Set up your devices to use iCloud with the Photos app
There are three different iCloud features you can turn on for Photos: iCloud Photos, Shared Albums, and My Photo Stream. You must turn on the features you want to use on each device.
For an overview of the different iCloud features available for Photos, see Use iCloud with the Photos app.
Set up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos.
If you’re asked to sign in, enter your Apple ID and password. If you don’t have one, tap Create Apple ID, then follow the instructions.
Select any of the following features to turn them on:
iCloud Photos (previously called iCloud Photo Library)
Shared Albums (previously called iCloud Photo Sharing)
My Photo Stream (not available for new accounts)
Set up your Mac
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
> System Preferences, then do one of the following:macOS 10.15 or later: Click Apple ID, then click iCloud.
macOS 10.14 or earlier: Click iCloud.
If you’re asked to sign in, enter your Apple ID and password. If you don’t have one, click Create Apple ID, then follow the instructions.
Select Photos, then enter your Mac user account password if prompted.
Click the Options button, then select any of the following features to turn them on:
iCloud Photos (previously called iCloud Photo Library)
Shared Albums (previously called iCloud Photo Sharing)
My Photo Stream (not available for new accounts)
If you don’t see the Options button, you can use the Photos app to change your iCloud feature settings. See Use iCloud Photos to store photos in iCloud in the Photos User Guide for Mac.
Set up your Apple TV
On your Apple TV, open the Settings app.
Choose Users and Accounts > iCloud, then sign in with your Apple ID and password if you haven’t already.
Turn on any of the following features:
iCloud Photos (previously called iCloud Photo Library)
Shared Albums (previously called iCloud Photo Sharing)
My Photo Stream (not available for new accounts)
Note: You can’t select both iCloud Photos and My Photo Stream on Apple TV.
Set up your Windows computer
If it isn’t already installed on your computer, get the iCloud for Windows app.
Open the iCloud for Windows app, then select Photos.
Select any of the following features to turn them on: iCloud Photos (or iCloud Photo Library), Shared Albums (or iCloud Photo Sharing), and My Photo Stream (iCloud for Windows version 7 only; not available for new accounts).
If you aren’t prompted to turn on features, click the Options button next to Photos. Find out which version of iCloud for Windows you have.
If you turn on iCloud Photos (or iCloud Photo Library), your photos and videos are stored in the following location:
iCloud for Windows version 11 or later: Your photos and videos are downloaded to C:\Users\[your name]\Pictures\iCloud Photos\Photos. You can upload photos and videos to iCloud by placing them in the same folder.
iCloud for Windows version 10 or earlier: You can download new photos and videos to your PC (by default, to C:\Users\[your name]\Pictures\iCloud Photos\Downloads) and upload them to iCloud from your PC (by default, from C:\Users\[your name]\Pictures\iCloud Photos\Uploads). To change either location, click Change.
If you turn on Shared Albums (or iCloud Photo Sharing), shared photos and videos are stored in C:\Users\[your name]\Pictures\iCloud Photos\Shared. To change the location, click Change.
If you turn on My Photo Stream (iCloud for Windows version 7 only), you can download new photos to your PC (by default, to C:\Users\[your name]\Pictures\iCloud Photos\Downloads) and upload them to iCloud from your PC (by default, from C:\Users\[your name]\Pictures\iCloud Photos\Uploads). To change either location, click Change.
Click Done, then click Apply.
Note: You can only change the upload or download location to another folder on the C:\ Drive. External drives are not supported when using iCloud for Windows version 10.