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User profile for user: AppleUser_Me
AppleUser_Me Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Does iCloud Photos support a Windows Explorer “Folder” structure

I have several thousand photos on my Windows laptop that I’ve organized over the years into individual Windows Explorer folders. For example, all Christmas photos are located in a separate folder named Christmas. Under that I have sub folders for each year. I’d like to now move all these photos...along with the folder structures...into iCloud via iCloud for Windows.


Is there any way to maintain this folder structure on the iCloud side? I really don’t want to have to create Albums on the iCloud side...and then go through the process of manually moving photos into them. Thanks!

Posted on May 14, 2020 7:20 AM

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User profile for user: AppleUser_Me
AppleUser_Me Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Posted on May 14, 2020 8:30 AM

Thanks Phil...I had a feeling I would have to re-create the same structure in iCloud Photos via Albums. Your suggestion to move the photos to Drive to maintain the folder structure is a good one. I’d like to just keep “photos” in Photos...and “files” in Drive...so maybe I’ll just spend the time to build out the same structure using Albums. Thanks again.


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User profile for user: AppleUser_Me
AppleUser_Me Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

May 14, 2020 8:30 AM in response to Phil0124

Thanks Phil...I had a feeling I would have to re-create the same structure in iCloud Photos via Albums. Your suggestion to move the photos to Drive to maintain the folder structure is a good one. I’d like to just keep “photos” in Photos...and “files” in Drive...so maybe I’ll just spend the time to build out the same structure using Albums. Thanks again.


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User profile for user: Phil0124
Phil0124
Community+ 2024
User level: Level 10
205,769 points

May 14, 2020 7:35 AM in response to AppleUser_Me

No. iCloud Photos uses the Apple Photos App structure, a central photos database, and albums to sort the photos into. As such you would have to upload the photos first, and recreate your folders as Albums in the Photos interface if you choose to use it.


See here: Set up and use iCloud Photos on your Windows PC - Apple Support


You can however, upload your folder structure directly to iCloud Drive instead. This will maintain all your folders as they are, and your photos can be accessible on Apple devices through the Files App.


Do note, that iCloud Photos, and iCloud Drive are syncing services. Anything you put there has a local copy on your computer, so you won't free up any space if that is your ultimate goal.

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Does iCloud Photos support a Windows Explorer “Folder” structure

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