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How do I setup iCloud with Windows 10?

It looks like iCloud and Windows 10 are having a resource battle on my PC. I have an HP Pavilion g6 laptop, intel core i3 processor-2350 @2.3GHz, 4 GB RAM, 64 bit operating system using the newly released Windows 10 Home. iCloud is version 4.1.


On startup, everything boots up normally until iCloud loads up. Once iCloud loads up, the screen taskbar flashes in and out like when it loads up the first time, only it repeats the process to no end, until I open task manager and force the program to close by ending the task. This has happened every time so far. I turned off the abilities for both OneDrive and Google Drive to run on Startup, but that seems to have done nothing to prevent my PC's screen to constantly reload once iCloud begins to run.


The only item in iCloud that I synchronize with my PC is the Photo Stream, so I believe the problem has to do with Windows 10 and iCloud both vying to take control over my pictures. It looks like iCloud has lost the ability to access any of the folders on my computer because I'm receiving the message: "Photo Stream cannot be updated because you do not have permission to add files to the download folder" upon startup, which is nonsense because I'm the administrator and there are no other accounts. Also, when trying to choose a download folder through iCloud, by selecting options..., and attempting to change iCloud Photos Location in Photos Options, none of the folders can be selected or chosen "for iCloud Photos" - "OK" remains greyed out and cannot be clicked on for any of the folders in my pictures collection and I'm not about to Make any random New Folder.

Posted on Jul 30, 2015 6:10 PM

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12 replies

Oct 20, 2017 5:01 PM in response to kilroy1975

Hi, I tried this and immediately had windows flying @ me.


My screen goes nuts too and this message keeps flashing, used to be able to kill it by open task manager and killing iCloud photos but today it was iCloud folder (I believe) and I had to restart to get it to stop. Anyway the error message that keeps coming back from the bottom right hand side of the monitor is "upload folder for iCloud Photos has been moved or deleted. Open iCloud to pick a new folder."


So I tried your solution and this is what happened.

I can't even get back to the first one and they fly too fast to read them so I'll start on second one out of three that happens:


"Windows Security If you stop the propogation of permission settings, it might lead to an inconsistent state where objects have different settings. If you made this change by mistake, you should apply the correct permission settings immediately and the only choice give is OK."


The last error message is:

"Error Apply Security

An error occured while applying security information to C:\Users\my name\Pictures\iCloud Photos\Download

Failed to enumerate objects in the container. Access is denied." my choices are "Continue/Cancel" buttons


Help if you can please?!?!

Jul 31, 2015 3:35 AM in response to rudluc

And me. Apart from Explorer refreshing at an alarming rate, I also couldn't use the start, cortana or task view buttons. After uninstalling AVG anti-virus which I thought might be the cause, I noticed that the Icloud processes in Task Manager were running very high CPU. After uninstalling ICloud, everything was back to normal. A new, clean install of ICloud brought the problems back, so it's now gone till a new version arrives. TBH, won't miss it much as I only used it to set up screensaver images for my Apple TV, and have found it infuriatingly obtrusive in the past with my Outlook calendar(s).

Jul 31, 2015 3:54 AM in response to runcorun

I've got the same issue here too.

What's strange though is that after I upgraded my laptop (Alienware M15X) from Win 7 to Win 10 everything seemed to be working fine.

It was only after a few reboots and playing around with the new Windows 10 apps including the built in Photos app (which tried to library all my photos as soon as I opened it..without asking permission). I then did some other stuff for a while, then rebooted and low and behold I had the explorer go in to continual refresh loop when the start procedure got to running the icloud app in the task bar.


I too tried uninstalling and installing from fresh but no change.

You can leave it installed though as long as you untick the Photos bit in the icloud control panel. The other bits such as iCloud Drive work fine.


The error seems to imply a permissions problem but I'm logged in as an administrator and even tried changing the security settings for the icloud Photos folder.


Guess will have to wait for an update.

Jul 31, 2015 6:16 AM in response to runcorun

OK guys i believe I've fixed it/worked it out...


After uninstalling icloud control panel again and making sure I've deleted all references on explorer for iCloud photos folder and iCloud Drive folder and cleaned my registry, I then reinstalled iCloud control panel and after rebooting I signed into it and had the error pop up again but then I changed the default folder for where it sets where to put the iCloud photos....this was c:\users\yourusername\Pictures\iCloud Photos

but it seems windows 10 doesn't give permission to iCloud control panel to put anything within the Pictures folder.

So you need to create a folder under c:\users\yourusername\iCloud Photos

then point the iCloud control panel photos location to this folder and apply changes. It clears the error sign on the icloud ico in task bar and starts to download your photos to that folder from the cloud.


hope this helps.

Aug 1, 2015 7:25 PM in response to lastcoyote

Thanks. First attempt I thought it did not work because I had one picture left in the uploads folder (Pictures\iCloud photos\uploads), but I just restarted my pc, cut the entire iCloud Photos folder and pasted it in the new folder (c:\users\username\iCloud Photos), which completely moved everything out of the old destination and into the new destination. No more notifications, no more error symbol in the tray icon, and iCloud Photos works just like before.

Aug 3, 2015 9:16 AM in response to runcorun

After upgrading to Win 10 I was unable to open my icloud folder from my outlook calendar. After

reading a few posts, I simply opened my icloud app on my pc - disabled (unchecked) the icloud drive tab, then

enabled it again (checked the box) and saved. Voila - I could access my icloud calendar from my

outlook app on my pc. I did not do a remove and reinstall of the application. Hope this helps someone!

Aug 6, 2015 4:31 PM in response to runcorun

The problem is deep rooted in win 10 + OneDrive and I suspect is the new OneDrive is changing and overriding many of the security permissions each time the computer boots. I had the same problem, fixed it, had smooth operations for a few days and the same problem reoccurs a few days later. In my case, I installed win10 and log in with my Microsoft account and I notice some of the folders security permission changes, and it even happens to the picture folder on my Onedrive sync folder.


To test this, you just need to go to "This PC" then right click the Downloads folder and navigate from properties->Security and you may see the Microsoft account name you are logging in with is permitted to full control. Repeat this with the Documents and Pictures folder and this permission is missing. This is what caused iCloud to keep displaying error it can't access the Photostream folder as it does not even have permission.


To solve this either

  1. Create a sub folder in Downloads folder, open up icloud control panel and point it there or
  2. Right click on Pictures top level folder->Properties->Security->Edit-Add->Advance->Find Now->(FInd your microsoft acccount under name)->Okay->tick full control->Apply->Okay-Okay


Now open up icloud control panel, change the option on the Right of Photos->Change and select the folder where you want icloud to put the pictures in. Test your success by dragging a picture into any of the iCloud sub folders and it should work again.....and then fails after a few days when OneDrive tries to rules all the pictures & Documents folder again.

Aug 9, 2015 7:25 AM in response to lastcoyote

There is a simpler solution where you do not have to uninstall and reinstall and which allows the standard settings to be used. For many programs and games windows restrict write permissions. Change that and it works fine.


Open File Explorer

Click Pictures

Right Click iCloud Photos

Click Properties

Open the General tab

unclick read only

Open Security tab

Chose your HomeUsers profile (NOT the administrator profile, even if logged in as administrator, unless it is the only profile there)

Click Edit

Give full control

Apply and OK


No more startup resource battle.

How do I setup iCloud with Windows 10?

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