Q: Photos on icloud not downloading to laptop

Good morning katec1602,

I understand you are trying to download photos from your iPhone to your PC.  Has this worked for you in the past, or are you just setting it up for the first time?   

The resources below explain how to set up iCloud for Windows and iCloud Photo Library so that the photos and videos you take on your iPhone will automatically download to your PC.

What is iCloud for Windows?

Here's what you need to use iCloud for Windows

Before you get started, set up iCloud on your Apple devices. Just follow the instructions for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 5 or later.  Then you can set up iCloud on your PC.

 

What you can do with iCloud for Windows

• Safely store your photos and videos in iCloud. With iCloud Photo Library, any new photos and videos that you take on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch automatically download to your PC. And you can upload new photos and videos from your PC so that you can access them from your other devices too.

Set up and use iCloud for Windows

Set up iCloud for Windows

You need to download and install iCloud for Windows before you can start using it.

1. Download iCloud for Windows. If it doesn't install automatically, go to File Explorer and open iCloud Setup.
2. Restart your computer.
3. Make sure iCloud for Windows is open. If it doesn't open automatically, go to Start, open Apps or Programs, and open iCloud for Windows.
4. Enter your Apple ID to sign in to iCloud.
5. Choose the features and content that you want to keep up to date across your devices.
   
   
    
6. Click Apply.

Download your photos and share with friends

When you turn on Photos, iCloud for Windows creates a Photos folder in File Explorer called iCloud Photos. iCloud Photo Library uploads new photos and videos you add to the iCloud Photos Uploads folder on your PC so you can view them in the Photos app on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac, and on iCloud.com. New photos and videos you take automatically download from iCloud Photo Library and you can choose to download your entire collection by year. And iCloud Photo Sharing lets you view, share, and comment on the photos and videos you share with other people.
 

You can also use these steps to find your photos on your PC:

• Windows 8.1 or later: From the Start screen, click the down arrow in the bottom-left corner, then click the iCloud Photos app.
• Windows 8: From the Start screen, select iCloud Photos.
• Windows 7: Click the Windows Start button, then click Pictures. Click iCloud Photos or Photo Stream under the Favorites menu in the panel on the left. Double-click My Photo Stream to view your photos. This also shows up as a folder in the window that appears.

Set up and use iCloud Photo Library on your Windows PC

Turn on iCloud Photo Library

1. Download iCloud for Windows.
2. Open iCloud for Windows.
3. Next to Photos, click Options.
4. Select iCloud Photo Library.
5. Click Done, then click Apply.
6. Turn on iCloud Photo Library on all of your Apple devices.

 

You can also choose to use My Photo Stream and iCloud Photo Sharing, and customize the location of your upload and download folders.

After you turn on iCloud Photo Library, you can add iCloud for Windows to your status bar to see the progress of your uploads and downloads. Right click on the status bar in Windows Explorer and enable iCloud for Windows. 

When you turn on iCloud Photo Library on your PC, My Photo Stream is turned off automatically. If you want to send new photos to your devices that don't use iCloud Photo Library, you can turn My Photo Stream back on.

 

Enjoy the rest of your day!