Retrieving photos on Mac laptop from icloud.

Question

Retrieving photos on Mac laptop from icloud.

I have recently uploaded my photos from iPad to icloud. I'm trying to access these photos on my Mac desktop, but keep running in circles. When I click on icloud in Photos it tells me the photos are available in System Photo Library. I have no idea how to access this library: search in Finder comes up empty. The photo library under Picture takes me back to my regular Photo app and the icloud photos are not there. Icloud drive under "Location" doesn't have any of the photos either. "Learn more" is totally useless. How do I access icloud photos on my desktop?? I would appreciate any help.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 26.2

Posted on Dec 24, 2025 8:19 PM

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Answer 1

Dec 26, 2025 7:22 AM in response to Brooklyn Lion

Unlike with an iPhone or iPad, a Mac can have more than one Photos Library. The System Library is the Library that other apps, like Safari, can access for pictures, and only the one designated as the System Library can connect to iCloud.

If you have more than one Library, you can see their names and paths by closing Photos and option-clicking on the Photos icon to bring up the Library Chooser:

And, as muguy, says, you can change a Library to the System Library in Photos' Settings>General:

If you find that you have more Libraries than you want, you can use File>Import to bring pictures into the System Library from other ones. This imports the pictures, not albums or folders, so you may want use the Library with the most albums as the System Library, and import the pictures from the others.

Let us know how it goes…

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Answer 2

muguy

Level 10

91,196 points

Dec 24, 2025 8:43 PM in response to Brooklyn Lion

Only the system library can sync to iCloud. Go to photos - settings - iCloud and make the library the system library.

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