How do you select multiple photos in iCloud?

You're absolutely right and it seems this is what Apple want you to do too. BUT... and a big but here. Selecting and downloading all your photo/document using the application DOES NOT delete it from the cloud storage. So if you paid $60/year for unlimited storage from Amazon and you only need the .99 cent 50GB as a backup so you can transfer it to your Amazon, it does not work.

Selecting and downloading all your photo/document using the application DOES NOT delete it from the cloud storage.

Right. iCloud Photo Library is meant for syncing across all your devices. If you want to use it to transfer photos, you can download to a photos library on your Mac, export from the library to a folder in the Finder, then delete the photos from the Photos Library and that will delete it from iCloud as well. You can have more than one Photos Library - one for syncing and transferring photos with iCloud, and one as a local archive.

It was and now not is intended as a "convenient storage" facility. iCloud Photo Library is a sharing service. The intent of the service is to have a common location for a full-resolution library that all of your iOS devcie and comptuers can access. They, too, have that entire library - just not all in full res. The point is, however, that the library is a shared library, and anything that you do anywhere is updated everywhere.

So, it is meant to provide a convenient structure which is a virtual "single source" library. That library is not protected from having items in it deleted, edited, or updated. It is fully accessible, and any action propagates to all satellites of that library.

If you want a convenient storage facility, you should use either the Photos Library on your Mac, an external archival cloud service like Dropbox or Flikr, or keep a current copy of your photos on an external source.

Cheers,

GB

iCloud is not main access ? Are you kidding? It is 'Cloud'. Cloud should offer the function to download and upload files with minimum difficulties, that is what cloud is for. On the other hand, iCloud is now specifically designed to upload files, which is super easy structure to request its users to upgrade their storage.

Moreover, iCloud was known for its syncing mechanism, I admit it too, that's why I use them. But in this multi-connected devices system, a device with limited storage becomes full in very short time. Then you need the system to pull every files out easily and clear them all. And iCloud does not offer this function!! It is major malfunction I should say. I take a picture with my iphone, ipad and my DSLR to move them to MacBook. Storage gets full easily. And there is great option to replace images in device with optimized version. Then the originals only place in iCloud. And I cannot get them out !!! The only options left for me then is moving photos one by one at a time-which costs at least few days to do it- and the other is constantly upgrading iCloud storage.

I should say this can be major reason that I change whole system from Mac&iOS to Win&Android. Apple should work on it. They should make system easy and light, intuitive like they always do. iCloud system is a vulgar trick. It's not right, it's not good. It not only wastes users time, but also hinders their system DOF.

ok, can you tell me just one way to back up files in icloud? The way to minimize icloud storage i mean, if there were already 30k photos in the cloud?

There is none.

Sorry but you are coming up with whole weird abstractive idea, like it wasn't designed that way and for stability it does not offer such option.

'Select all' is the simplest function of all. But even in device level, apple does not offer such option. If the stability were the problem, they shouldn't offer multiple selecting function even in a device too, as that can affect to other devices.

And I just want to ask, are you the developer of iCloud or something? why do you define(or limit) icloud as just syncing assisting program and insist that opinion to others? 'You should use other backup cloud' is that the start and the end of your opinion? Users have right to complain the difficulties they encounter while using the software. Why do 'you' define the system from the first place? After long research, do you find it impossible to download all the files without bug occurred ? If not, on what basis, do you ignore the difficulties other users have and act like a minion?

I am a user just like you. And your post does not make any sense to me. I was simply explaining to you how iCloud works. It is not my "opinion", it is how it is.

I provided you with alternatives that will do what it is you want. iCloud doesn't do that. Again, iCloud, and iCloud Photo Library are syncing services. Period. Ask Apple about it, or better yet, let them know how you would like them to change it. In the mean time, that is how it works.

As has been discussed multiple times in this thread (especially the last few pages), the Select All feature seems to have been removed with the recent updates to the web services for iCloud. We don't know why. But several of the people who know the most about using iCloud Photo Library have provided workarounds for the time being. So, take a little time to read through the options they have provided.

You have not explained what it is that you are looking for, exactly. You uploaded your photos to iCloud Photo Library, and now you want to download all of them. So, again, find the workarounds that have been provided if you want to do that. But for now, there is no "Select All". Let Apple know if you don't like it.

Not sure what you mean by "stability issue". That has not come up in the discussion at all. It just is what it is.

GB

sorry but that is your opinion. Apple never clearly defined what iCloud is, and what it has to be. And if it were merely syncing system, why would they offer download function from the first place? for service so we should be thank to? Do you know what cloud is?

and I never asked you to provide alternatives, I knew those things. I was talking about serious problem iCloud has right now and you seem having no idea either. Again, can you tell me how to minimize icloud photo library storage where all the original images are gathered from several devices? Is there a way to backup all the images one 'already' took or captured in their personal storage? No.

You just repeat what you did say. 'It is what it is.' Yes, it is what it is. Who doesn't know that? And that's the end for you and that's the problem for me.

Again, using backup cloud is not solution, it's precaution.

Tell me plz how to backup all the original images in iCloud

that one already gathered,

from several devices

over 100GB

to one's personal storage.

if iCloud is about to function as 'Cloud', that should offer appropriate downloading system.

Once that is connected, as you say it becomes the primary source and the device becomes secondary, the satellites.

And the SOURCE-the database- does not offer back up system.

Can't you understand the problem?

I mean, this is so simple at the same time so serious.

'You should have made another backup system'

Do you think most of users try to use another cloud while they are using one cloud?

And did apple offer complete information about the characteristics of iCloud? No.

They even changed the system, as you mentioned, " 'Select All' disappeared by the reason we don't know "

if iCloud is about to function as 'Cloud', that should offer appropriate downloading system.

Once that is connected, as you say it becomes the primary source and the device becomes secondary, the satellites.

And the SOURCE-the database- does not offer back up system.

Can't you understand the problem?

You are trying to impose "your" opinion of what cloud is.

Again, iCloud may not be what you want.

Tell Apple what you are looking for, not us.

Ive been an apple user for years. Ive always known innovation was most important in the apple culture.

This change and inflexibility are the opposite of innovation. Jobs liked simple, this is now just annoying. I will be switching companies if apple doesn't innovate as well as the next company.

Hi. I tried your solution. After selecting all photos and download, I can't find where the files downloaded to as it didn't allow me to choose a destination. They're not in the downloads folder nor on the desktop. Where are they?

Selecting moments as if you're going to add them to a new album is the only way that worked for me on Windows.

I did get the crash once though, I guess if I'd given it a little more time it would have been ok. End of the day, you can do this method on the iPhone too so you might as well just use the device unless you can't at the moment for some reason.

Apple obviously removed function because they want you to keep photos on iCloud/pay for storage. V annoying.

Or, because users complained, that Safari opened hundreds of panels asking which action to take with the selected photo after downloading it - for each of the selected photos one dialog window. Some users crashed their system this way, if they did not disable this prompt before trying to download multiple photos at once.

The answer is obvious - Apple want you to pay to keep iCloud storage. They don't want you downloading and saving everything to your computer, they want you to continue keep using and paying for iCloud storage.

Also, if you have turned iCloud photo library turned on on your iPhone, as I have, then you cannot import the photos to you computer; you must turn off iCloud photo library first. Which you can't do if you have a 16 GB phone and the storage is full. Unless you don't mind deleting your iCloud photo library without ever saving it to a computer.