This didn't happen to me, but my friend
She got her phone stolen and all of her photos were backed up to the cloud, and she had a backup phone and logged into her icloud on that phone and laptop and none of the photos from her stolen phone were there. We don't know what to do, we know all her photos are in the cloud but we don't know how to access it.
iPhone XR
If passcode Use a passcode with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support and activation lock Activation Lock for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support was not enabled in iPhone the person who is now accessing it can delete photos from device itself Delete photos on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support
If your device is lost or stolen
If you ever misplace your device—whether it’s lost or you think it might have been stolen—you should immediately use Mark As Lost in the Find My app.
Mark As Lost locks your screen with a passcode and lets you display a custom message with your phone number to help you get it back. You can also remotely erase your device if needed. Your custom message continues to display even after the device is erased.
While Activation Lock works in the background to make it more difficult for someone to use or sell your missing device, Lost Mode clearly shows anyone who finds your device that it still belongs to you and can’t be reactivated without your password.
When I logged my icloud into another phone, my photos weren't there
