iCloud Photos isn’t limited to iPhone and Mac. If you’re using a PC, you can also use Apple’s image synchronization and backup services to access, download, or upload your photos.
It’s neither convenient nor seamless compared to what you get with an iOS or macOS device. But you still need to be for a decent experience.
This article will show you some ways to use iCloud Photos on your PC. The first method involves using iCloud Photos in a web app format, the second method depends on the iCloud for Windows desktop app.
ICloud Photos on PC — Use iCloud.com
Apple offers a host of iCloud services in the form of web apps that you can access using any web browser on your PC. One of them is iCloud Photos, which allows you to view, download, and back up your photos. It provides an experience similar to the Photos app on the Mac, but its online-oriented nature can lead to poor performance on slow internet connections.
To open the iCloud Photos web app, first go to iCloud.com. Then sign in with your Apple ID credentials and click[[Photo With iCloud Launchpad.
Access iCloud Photos
The iCloud Photos web app gives you access to all your photos backed up using your iPhone or Mac. There are two tabs at the top of the screen Photo When moment View mode. The former displays images in a continuous list, and the latter classifies images by date and location.
In the left sidebar, you can choose from an image master list, favorites, media types (such as live photos and videos), and albums created on your iOS or macOS device.
To view the photo, just double-click the thumbnail. You can then use the arrow keys on both sides of the screen to move back and forth between the images.
You can also perform various actions using the icons in the upper left corner of the screen.Plus type addition For example, you can use the icon to add a photo to an album or folder. share You can use the icon to share an individual or select an image by email.
Download iCloud Photos
The iCloud Photos web app also allows you to download photos to your PC’s local storage. Select the thumbnail of the image and download The icon at the top left of the screen. It will be downloaded automatically in JPEG format.
You can also click and drag the cursor over the thumbnail, or hold down to select multiple photos to download. Control Press the key to select them.
However, if you want to download your photos in their original HEIC format, first[[download icon. next, Original unchanged Select an option, download..
Upload to iCloud Photo
If you want to upload photos from your PC to iCloud Photos upload The icon at the top left of the screen.In the file picker window that appears next, select and select the photos you want to upload Open..
iCloud Photos needs to upload your photos (don’t close your browser window during this time) and organize them automatically in your photo library.
ICloud Photos on PC — Use iCloud for Windows
If you want to sync your photos instead of accessing them in your browser, you need to set up iCloud for Windows on your PC. This is Apple’s free app that allows you to access iCloud services (such as iCloud Photos and Drive) on Windows.
You can install iCloud for Windows from the Microsoft Store. Then sign in with your Apple ID credentials, run a two-factor authentication prompt, and launch and run the program.
To activate iCloud Photos on your PC, open the iCloud app and select the checkbox next to it. Photo.. next, application.. If you prefer, you can also use iCloud Drive on your PC and sync your Safari bookmarks and passwords with Chrome.
Access iCloud Photos
To access iCloud Photos iCloud photos File Explorer sidebar options. Then you have to find all the pictures inside.Switch to detail Display and select date Sort them from new to old and vice versa.
You can also select to view shared photos This PC >> >> picture >> >> iCloud photos >> >> share.. If you don’t see anything, open the iCloud app and option Click the button next to the photo and select the check box next to it Shared album..
However, iCloud for Windows doesn’t come with a dedicated image viewer or organizer, so you’ll need to use the Windows 10 Photos app to view them. To make things easier, you can add iCloud Photos as a source folder to your Photos app.Go to the photo app setting On the screen Add a folderChoose iCloud photos In the sidebar, Add this folder to your photos..
Download iCloud Photos
By default, iCloud Photos tries to save disk space on your PC, so it downloads photos locally only when you access them. Otherwise, only the placeholder icon will be displayed. A cloud-shaped symbol next to the image indicates a placeholder, and a checkmark indicates a downloaded item.
To download locally without opening the file, right-click the item and select[Always keep this device..
Alternatively, you can right-click iCloud photos In the file explorer sidebar, Always keep this device Download the entire photo library to your local storage.
Upload to iCloud Photo
To upload photos from your PC to iCloud Photos, simply drag and drop the images into the File Explorer window with the iCloud Photos directory open.
Alternatively, you can copy them and paste them into a folder.
Next, you need to upload your photos, enable iCloud Photos and sync with other devices.
Start using iCloud Photos on your PC
As you’ve just seen, you should have no problem viewing, downloading, and backing up your photos using iCloud Photos on your PC. Just choose the method that works best for you and you’re good to go. Or use both the iCloud Photos web app (best for viewing images) and the iCloud for Windows app (good for downloads and uploads) for better results.