Quick Answer
To save all iCloud photos and videos locally, request your iCloud Photos data at privacy.apple.com, or use Photos on a Mac and choose Download Originals to this Mac.
For a smaller selection, use iCloud.com/photos; Apple allows up to 1,000 selected items at a time.
Keep original files and accompanying metadata, then check that every archive opens and sample videos and Live Photos play.
Do not delete photos from iCloud until you have verified at least one independent backup. Deletions in iCloud Photos sync across devices.
Which iCloud Photos download method should you use?
Best for a large library and a portable file archive on a Mac or Windows PC. Apple prepares the selected data and sends a notification when it is ready.
Best if you want your full-resolution library inside the Photos app. The Mac or its correctly formatted external drive needs enough available space.
Best for a few photos, a particular date range or a modest batch. Select no more than 1,000 items per download.
These methods serve different purposes. A Photos library preserves the Apple Photos experience; a data export gives you files to store and inspect separately. If you are making a long-term archive, keep an untouched copy of the downloaded files before reorganizing them.
How to download all iCloud photos and videos on Windows or Mac
- On a computer, sign in at Apple's Data & Privacy page with the Apple Account that owns the library.
- Choose Request a copy of your data, then select the iCloud Photos category shown for your account. Availability and labels can vary by region.
- Continue through Apple's confirmation steps. If a choice of archive sizes appears, select a size your connection and storage can handle. A 25 GB part can be practical when offered, but it is not a universal requirement.
- Wait for Apple's ready notification. Sign in again and download every part of the export to a drive with sufficient free space.
- Extract to a new folder, retain the original archive parts and any associated metadata files, then verify the export before removing anything from iCloud.
Apple says it verifies the requester and prepares the data, then makes it available for 14 days after it is ready. Preparation time varies; do not plan around a guaranteed seven-day turnaround. Apple's data-copy instructions say photos and videos are provided in their original formats.
Download reliability: Use a stable connection, avoid letting the computer sleep and confirm the size and integrity of each completed file before extracting. A download manager may help some large transfers, but third-party tools are optional; never share your Apple Account credentials or a private download link with them.
How to download originals with Photos on a Mac
- Open Photos > Settings > iCloud.
- Choose Download Originals to this Mac and leave Photos open long enough for the library to finish syncing and downloading.
- Check the library status and available space. For a separate folder of files, select items and use File > Export > Export Unmodified Original.
- Copy the completed export or the library to another independent drive and test it there.
Apple's iCloud Photos download guide distinguishes full-resolution originals from Optimize Mac Storage. Seeing thumbnails in Photos is not proof that full originals have downloaded.
For a large library, Apple permits a Photos Library on an external drive formatted APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Do not put the working Photos Library on a Time Machine volume, network share or ordinary USB flash drive. Follow Apple's move-library instructions and designate the moved library as the System Photo Library if you use iCloud Photos.
How to download from iCloud.com without changing file formats
Sign in at iCloud.com/photos, select up to 1,000 photos or videos, then choose More Download Options > Unmodified Originals for an archival copy. Repeat for the next batch and keep track of which dates or selections are complete.
Apple also offers Highest Resolution and Most Compatible. The latter is useful when you need JPEG or MP4/H.264 for easier playback, but save the original-format archive separately first. An unmodified original may differ from the edited appearance you see in Photos; export a rendered edited version as an additional copy when that edit matters to you.
Do not assume that the item count in an extracted folder will equal the Photos app count: Live Photos can include separate still and motion files, while metadata and sidecar files increase the file count. Compare dates, library coverage and representative media as well.
Keep Live Photos, metadata and capture dates usable
A Live Photo may be represented by a still image and a short video. Keep related files together with their original names during the first backup. Do not delete CSV, XMP or other accompanying files simply because they are not viewable photos; the exact set of sidecars depends on the export and may help with dates or other information later.
The filesystem's created date can reflect extraction or copying rather than the moment a photo was taken. Look at embedded EXIF or video metadata first. If it is missing, inspect Apple's accompanying records and their documentation before attempting a bulk timestamp repair. Keep a pristine copy so an organizer cannot overwrite your only archive.
After verification, an organizer such as digiKam can help group files by capture date. Test a small copied folder first, especially with paired Live Photo files and duplicate names.
What to check before deleting anything from iCloud
- Every requested archive part is present and extracts without errors.
- The date range and approximate library size make sense; compare the Photos library count while allowing for extra Live Photo and sidecar files.
- Open random old and recent photos, RAW/HEIC files, long 4K videos and several Live Photos.
- Check that important edits, album organization and Shared Library content you expect are represented; a file export may not recreate the Photos app's organization exactly.
- Copy the verified archive to a second independent drive or another separate backup destination. Test files from that copy too.
iCloud Photos syncs changes; it is not a separate historical backup. Apple says deleting a photo on one synced device deletes it everywhere, with a typical 30-day Recently Deleted recovery period. Photos synced to iCloud Photos are also not duplicated in the normal iCloud device backup. If you want to reduce the export size by removing large videos, back up those videos first—or accept that you are deleting them from the synced library.
For a broader device backup before a software update or phone switch, see ZEERA's iPhone backup guide. A device backup and an independent photo archive solve different recovery problems.
FAQ
Can I download my entire iCloud Photos library on a Windows PC?
Yes. Apple's Data & Privacy request can deliver the selected iCloud Photos data for download on a Mac or Windows PC. You can also use iCloud.com in batches; the web selection limit is 1,000 at a time.
How long do I have to download an Apple data export?
Apple says the files stay available for 14 days after the request is ready. Request preparation itself has no guaranteed seven-day completion time in Apple's current public instructions.
Will deleting photos from my iPhone free iCloud space without affecting the backup?
If iCloud Photos is enabled, deletion syncs to iCloud and your other synced devices. A completed, verified copy on a separate drive remains independent; make that copy before deleting.
Why do my downloaded photos show today's file date?
The file system may assign the extraction date. Check embedded capture metadata and any accompanying export records before changing dates in bulk.
Do I need both the Photos Library and an exported folder?
Not always. A Mac Photos Library is convenient for continuing to use Photos, while a separate file export is easier to inspect and copy across systems. For important archives, a second independent copy matters more than keeping two formats on the same drive.
Related ZEERA guides
- How to Back Up Your iPhone Before Updating iOS
- Should You Update to iOS 27?
- iOS 27 Update Requested: What to Do
- iPhone Duo and iOS 27.2 Beta Backup Compatibility
- Siri AI Storage: Is 256 GB Enough?
- How to Fix iPhone 18 Pro Camera Glare and Lens Flare
Apple guidance checked September 27, 2026: download iCloud Photos, request Apple data, iCloud Photos syncing and deletion, external Mac Photos library.
