Set up and use iCloud Photos
iCloud Photos works with the Photos app to keep your photos and videos securely stored in iCloud, and up to date across your devices.
How iCloud Photos works
iCloud Photos keeps every photo and video you take in iCloud, so you can access your library from any device, at any time – just open the Photos app. Changes you make on one device change on your other devices too.
Photos and videos are stored in iCloud in their original formats at full resolution (HEIF, JPEG, RAW, PNG, GIF, TIFF, HEVC and MP4), as well as special formats you capture with your iPhone or iPad, such as slo-mo, time-lapse, 4K videos and Live Photos. Depending on your internet speed, the time it takes to see your photos and videos on all of your devices and icloud.com may vary.
Turn on iCloud Photos
Make sure you set up iCloud and sign in to iCloud with the same Apple Account on all of your devices.
Turn on iCloud Photos on your iPhone, iPad or Apple Vision Pro
Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud.
Tap Photos.
Turn on Sync this [device].
Turn on iCloud Photos on your Mac
Choose Apple menu > System Settings or Preferences.
Click your name, then click iCloud.
Under Saved to iCloud, click Photos. In macOS Sonoma or earlier, under Apps Using iCloud, click Photos.
Turn on Sync this Mac.
Turn on iCloud Photos on your Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD
Go to Settings > Users and Accounts.
Select iCloud.
Turn on iCloud Photos.
Turn on iCloud Photos on your Windows PC
Find out how to set up and use iCloud Photos on your PC
What happens when you edit or delete photos?
When you edit or delete photos or videos, changes reflect across all of your devices.
Edits will appear on all of your devices
When you make edits in the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad or on your Mac, the photo is updated automatically across your devices. So when you crop or enhance a photo on your iPhone, you’ll see the changes on your Mac. iCloud stores your original photos and videos, so you can revert any changes you made, any time.
Photos will be deleted from all of your devices
When you delete photos and videos on one device, they’ll be deleted everywhere that you use iCloud Photos. If you delete something accidentally, you can recover it in the Recently Deleted folder for 30 days. After that, it’s deleted permanently and you can’t get it back.
Download copies of your photos and videos
When you turn on iCloud Photos, your photos and videos are uploaded to iCloud automatically. They’re not duplicated in your iCloud backup, so keep backup copies of your library.
Check your storage
Photos and videos that you keep in iCloud Photos use your iCloud storage and your device storage. When you sign up for iCloud, you get 5 GB of free storage – and if you need more space, or access to premium features, you can upgrade to iCloud+. In your iCloud settings, you can also see recommendations about how to make more space.
Need to save space on your device? Turn on Optimise Storage. When you do this, iCloud Photos keeps your photos and videos in their original, high-resolution version and space-saving versions are kept on your device. Your library also optimises when you need space, starting with photos and videos you access least, and you can download originals over Wi-Fi or mobile data.
Turn on Optimise Storage on your iPhone, iPad or Apple Vision Pro
Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud.
Under Saved to iCloud, tap Photos.
Choose Optimise [device] Storage.
Turn on Optimise Storage on your Mac
In the Photos app, click Photos > Settings or Preferences.
Choose a storage setting from the iCloud tab.
To keep your original, full-size photos and videos in iCloud and on your device, select Download Originals to this Mac.
Pause library uploads to iCloud
When you turn on iCloud Photos, the time it takes photos and videos to upload to iCloud depends on the size of your collection and your internet speed. Larger content collections may take more time. You can see the status and pause the upload for one day. Depending on your library status, pause may not be available.
On iPhone, iPad or Apple Vision Pro
In iOS 26 or later, open the Photos app, then tap Collections. Tap the profile button, then tap Pause.
In iOS 18, open the Photos app, tap the profile button and tap Pause.
In iOS 17 or earlier, open the Photos app, go to Library > All Photos, then scroll down and tap Pause.
On Mac
In the Photos app, select Library.
Click All Photos.
Scroll down and click Pause.
Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional information.
