs, information technology could be that you're logged in to two different accounts on your iPhone and on your computer. Y'all tin check which Apple tree ID you're signed in with on your iPhone by going to Settings > [your name].
  • iCloud Photos isn't turned on. It's possible to be logged in to iCloud without iCloud Photos beingness turned on. To check, yous can become to Settings > [your proper noun] > iCloud > Photos.

How to admission iCloud Photos on a Windows PC

Ane of the great things almost iCloud is that you can admission your pictures on any device. Yes, even on a Windows computer. While iCloud may not exist every bit seamless on a PC as it is on a Mac, Apple has gone to groovy lengths to make it as user-friendly as possible.

Option 1. Utilise iCloud for Windows

If you lot want to go along your photograph library in sync with your iPhone and Windows computer, you lot'll have to download iCloud for Windows. After you have that downloaded and installed, yous can plow on iCloud to start syncing:

  1. Open the iCloud for Windows app.
  2. Sign in with your Apple tree ID.
  3. Check the box side by side to Photos to turn it on.
  4. Click Utilize.

Afterward you've turned on iCloud Photos, how yous view your photos will depend on which operating arrangement yous're using.

For Windows 10:

  1. In the notification surface area, click the upward arrow in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
  2. Click the iCloud icon.
  3. Click Download Photos.

For Windows viii:

  1. Click Showtime.
    Note: On Windows viii.i, y'all'll besides need to click the downwardly arrow in the lower-left corner.
  2. Open up the iCloud Photos app.

Option two. Log in to iCloud in your browser

If you just want to view your pictures without iCloud syncing them to the computer you're using, y'all can access your iCloud photos through your web browser:

  1. Open your browser of pick and go to iCloud.com.
  2. Sign in with your Apple ID.
  3. Click Photos.

How to access iCloud Photos on Mac

Thankfully, using iCloud with a Mac couldn't be whatsoever easier. You can ready it up so that your iCloud photos are syncing with the Photos app. Or if you don't want your pictures to automatically salve to the computer yous're using, you can simply view your photo library using Safari.

Choice 1. See your iCloud photos in the Photos app

If you want to brand certain that your most contempo pictures and videos are ever on your Mac, you'll want to plow on iCloud Photos in System Preferences. iCloud will make sure the Photos app on your Mac is automatically updated with your pictures from other devices, like your iPhone or iPad. Follow these steps to start syncing your Mac with iCloud photos:

  1. Click the Apple icon at the top-left of your screen.
  2. Click System Preferences > iCloud.
  3. Sign in with your Apple tree ID.
  4. Cheque the box next to Photos to turn information technology on.
  5. Open up the Photos app.
How to set up iCloud Photos on Mac

Option 2. Access iCloud in your browser

If yous're using a friend's computer or a shared Mac, y'all probably won't want to sync your photo library with that figurer. But don't worry. You lot can notwithstanding view your iCloud pictures by following these steps:

  1. Open Safari and become to iCloud.com.
  2. Log in with your Apple ID.
  3. Click Photos.
How to view your iCloud Photos on Mac

Why tin't I see my iCloud photos on a Mac?

If some of your iCloud photos aren't showing up on your Mac, here are a couple of common bug and what you can do to fix them:

  • Your software needs to be updated. Either your MacOS or the Photos app could be out of appointment, causing syncing issues. Check for updates by clicking the Apple icon > App Store > Updates.
  • You're signed in to a unlike iCloud business relationship. Verify that you're logged in to the correct iCloud account past clicking the Apple icon > Organization Preferences > iCloud.
  • iCloud is out of storage. If your iCloud account is out of gratuitous infinite, information technology won't be able to update with your photos. Yous can check how much storage you lot have bachelor by going to the Apple tree icon > Arrangement Preferences > iCloud. Or, if yous're in Safari, go to iCloud.com > Business relationship Settings > Storage.

iCloud Photos is a great way to back up your photo library and make sure that your devices automatically contain your most recent pictures. It also keeps your videos and pics online, so whether you're using your personal computer or that of a friend, you lot'll always be able to view your photos. And if at some signal you lot need to download your photos from iCloud, it's piece of cake to practise too.

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