How to access iCloud Photos

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Written by Alina
Updated on February 5, 2025

Why do we love Apple? There are many reasons, but one of the main ones is the ecosystem. iCloud Photos is part of that system. It was created to store and synchronize all your photos and videos between devices. Sounds great, but there are often questions regarding this cloud place: where your media files are stored, why they are sometimes inaccessible, and how to download them without restrictions or transfer them to your computer.

Like any feature, cloud storage has nuances that make it difficult to enjoy iCloud Photos fully: photos are not always uploaded in full resolution, it’s hard to figure out how to save them in local storage, and at the same time, the internet should always work.

In any case, you shouldn’t be afraid of iCloud Photos. In this article, I’ll explain how it works, why you need to see it on your PC, and how to access iCloud Photos with CopyTrans Studio.



How do iCloud Photos work, and where are your photos stored?

There is a cloud infrastructure for storing your media files, which is what iCloud Photos uses. A photo goes through several stages before it ends up in the cloud:

  • You take a photo, which is saved to your device’s local memory, meaning it first stays in your iPhone’s Photos folder.
  • Synchronization – iOS checks your internet connection (Wi-Fi is preferred, but you can use mobile networks, too) and sends the file to iCloud.
  • Storage Optimization – When “Optimize iPhone Storage” is enabled in your settings, Apple replaces the original photos with smaller versions while the full-size copies remain in the cloud.
  • Access via other devices – when you open Photos on a Mac, iPad, or iPhone with the same Apple ID, the files are downloaded from iCloud.
  • Deletion syncs – if you delete a photo on one device, it disappears everywhere else (unless you restore it within 30 days).

Why do we need to know these technical details? It helps us understand why sometimes photos take a long time to upload, don’t display at full resolution, or are unavailable without the internet.



Why to access iCloud Photos

iCloud Photos is well thought out and user-friendly, but sometimes there are problems and bugs. Here are some main reasons you might need access to iCloud Photos.

  • Backup as a security measure: iCloud is not a full backup tool. If a photo is deleted from iCloud, it disappears from all devices associated with that Apple ID. Crashes, synchronization errors, or accidental deletions can occur, causing you to lose important files without recovery. Therefore, keeping local copies of your photos on your computer is important.
  • Free space on your device: even if you have iCloud connected and storage optimization activated, your iPhone may still run out of storage space. It is because the system stores cached versions of photos, and deleting them manually can cause you to lose files in the entire cloud. In addition, the free iCloud plan only provides 5GB of storage. And there are two options here: buy extra space or look for alternative storage methods.
  • Editing and working with images: photographers, designers, and bloggers often need to work with full-size images. However, downloading individual files from iCloud is a long and inconvenient process, as the system uploads photos in a compressed format and limits bulk uploads. In addition, when editing photos stored in iCloud, you may have problems re-synchronizing changes.
  • Transfer to other platforms: Apple creates a closed ecosystem that works best on the company’s devices. If you want to transfer photos to Windows or an external drive or upload them to another cloud storage (Google Drive or Dropbox), Apple’s standard methods won’t work for you and will complicate the process. Many users face problems with format incompatibility and difficulty downloading files without losing quality.


How to access iCloud Photos on PC?

CopyTrans Studio is specialized software that allows you to see and save your iCloud photos without Apple restrictions. Unlike standard methods, it gives you full access to iCloud Photos on PC.

Why choose CopyTrans Studio to access iCloud Photos?

  • No limitations. Unlike standard Apple tools, CopyTrans Studio allows you to download all your iCloud photos at once in a couple of clicks.
  • Convenient management. You can see your files in a familiar format and not depend on unstable iCloud synchronization.
  • Work with files without the internet. Having downloaded photos once, you can use them without the need for constant connection to the cloud.
  • Fully original photos. No quality loss, which is especially important for photographers and professional users.

So, how to access iCloud photos and save them on PC?

  1. Download and install CopyTrans Studio.
    Download now 
  2. Open the program and choose your iPhone, then click on Photo Library.
    3. Open iPhone gallery on Windows
  3. Now, you are in the program’s main window and have access to your entire photo library. Scroll down and open the iCloud Photos Folder:
  4. You can drag and drop some photos or the whole iCloud folder onto your PC.


Why are files sometimes inaccessible?

Sometimes, users face a situation where their photos or videos are not available on the device even if they are synchronized with iCloud. There are various reasons for this:

  • Not enough space on the device. When there’s not enough memory on your device, iCloud automatically downloads only a preview of the image, and you need an internet connection to download the original.
  • Internet connection problems. If your connection is unstable, files may not download or may not display in full resolution.
  • The Photos app has not synchronized with iCloud. Sometimes synchronization is incomplete, and files do not appear on all devices simultaneously.

Conclusion

iCloud Photos is a great way to store your photos, but it has serious limitations that affect file accessibility, backup, and media management. To avoid dependence on the cloud and get full control over your photos, you should use alternative solutions such as CopyTrans Studio.

This tool allows you to download files of their original quality, manage your entire collection without restrictions and save time. If you want to have full access to your photos without relying on Apple’s standard mechanisms, CopyTrans Studio is the best choice.