iCloud is the cloud storage service owned by Apple. There you can host everything from documents, notes, backup copies of applications and, of course, the photos that we have. Likewise, iCloud allows you to view these photos -and almost all their content- on any computer. That is why we are going to leave you with a small guide to all the options you have to view iCloud photos.
iCloud is a service that, when you purchase an Apple product, rewards you with 5 GB free in your particular cloud. Also, if you need more space, you only have to contract a premium plan -you have the options of 50 GB, 200 GB or 1 TB of space-. And their prices are: 0.99 euros, 2.99 euros and 9.99 euros, per month. However, what interests us is learn about the different ways to view iCloud photos, whether from your phone, tablet, computer, or browser.
Enabling iCloud sync with photos
Well, the truth is that with the arrival of smart phones on the market and with increasingly better cameras, the use of photos has increased. That is why we usually carry a large library of photographs taken from our mobile. However, it is best to make backup copies or be able to access them from anywhere. And as we have already mentioned, iCloud is the solution that Apple gives you to order and keep all these photographs safe.
Turn on iCloud sync on iPhone and iPad
So, the best thing you can do is turn on iCloud sync with your photos. How is it done? Very simple. Follow the steps below from an iPhone or iPad:
- Go into Settings of the iPhone or iPad
- Click on your name -which will make enter your Apple ID–
- Look for the optioniCloud‘ in the menu and click on it
- You will see that a new menu opens and you only have to turn on photo sync -and whatever you want-
Turn on iCloud sync on a computer with macOS
In the case of a Mac computer -laptop or desktop-, you must do the following:
- Click on the apple symbol in the top bar menu
- Choose the option ‘System configuration‘
- Now choose the option ‘Apple ID‘ and enter your credentials if prompted
- Choose iCloud and it will turn on automatically. Now you must select which services you want to synchronize. Photos will be one of the options
Turn on iCloud sync with a Windows computer
Although iCloud is a service that only works directly with Apple devices. However, in the case of a Windows computer, you must do the following:
- The first thing you should do is download iCloud from the Microsoft Store app store
- Once installed on your Windows computer, open the application
- You will see that they ask for your Apple ID credentials. Fill in the gaps and click OK
- Once inside it will ask you to choose the services you want to sync with your Windows-based computer
How to view iCloud photos in any scenario
Once we have synchronized our photos on any computer that we have, it is time to view the content that we store on all the computers. Although rather, what we have achieved with the previous activation is to be able to access all the photos that we have in our library or photo library from any device.
Where to see iCloud photos on an iPhone or iPad
As you may have imagined, all the photos you have to your credit, will be available from the ‘Photos’ application on your mobile device. Even if you have created different folders (WhatsApp, screenshots, Instagram, etc.), all the photos you have synchronized will appear in ‘Photo Library’ or in albums, ‘Recent’. There you can check that all your photos are available.
Where to see iCloud photos on a Mac
Well, just like Apple’s mobile devices, their computers work the same way. As you well know, you also have a ‘Photos’ application on your Mac. It will be there where you will find all the stored photos. That is, if you take a photo with the iPhone -or with the iPad-, the capture will automatically be synchronized with iCloud and will be available on the rest of the equipment. And it is that Apple made sure to make things easy for its users.
Where to see iCloud photos on a Windows computer
Even if you downloaded the iCloud app from the Microsoft Store, This is only used to be able to synchronize all the data you want with your Windows computer. Therefore, if we are talking about photos, Windows has its own Photos application in the main menu. You will see that the photos you have in iCloud have already been synchronized with your computer and you can access them completely locally.
Where to see iCloud photos if I don’t have a device available with the different alternatives above
There is a remote coincidence that you do not have any of your equipment at that moment: neither a computer, nor an iPhone nor an iPad. What happens then? Well, you will also have a solution. What’s more, if you are more than software libre and you are using a Linux distro, this option is also yours.
What do we mean? Well using a web browser – is compatible with all of them. If you did not know, it is also possible to access iCloud from a browser. In other words, the cloud storage service also has its own website. When entering it, we will be asked for our Apple ID credentials and to confirm that it is us through one of our computers. Once all this is ready, do the following:
- Enter the iCloud page
- Enter your Apple ID and password
- Confirm that it is you with the key that has been sent to one of your devices
- Once inside you will have a small operating systemvery familiar to what you would see on Apple devices and there you will find your photos synchronized and stored
All this will also depend on the space you have contracted in iCloud. Remember that the minimum storage is 5 GB and they are free. And contracted any of the plans, you can have up to 2 TB of space.