Having thousands of photos stored in iCloud can be great for keeping backups of your memories, but it can also take up a lot of storage space. If you’re looking to get a large photo library off of iCloud, there are a few different options you can try.
Why You Might Want Photos Off iCloud
Here are some common reasons you may want to download your photos from iCloud:
- You’re running out of iCloud storage space
- You want to backup your photos elsewhere
- You’re switching away from Apple devices
- You want to edit or print your photos on a non-Apple device
If any of these reasons apply to you, it’s understandable that you’d want to get those thousands of photos off of iCloud. The good news is it’s definitely possible, with a bit of time and patience.
How Many Photos Are in My iCloud Library?
Before deciding on a strategy to remove them, it’s a good idea to get a sense of just how many photos are in your iCloud Library. Here’s how to check:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad
- Tap on your name at the top of the menu
- Tap on iCloud
- Tap on Manage Storage
- Tap on Backups
You’ll then see a breakdown of how much storage space is being used by each app’s data and backups. Under Photos, you’ll see how many photos and videos are being stored in your iCloud library.
Method 1: Download Your Photos to Your Computer
One of the easiest ways to get photos off iCloud is to download them directly to your computer. Here’s how:
- On your Mac or Windows PC, open the Photos app.
- Click on the iCloud tab in the top toolbar
- Make sure you’re signed into the same iCloud account as your iPhone
- Click on the Download button to select which photos/videos to download
- Choose whether to keep the downloads in their original format or optimize them for storage space
- Select all photos you want to download
- Click Download again and your photos will save to your computer
This will allow you to get all your iCloud photos consolidated onto your computer instead. One thing to note is that the Photos app downloads in batches, so it may take some time to retrieve thousands of photos. Leaving the app open for a few hours should allow sufficient time to gather them all.
Pros
- Very simple to do
- Keeps photos in their original quality
- Lets you browse and select which photos to download
Cons
- Can take a long time if you have a lot of photos
- Need enough local storage space for the downloads
Method 2: Use iCloud Download Tool
If you want to automate getting all your iCloud photos in one batch, you can use a software tool specifically designed for this purpose. iMazing and iExplorer are two popular apps that let you quickly download your entire iCloud photo library.
To use iMazing:
- Download and install iMazing on your computer
- Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iMazing
- Click on the Photos tab
- Select which albums you want to download
- Choose file download settings
- Click export and select a folder on your computer to save the photos
iExplorer works very similarly – once installed you can connect your device, browse your iCloud photos, and export them in bulk. An advantage of these tools is you can grab all iCloud photos at their full resolution in their original formats.
Pros:
- Very fast bulk download of all photos
- Downloaded at full original resolution
- Easy to select specific albums to download
Cons:
- Costs money to purchase software
- Requires connecting iPhone to computer
Method 3: Sync iCloud With Google Photos
If you use Google Photos, you can take advantage of its iCloud syncing feature to get your photos off of iCloud automatically. Here’s how to set it up:
- Make sure you have the latest Google Photos app on your iPhone
- Open the app and go to Settings
- Under “Back up & sync,” turn on iCloud Backup
- Tap “Choose folders to back up” and select iCloud Photo Library
- Go back and enable iCloud sync
Once enabled, the Google Photos app will regularly sync any new photos from your iCloud storage into your Google account at their original quality. Theprocess can take a few days depending on how many photos you have. An advantage of this method is all your photos get backup up safely and accessible through Google Photos.
Pros:
- Automatic syncing of new photos added
- Backs up photos at original quality
- Makes photos accessible through Google Photos
Cons:
- Initial sync can take days for large libraries
- Only new photos get transferred, not your full history
Method 4: Use Third-Party Cloud Storage
Alternatively, you can use a dedicated third-party cloud storage service to transfer your iCloud photos. Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive offer tools to facilitate this.
To do this with Dropbox:
- Install the Dropbox app on your iPhone
- Open the app and go to settings
- Tap “Import photos and videos” and select iCloud Photo Library
- Tap Start Import
The Dropbox app will then copy all your photos from iCloud into your Dropbox account. Depending on how many photos you have, this can take hours or days to complete.
OneDrive offers similar iCloud import capabilities. An advantage of using these tools is you can free up iCloud storage without losing access to any photos.
Pros:
- Transfers entire iCloud library
- Photos retain original quality
- Backs up photos to alternate cloud storage
Cons:
- Import time can be very long
- Need enough alternate cloud storage space
Method 5: Archive Photos to External Storage
If you want to completely download your iCloud photos out of the cloud, you can archive them to an external hard drive or USB flash drive.
To do this:
- Connect your external drive to your computer
- Use the Photos app or a tool like iMazing to download iCloud photos onto your computer
- Once downloaded, copy the Photos Library folder onto your external drive
This will give you a full archive of all your iCloud photos that you can keep for offline backup. Just make sure your external drive has enough storage capacity to hold all the photos and videos.
Pros:
- Lets you archive full photo library
- Stores photos offline for backup
Cons:
- Need large external drive for storage
- No cloud access to your photos
How to Share Photos From iCloud
Once you’ve got your photos downloaded from iCloud, you may want to start sharing them. Here are some easy ways to share photos after removing them from iCloud:
- Email individual photos as attachments
- Use photo printing services to get high-quality prints
- Post photos on social media sites like Facebook or Instagram
- Use shared albums on Google Photos or Dropbox to collaborate with others
- Create shared network folders to give family access to photos
- Send photos to friends and family via messaging apps
The benefit of having your photos on your local storage or backup in another cloud service is that you have much more flexibility in how and where you can share them.
Should You Keep Any Photos on iCloud?
While removing your entire iCloud photo library can give you more control over your photos, there are some benefits to keeping some photos stored in iCloud.
Consider leaving some photos in iCloud if:
- You want access to your latest photos across devices
- You want to be able to edit or update shared albums
- You don’t have enough local storage space for all photos
- You want the convenience of accessing photos on demand
Even if you remove most of your library, you may want to keep your most recent photos on iCloud for convenience. Just be sure to monitor your storage usage so it doesn’t fill up.
Alternative Photo Storage Options
Once you get your photos off iCloud, there are lots of storage options to consider:
| Option | Benefit |
|---|---|
| External hard drive or USB drive | Reliable offline backup storage |
| Google Photos | Powerful photo management and search |
| Dropbox/OneDrive | Easy cloud access from anywhere |
| Synology NAS | Network attached storage at home |
| Amazon S3/Azure Blob | Cheap long-term cloud archive |
Consider what aspects are most important to you – reliability, accessibility, searchability, or price – and choose the option that best fits your needs.
Conclusion
While iCloud is great for syncing your latest photos across devices, there are plenty of reasons you may want to download an entire iCloud photo library. Thankfully there are several effective methods to get even thousands of photos off iCloud. The best approach depends on where you want to move your photos to and how you intend to access them. With a bit of time and patience, you can take control of your photo collection.