We live in a visual era. Why take one picture when you can take five, or ten, or a dozen? Sooner or later, no matter how much space your iPhone comes with, you are going to run out. 

Once you start struggling for space, you start looking to iCloud for extra storage. Specifically, to iCloud Photo Library, aka iCloud Photos, which lets you take the strain off your iPhone and access photos and videos on all your devices. In this article, we’ll cover how to sync and upload images, download and delete them, as well as troubleshoot the problems you may encounter.

What is iCloud Photos?

A key component of every iCloud account, which anyone with an iOS device can have, is iCloud Photo Library. When enabled, this feature will automatically sync all photos, screenshots, and videos you take with your iPhone to iCloud. 

You can also use iCloud Photo Library to upload media from your macOS, tvOS, and even Windows devices for centralized photo storage. In iOS 12, it has been rebranded as iCloud Photos, but the essence of the feature remains the same.

Before you sync photos to iCloud Photos

Before you sync your entire photo library to iCloud, make sure it’s free from clutter like unneeded similar pics or outdated screenshots. iCloud has only 5 GB of free storage, so you want to be smart about how you use it. An iPhone app like CleanMy®Phone will help you find and delete all the photos you don’t need so that only the good shots make it to iCloud.

Here’s how to use this careful iPhone cleaner:

  1. Open CleanMy®Phone.
  2. Tap Declutter > Scan.
  3. Wait for the scan to complete, and you will see the following categories: Screenshots, Blur, Duplicates, Screen Recordings, TikTok, and App Folders.
  4. Check each folder — images are already preselected for deletion. Deselect any image you want to keep.
  5. Once you’re happy with your selection, tap Clean, and the photos are sent to the Recently Deleted album in your photo library.

Want to clean even more space? Check out the Organize module — it scans your photo library and finds similar photos. They are then neatly sorted into the following categories: Travel, Pets, Food, Portraits, Text, and Other. Select anything you want to delete. Tap Clean.

Accessing iCloud Photos on your iPhone

To start with, let’s set up iCloud Photosson your iOS device. Here is how you do that:

  • Go to Settings.
  • Tap on your name at the top.
  • Go to iCloud.
  • Underneath the iCloud storage indicator, you’ll see a list of apps using iCloud.
  • Click on Photos (it should be the top option).
  • Switch iCloud Photos on (Sync this iPhone).

How to see pictures in iCloud Photos?

All photos you’ve synced to iCloud Photos, whatever device you synced them from, will be visible in the Photos app on your iPhone. However, it's important to know that the originals are automatically moved to iCloud to save storage, and what you're seeing on your iPhone are lower-resolution previews. 

Alternatively, to view the images in iCloud, you can access them on iCloud.com. Here’s how to manage iCloud Photos online login from an iPhone:

  1. Open the Safari browser on your iPhone.
  2. Go to iCloud.com.
  3. Log in with your Apple ID and password.
  4. Tap on the "Photos" icon.

It is only one of the options. If you want to know other ways, please visit this guide on how to access iCloud photos.

How to upload photos to iCloud Photos

Uploading images or videos is easy with iOS or macOS. Providing the iCloud sync is switched on, it happens automatically. 

On a Windows device and when logged into iCloud.com, you should see an upload button (a cloud with an arrow pointing up). Use it to upload images from another device to iCloud.

How to download photos from iCloud Photos

Before you download your photos from iCloud, make sure the iPhone you’re using has the correct iCloud account enabled and logged in. Use the previous instructions to access iCloud Photos via your iPhone browser. Then do the following:

  1. Browse through your iCloud Photos and select the photos you want to download.
  2. Tap the "Select" button at the top right corner.
  3. Choose the photos you wish to download.
  4. Tap the "More" button (three dots) at the bottom right corner.
  5. Select "Download" from the options.

That’s it! Now your photos should start downloading to your iPhone in full resolution.

How to delete photos from iPhone, but not iCloud

When you want to delete photos from an iPhone but keep them in iCloud, there are two ways around the issue of automatic syncing:

  1. Log out of iCloud on the device you’re using to delete images. You’ll need to log in again when you want to resuming syncing data and pictures to iCloud.
  2. Switch off the iCloud Photos in Settings (see the instruction below), and then delete what you want removed from your iPhone

Keep in mind though that as soon as you log back into iCloud or switch it back on, your library will be automatically synced and the photos will reappear on your device.

How to turn off iCloud Photo Library

You can switch off the automatic syncing any time. Simply reverse the steps you took to switch it on:

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Click on your name at the top of the list
  3. Go to iCloud
  4. Underneath the iCloud storage indicator, you’ll see a list of Apps Using iCloud
  5. Click on Photos
  6. Switch off Cloud Photos.

Frequently Asked Questions about iCloud Photos

How long does it take to sync photos to iCloud?

Syncing photos to iCloud depends on the size of your photo library and your internet speed. Pictures and videos upload automatically when your device is connected to power and WiFi. If it's taking too long, leave your phone connected overnight. Ensure iCloud Photos is switched on.

Why are my photos not uploading to iCloud?

If your photos aren't uploading, check these:

  • Is your iOS updated to the latest version?
  • Do you have enough iCloud storage? You can purchase more if needed or use an app like CleanMy®Phone to delete unwanted duplicate photos and free up some space.
  • Is your WiFi working and was it on when your iPhone was connected to a charger?
  • Did you delete an image you want to sync? Check the Recently Deleted folder and restore the photo.

Contact Apple Support or visit an authorized Apple reseller and repair shop if none apply.

Why are my photos not downloading from iCloud?

First, check your WiFi connection and available storage on your device for downloading issues. If everything looks OK, contact Apple Support or an authorized repair service.

Why are my iCloud photos not loading on iPhone?

If your iCloud photos aren't loading, it might be due to the Optimize Storage feature. This feature uploads high-quality versions to iCloud and keeps low-resolution previews on your iPhone. If the internet connection is poor, previews might not load properly.

To turn off Optimize Storage:

  1. Go to Settings on your iPhone.
  2. Tap on your name.
  3. Go to iCloud.
  4. Tap on Photos.
  5. Switch off Optimize Storage.

Keep in mind that switching this off will restore original versions to your iPhone, consuming more storage.