How do I send photos without an iCloud link?

Just to clarify, there is no Drag and Drop on an iPhone.

See here for how send pictures in a Message from an iPhone: Send photo, video, or audio messages on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

You just need to select the photo from the photos app you want to send. Not sure what you are doing to get an iCloud Link, unless you are trying to send the from the iCloud website directly.

If you explain what you are doing exactly, someone may be able to offer more specific help.

The people you send them to can download the photos to their device or computer, so the end result is that they have the photos where they choose to save them. The photos are not on the message, so they can't keep them permanently there, but they can keep them permanently in a different location.

Best,

GB

Yes, I read that in your second post, and responded to that on page 1. I don't know why the link wouldn't be loading for anyone you send it to. Are you sending the message to multiple people and do they have a mix of iPhones and Androids?

If so, I would suggest that you contact iCloud Support (iCloud - Official Apple Support), or if you have a store nearby, make a Genius appointment and take it in so they can take a look.

Best,

GB

Unless the picture was in iCloud but not downloaded to the iPhone, I don't understand why it would create a link to it instead of actually sending it.

It's not something I've ever seen happen.

Does it happen with every picture? Or just some of them?

Are the people you are sending the message to, actually getting the link (either shared.icloud.com, or iCloud link available with a > to the right)?

When they tap on that, it should automatically go to an iCloudwebsite that allows them to select and download whichever photos they wish. On iOS 12, it should also say what the "expiration date" for the link is, so they know how much time they have to download the photos if they wish.

The only way to send them the "old fashioned way" is to turn off iCloud Photos. This is only happening in iOS 12. If you send multiple photos in iOS 11, even with iCloud Photo Library (iCloud Photos in iOS 12) turned on.

I tested this, and as soon as I turned off iCloud Photos in iOS 12, then it sent it the way we are used to.

So, it seems to be a combination of iCloud Photos and iOS 12. If you have both, then it sends multiple photos with a link instead of sending the photos. Go figure....

Best,

GB

gail from maine wrote:

...

So, it seems to be a combination of iCloud Photos and iOS 12. If you have both, then it sends multiple photos with a link instead of sending the photos. Go figure....

Best,

GB

Good to know. I don't use iCloud Photo Library so never would have come across this. Thanks for the heads up.

Phil0124 wrote:

gail from maine wrote:

...

So, it seems to be a combination of iCloud Photos and iOS 12. If you have both, then it sends multiple photos with a link instead of sending the photos. Go figure....

Best,

GB

Good to know. I don't use iCloud Photo Library so never would have come across this. Thanks for the heads up.

Me neither, but turned it on to test this to see if it might be involved since I wasn't running into the issue at all on my iOS 12 device. You are welcome!

GB

I’m having the same issue. It’s very frustrating. I don’t want a link that expires. I want the photos sent. There doesn’t seem to be any option to change this unless you painstakingly send them one by one.

This may be expected behavior as per

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209035

How about as an email attachment.

You can also attach to messages.