How to Download iCloud Photos to Mobile Devices and Desktop

Clara Prescott Published on September 10, 2025iOS Tips3-min reading

"How to get pictures from iCloud to iPhone?" I believe most of you may encounter this problem, especially when your iCloud is running out of space.This post will introduce several common methods to help you easily download iCloud photos and manage them more flexibly across different devices. Read more!

In this article:

Part 1: Must-Read: Before Downloading iCloud Photos
Part 2: How to Download Photos from iCloud via the Photo App
Part 3: Alternative Way to Download Photos from iCloud to Computer
Part 4: How to Download iCloud Photos via icloud.com
Part 5: How to Download Original Photos from iCloud via Shared Album
More Tips: Transfer Photos Among iOS Devices in One Click

Part 1: Must-Read: Before Downloading iCloud Photos

Before you download iCloud photos to iPhone or any other device, you should check the total size of your iCloud photo library first, in case all originals quickly fill up the device’s local storage, affecting normal use after downloading. By knowing the photo size in advance, you can better decide whether to free up space or only transfer specific photos through alternative methods.

Follow the steps below to check it:

Step 1

Open Settings on your iPhone and click your name.

Step 2

Choose the iCloud option and click Storage on the following page.

Step 3

You will see the exact storage condition on the following page.

Part 2: How to Download Photos from iCloud via the Photo App

The first and basic way to download iCloud photos is using the Apple Photos app. This section will comprehensively show you how to download photos from iCloud to iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch and Mac.

How to Download All Photos from iCloud to iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Step 1

Open Settings on your device and tap your name.

Step 2

Choose iCloud and Photos one by one.

Step 3

Make sure the iCloud Photos toggle is on. Hit Download and Keep Originals. Then, you can download full-resolution photos from iCloud to your device.

Tip

If you want to save space, you can click Optimize iPhone Storage to download the thumbnail or low-resolution versions, while keeping the original in iCloud.

How to Download Photos from iCloud to Mac

Step 1

Open the Photos app on your Mac, and click Photos in the top-left corner.

Step 2

Choose Preference in the drop-down list.

Step 3

Choose iCloud on the pop-up window and check Download Originals to this Mac.

Part 3: Alternative Way to Download Photos from iCloud to Computer

Sometimes, the download process may fail due to accidental deletion, syncing errors, or storage issues. At this time, you may not download all photos from iCloud merely by relying on the Download and Keep Originals feature. Many users will choose third-party software to download all iCloud photos from iCloud backup to the computer. imyPass iPhone Data Recovery is such a tool that can help you.

imyPass iPhone Data Recovery

4,000,000+ Downloads

Download photos from iCloud to the computer easily and quickly.

Download iCloud photos selectively.

Download iCloud photos, contacts, notes, calendar, and reminders.

It also supports recovering deleted data from any iOS device.

Compatible with both Windows and Mac.

Free Download Free Download

Read the detailed instructions about iCloud photo download below:

Step 1

Free download this software to your computer. Install and launch it. The whole process only takes a few seconds.

Step 2

Choose Recover from iCloud in the left navigation bar and sign in to iCloud on the right page.

Step 3

Enter the two-factor authentication code you received on any of your iOS devices.

Step 4

Check Photos on the following page and hit the Start button.

Step 5

You will see all the iCloud photos after scanning. Check the iCloud photos you need, and press the Recover button in the bottom-right corner to download them.

Tip

This software can also help you recover iCloud without any hassle.

Part 4: How to Download iCloud Photos via icloud.com

Another practical way to download photos from iCloud is via the iCloud website. Using this method, you can download iCloud photos to any device.

How to Download Photos from iCloud to iPhone

Step 1

Visit icloud.com and sign in to your iCloud account (forgot my Apple ID password).

Step 2

Tap Photos.

Step 3

Check the photos you want to download.

Step 4

Click the More (three-dot) button at the bottom-right corner, and select Download.

How to Download All Photos from iCloud to Windows/Mac

Step 1

Go to the iCloud website on your computer and log in with your Apple ID and password.

Step 2

Click the Photos option on the main interface.

Step 3

Choose the photos you want to download and then press the Download selected item button (cloud with a downward arrow).

Tip

If you want to download all photos from iCloud, you can press Ctrl + A on Windows and Command + A on Mac to select all the iCloud photos.

Part 5: How to Download Original Photos from iCloud via Shared Album

Besides the methods above, the Shared Album is also a way to download iCloud photos because the contents in the Shared Album are also saved on iCloud. Follow the steps below to learn how to download all photos from iCloud Shared Album:

Step 1

Open Photos and swipe down to find the Shared Albums option.

Step 2

Click the Select button and check the photos you want to save. Click the upward arrow in the bottom right corner.

Step 3

Click Save Images on the pop-up window.

More Tips: Transfer Photos Among iOS Devices in One Click

If you find it complicated and difficult to transfer photos among different devices via iCloud download, you can try another direct way to transfer photos. imyPass iPhone Transfer is here to help you transfer photos among iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Windows, and Mac in one click.

imyPass iPhone Transfer

4,000,000+ Downloads

Transfer photos between different devices easily and quickly.

It does not rely on iCloud and is not affected by network speed.

The operations are simple and beginner-friendly.

Compatible with Windows and Mac.

Free Download Free Download

Conclusion

This tutorial has introduced in detail how to download photos from iCloud in 4 useful ways. Moreover, we've also mentioned a direct method to transfer photos among iOS devices effectively. Hope they will work for you!

Clara Prescott

Clara is an editor from imyPass. She specializes in data recovery. You can find professional tutorials and solutions for recovering lost data from any device. Many users reported that his tutorial is easy and useful.