What is iCloud Photo Library?
iCloud Photo Library is Apple’s cloud storage service that automatically saves all your photos and videos in iCloud (Apple Support, Set up and use iCloud Photos). It syncs your photos and videos across all your Apple devices so you can access them anytime. Using iCloud Photo Library saves storage space on your devices since your full photo library doesn’t need to be stored locally.
With iCloud Photo Library enabled, any photos or videos you take on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch are automatically uploaded and stored in iCloud. You can then access those photos on your Mac, Apple TV, other iOS devices, iCloud.com, and even Windows PCs.
The photos and videos are stored at full resolution in their original formats in your iCloud account. Only device thumbnails are stored locally, so you save significant storage space. iCloud Photo Library keeps all your devices up to date with the latest versions of your photos and videos.
Reasons to move photos out of iCloud
There are several common reasons why people may want to move their photos out of iCloud Photo Library:
Want to free up iCloud storage space – iCloud only provides a limited amount of free storage space (5GB for free accounts). Once you hit that limit, you’ll have to pay for additional storage. Moving photos out of iCloud frees up space so you can utilize your free allowance for other files and data.
Don’t want photos synced across devices – With iCloud Photo Library, any photos you take on your iPhone automatically sync to the cloud and down to your other devices like iPads and Macs. Some users don’t like having all their photos everywhere and want to isolate their photo library.
Concerned about privacy/security – Storing photos in iCloud means Apple has access to them. While Apple has strong security and privacy measures, some users are uncomfortable having photos stored by a third-party. Keeping them only locally provides more control.
Things to know before moving photos
Before turning off iCloud Photo Library and moving photos out of iCloud, it’s important to understand what will happen to your photos. When you turn off iCloud Photo Library, all of your photos and videos will be deleted from iCloud storage. However, the photos and videos on your devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc.) will remain untouched. The original, full resolution copies of the photos will still be stored locally on your devices.
As noted in this article, “Neither iCloud Photos will delete the pictures once you turn them off, nor you lose access to images captured on your device.” So you don’t need to worry about losing any photos stored on your devices. Just keep in mind they will no longer be accessible through iCloud.
Before turning off iCloud Photo Library, it’s a good idea to transfer your photos off of iCloud using a cable to an external hard drive or other storage device. This will make sure you have backups before disconnecting your library. As this Reddit discussion notes, your best bet is to “use cable to transfer photos first” before disabling the service.
How to download photos from iCloud
One easy way to download photos from iCloud is to use the iCloud for Windows app. This free app lets you access your iCloud photos on a Windows PC. To get started:
1. Download and install iCloud for Windows. Make sure to sign in with your Apple ID.
2. Open iCloud for Windows and click on Photos. This will show your iCloud photo library.
3. Select the photos you want to download by Ctrl + clicking on them. Or to download everything, just click on “Select All”.
4. With your photos selected, click on the Download button at the bottom. Choose where you want to save the photos on your computer.
The iCloud for Windows app makes it easy to transfer photos in bulk from iCloud to your Windows PC. Just install the app, select your photos, and download.
Turn off iCloud Photo Library
The first step in moving photos out of iCloud is to turn off iCloud Photo Library on your iPhone. To do this:
Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos on your iPhone. Toggle the switch for iCloud Photo Library to the off position. This will stop your photos from automatically syncing to iCloud (1).
With iCloud Photo Library disabled, your device will now only store photos locally rather than syncing them to the cloud. New photos taken will be saved to your iPhone storage rather than to your iCloud account. Keep in mind that turning off iCloud Photo Library does not delete any photos already in iCloud – it just stops syncing going forward (2).
Move photos to external storage
One way to move photos out of iCloud is by transferring them to an external storage device like an external hard drive or USB flash drive. This allows you to free up iCloud storage space while keeping your photos stored locally for access even when you don’t have an internet connection.
To move photos to external storage, first connect your iPhone to the storage device using the Lightning to USB cable that came with your iPhone. For newer iPhones with a USB-C port, you will need a USB-C to USB adapter cable. Once connected, open the Photos app and select the photos you want to transfer. Tap the Share icon in the bottom left corner, then tap “Copy to External Storage.” This will save the photos to your connected external drive.
For easier organization, you can create folders on the external drive like “Vacation Photos” or “Kids Birthdays” and select those folders as the destination when transferring photos off your iPhone. This keeps related photos neatly together in your storage device’s folder structure.
The transfer speed will depend on the performance of the external drive. Generally, USB 3.0 and USB-C drives will allow faster transfers than older USB 2.0 drives. Be sure to eject the drive properly before disconnecting once the transfer is complete.
Store photos on computer
One way to move photos off your iPhone is to store them on your computer. Here are the steps to transfer photos from your iPhone to a Windows PC or Mac:
First, connect your iPhone to your computer using the USB cable that came with your device. On a Windows PC, the photos app should open automatically. On a Mac, open the Photos app.
Next, click on the iPhone icon in the Photos app sidebar. This will show you all the photos and videos stored on your device. To import them, simply drag the photos/videos you want to your computer. On a Mac, drag them into the Photos library. On Windows, you can create a new folder and drag photos there.
The photos will now be saved and stored locally on your computer rather than in iCloud. You can delete the photos from your iPhone if you need to free up space. Just be sure to keep the copies on your computer. For help accessing photos on Windows, see Microsoft’s guide. On Mac, Apple has instructions too.
Storing photos on your computer gives you full control over the files. Just be sure to have a backup in case of computer failure.
Use Third-Party Cloud Services
Some popular third-party cloud storage services that can be used as alternatives to iCloud Photos include:
Google Photos
Google Photos offers unlimited free storage for photos up to 16MP and videos up to 1080p resolution. It has apps for iOS and Android and offers easy sharing and collaboration features. Photos are automatically uploaded and organized using AI. The key downside is that Google may use your photos to improve its image recognition capabilities. Read Google’s privacy policy carefully.
Amazon Photos
Amazon Photos provides unlimited full-resolution photo storage for Prime members. It works across iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows devices. Amazon uses machine learning to automatically tag and organize photos. As with other Amazon services, be aware that your photos may be used by Amazon for its own purposes. Check Amazon’s privacy policy.
Dropbox
Dropbox offers 2GB of free storage, with paid plans available for more storage and advanced features. It conveniently syncs files across devices and platforms. An advantage over iCloud is being able to access files through the Dropbox website. A potential downside is no full-resolution photo or video storage in the free plan. Understand Dropbox’s data handling policies.
When considering third-party services, be sure to closely review their privacy policies to understand how your data may be used or monetized.
Manage local iPhone storage
One way to free up space on your iPhone is to manage the storage usage locally on the device. You can do this by reviewing which apps and content are taking up the most space and then removing or offloading what you don’t need.
To see a breakdown of how storage is being used, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. This will show you which apps are taking up the most space. Tap on individual apps to see the storage used, and choose to delete the app if it’s no longer needed or offload unused parts (CNET).
You can also enable the Optimize iPhone Storage setting, which automatically offloads unused apps when your available space gets low. To enable it, go to Settings > Photos and toggle on Optimize iPhone Storage.
Removing unused apps and content, offloading little-used apps, and optimizing your photo storage are great ways to free up local storage space on your iPhone without needing to delete photos or other important content.
Summary
In summary, turning off iCloud Photo Library will stop syncing your photos and videos across your Apple devices. Before disabling it, you’ll want to make sure to download copies of all your photos and videos either to external storage or your computer as backups. Once iCloud Photo Library is turned off, the photos will only remain on the device they were originally taken or stored on.
To recap, to turn off iCloud Photo Library, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos and toggle off iCloud Photo Library. You’ll be given the option to keep the photos on your device or delete them. Choose to keep the photos on your device. After it’s disabled, your photos will no longer be accessible on other devices or through iCloud.com. Having backups is crucial before turning off the service in case you change your mind later and want to reenable it.