Using iCloud is a simple and effective way to make sure the photos you take with your iPhone are backed up somewhere. But accessing those photos from different devices can be a bit confusing. We’ll go over how to find and view your iCloud photos on your iPhone, Mac, or PC.
To use iCloud Drive to transfer your photos to a Mac: On an iPhone, go to Settings Your Apple ID iCloud. Scroll down and swipe right on iCloud drive. On a Mac, go to the Apple menu System Preferences iCloud/Apple ID tab. Check the box next to the iCloud Drive section and click on Options.
As long as you have iCloud Photo Library turned on on your phone, then the pictures you see in the Photos app are your iCloud photos. It's that simple. However, if you have Optimize Storage turned on, then the photos on your iPhone are just compressed, lower-resolution versions. The full versions are stored in iCloud. You can check if this setting is turned on by going to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos.
Regardless of your iCloud storage plan, there’s a limit of some kind. And there’s no sense wasting the space you’re paying for on pics you don’t want anymore. Use Gemini Photos to quickly scan your library and delete similar photos, blurry images, and other clutter.
Download on the App StoreOne of the most common reasons your iCloud photos might not be showing up on your phone is because you don’t have iCloud Photos on. To check:
Another reason could be that iCloud Photos has been restricted to update over Wi-Fi only. To check or allow it to update using your cellular data:
It’s easy to take pictures and view them on your iPhone, and when you want to see those pictures on your Mac, it’s just as easy. There are actually two ways you can do it, with the Photos app or in your browser via iCloud.com
As long as both your Mac and your iPhone are signed in to the same iCloud account, then similarly to the Photos app on your iPhone, you’ll be able to view your iCloud pictures from the Photos app on your Mac.
Another way to access your iCloud photos on all your devices is My Photo Stream, but that feature also shows you the most recent photos. Check out our guide to using My Photo Stream on iPhone and Mac.
If you’re not able to see iCloud Photos when you’re using the Photos app, here are a couple things to check.
If you’re having issues with pictures not appearing when you view them through the browser, make sure you have iCloud Photos turned on on your iPhone.
Similar to the Mac, you can view your iCloud Photos in two places on your PC. One way is through the Files Explorer and the other is using your browser.

To look through your iCloud Photos in File Explorer you’ll first need to download iCloud for Windows. Once you’ve got it installed and have iCloud Photos turned on, then you can view your pictures when you:
If you don’t see iCloud Photos listed under your Favorites, then you may need to re-install iCloud for Windows.
iCloud is a great tool not only for backing up your photos and videos, but also for keeping all your devices in sync. iCloud takes the hassle out of having to send photos back and forth between devices you own, and with these simple instructions, you’ll be able to access your iCloud photos on your Mac, PC, or any other device.
Using iCloud is a simple and effective way to make sure the photos you take with your iPhone are backed up somewhere. But accessing those photos from different devices can be a bit confusing. We’ll go over how to find and view your iCloud photos on your iPhone, Mac, or PC.
As long as you have iCloud Photo Library turned on on your phone, then the pictures you see in the Photos app are your iCloud photos. It's that simple. However, if you have Optimize Storage turned on, then the photos on your iPhone are just compressed, lower-resolution versions. The full versions are stored in iCloud. You can check if this setting is turned on by going to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos.
Regardless of your iCloud storage plan, there’s a limit of some kind. And there’s no sense wasting the space you’re paying for on pics you don’t want anymore. Use Gemini Photos to quickly scan your library and delete similar photos, blurry images, and other clutter.
Download on the App StoreOne of the most common reasons your iCloud photos might not be showing up on your phone is because you don’t have iCloud Photos on. To check:
Another reason could be that iCloud Photos has been restricted to update over Wi-Fi only. To check or allow it to update using your cellular data:
It’s easy to take pictures and view them on your iPhone, and when you want to see those pictures on your Mac, it’s just as easy. There are actually two ways you can do it, with the Photos app or in your browser via iCloud.com
As long as both your Mac and your iPhone are signed in to the same iCloud account, then similarly to the Photos app on your iPhone, you’ll be able to view your iCloud pictures from the Photos app on your Mac.
Another way to access your iCloud photos on all your devices is My Photo Stream, but that feature also shows you the most recent photos. Check out our guide to using My Photo Stream on iPhone and Mac.
If you’re not able to see iCloud Photos when you’re using the Photos app, here are a couple things to check.
If you’re having issues with pictures not appearing when you view them through the browser, make sure you have iCloud Photos turned on on your iPhone.
Similar to the Mac, you can view your iCloud Photos in two places on your PC. One way is through the Files Explorer and the other is using your browser.
To look through your iCloud Photos in File Explorer you’ll first need to download iCloud for Windows. Once you’ve got it installed and have iCloud Photos turned on, then you can view your pictures when you:
If you don’t see iCloud Photos listed under your Favorites, then you may need to re-install iCloud for Windows.
iCloud is a great tool not only for backing up your photos and videos, but also for keeping all your devices in sync. iCloud takes the hassle out of having to send photos back and forth between devices you own, and with these simple instructions, you’ll be able to access your iCloud photos on your Mac, PC, or any other device.