iCloud photos are going to a win zip file?

Why on earth did my lap top all the sudden start saving my photos to a win zip? Before I used to "select all" on a group of photos then hit the download button the cloud with a down arrow, and they would all save in my download folder individually. Well for some unknown reason all the sudden today they are grouping my photos in a winzip file when I select all. I'm getting very frustrated

Windows, Windows 6

Posted on Feb 25, 2019 7:11 AM

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29 replies

Mar 19, 2019 8:43 AM in response to Aime_winans

I have this problem too and have today been told by apple that it is a change in order to speed up the download process. I argued that it may well speed up the download process but we know have to go through a 6 step process just to get to the images in their raw state. 6 additional steps to view them how I did two weeks ago!

She advised I send feedback so, that if enough people did, it may get reversed but for now it is doing what it is supposed to do.

Please provide apple feedback and tell them you are unhappy.

Mar 4, 2019 2:07 PM in response to Aime_winans

This really makes quite a bit more work for downloading and using photos from iCloud for windows (to access photos from my iPhone).


Before:

  • Select photos
  • Click Download icon.
  • Done


Now:

  • Select files.
  • Click Download icon.

Files download in a .zip file.

  • Double-click .zip file to extract photo files.

The .zip file creates a subfolder as you extract the files.

  • Move the files to where you really want them to be (for me, Download folder).
  • Delete .zip file and subfolder.

Numerous additional steps.


Yes, I'm asking why, too. Apple is known for making things easier--this is a step in the wrong direction.




Mar 23, 2019 5:55 PM in response to zippy2019

I appreciate your answer, and certainly you are seeing this the way I have--that it creates several extra steps just to get to the image files. I will send my feedback--maybe yours along with it. I think this is a real step backwards.


Related: As to download speeds, are you aware that "Live photos" are much larger files than not-Live photos? IMO, the Live photo is sort of a gimmick--cool in a way, but usually not very useful and not worth the big leap in file size. Practically as soon as I started using Live photos--I started getting "storage full" messages. You can turn Live photos off.

Mar 28, 2019 9:31 AM in response to Keezl

At least you can download the individual photos. iCloud gives me a zip folder with a PART file, which means I have to take even more steps to access the photos. The ideal would be to be able to simply transfer the images from my Xr to my PC, like I used to be able to do with my 6 Plus. Is that no longer possible? Is this Apple's way to force us to use iCloud? Grrrr...

Aug 7, 2019 12:25 PM in response to TStras

I have just added feedback - it is riduculous and so frustrating!! I am going to move away from iphone and just hope another brand will be easier to access photos - I til 279 photos today at a work event and Winzip will not download in a format that I can open - it is a joke - I feel they are MY photos and Apple is deliberately interfering in me accessing them - really frustrating

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iCloud photos are going to a win zip file?

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