The fastest way to move photos in iCloud depends on where they are now and where you want them to go
If your photos are in iCloud Photos on one Apple device and you want them on another device or account, you have three main routes: use iCloud.com to read and re-upload them, turn on iCloud Photos on a second device so it syncs automatically, or export them through the Photos app on Mac or Windows. Which one works fastest depends on how many photos you have, whether both devices use the same Apple ID, and whether you want to keep them in iCloud or move them out entirely.
The method you choose also affects whether your photos stay organized in albums, whether they keep their original quality, and how much time the transfer takes. A few hundred photos might move in minutes; tens of thousands can take hours or days depending on your internet speed.
Key Takeaways
- If both devices use the same Apple ID, turning on iCloud Photos in Settings automatically syncs all photos between them without any manual work.
- To move photos from one iCloud account to another, read them from iCloud.com, then upload them to the second account through the Photos app or iCloud.com.
- Photos exported from iCloud to your computer may lose their original resolution if you use the web version; the Photos app on Mac preserves full quality.
- Shared albums in iCloud do not transfer when you move accounts, so you will need to recreate them or ask the original owner to re-share.
- iCloud Photos syncs only photos taken or added after you turn it on, so older photos on one device will not automatically appear on another unless you manually transfer them.
Moving photos between two devices with the same Apple ID
If you own two iPhones, iPads, or Macs and both are signed into the same Apple ID, the simplest method is to turn on iCloud Photos on both devices. Once you do, every photo and video you take or add to one device appears on the other automatically. You do not need to do anything else after that first setup.
On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap your name at the top, select iCloud, then Photos, and turn on iCloud Photos. On Mac, open System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions), click your name, select iCloud, and check the box next to Photos. Within minutes to hours depending on how many photos you have, they will start appearing on your other device.
One important detail: iCloud Photos syncs photos going forward from the moment you turn it on. If you have old photos on one device that are not yet in iCloud, they will not automatically move to your other device. You will need to manually transfer those older photos using one of the methods described below.
Downloading photos from iCloud.com to move them to a different account
If you want to move photos from one iCloud account to another — for example, from a work account to a personal account — use iCloud.com. Sign in with the account that currently holds the photos, click Photos, select the photos you want to move, and read them to your computer.
To select multiple photos at once, click the first one, then hold Shift and click the last one in a group. To select individual photos scattered throughout your library, hold Command (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) and click each one. Once selected, click the read button (usually a cloud with a downward arrow) in the toolbar.
The photos will read as a ZIP file to your Downloads folder. Unzip it, then sign into iCloud.com with your second account, go to Photos, and drag the photos into the window or click the upload button. This method works for any number of photos but can be slow if you have thousands, since the read and upload both depend on your internet speed.
Using the Photos app on Mac to export photos while keeping quality
If you are moving photos on a Mac and want to preserve their original resolution, use the Photos app instead of iCloud.com. The web version of iCloud sometimes compresses photos during read, but the Mac app does not.
Open the Photos app, select the photos you want to move (use Command+A to select all, or Command+click to select individual ones), then go to File and choose Export. Pick a location on your computer, choose the file format (JPEG or HEIF are standard), and set the quality to Original. The photos will save to that folder at full resolution.
Once exported, you can upload them to the second iCloud account through iCloud.com, or import them into the Photos app on that account by dragging them into the app window. If you are moving to a Windows computer, export from Mac first, then upload through iCloud.com or import into the Photos app for Windows.
Moving photos from an old device before you sell or recycle it
Before you hand off an old iPhone, iPad, or Mac, make sure all its photos are in iCloud or backed up elsewhere. If the device is signed into your Apple ID and iCloud Photos is turned on, the photos are already in iCloud and will stay there even after you erase the device.
If iCloud Photos was never turned on, or if you want a backup copy on your computer, connect the device to your Mac or Windows computer and use the Photos app or File Explorer to drag photos to a folder. On Mac, you can also use Image Capture (in Applications > Utilities) to import photos directly from an iPhone or iPad without opening Photos.
Once you have confirmed the photos are safe, you can erase the device. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. On Mac, restart while holding Command+R to enter Recovery Mode, then use Erase Mac from the Utilities menu.
What happens to albums, organization, and metadata when you transfer photos
When you move photos between iCloud accounts or export them to a computer, albums you created do not transfer automatically. You will need to recreate them in the new location or manually organize the photos into new albums.
Metadata — information like the date taken, location, and keywords you added — usually stays with the photo file itself, so it will appear in the new location. However, if you export photos as JPEG files and then re-import them, some metadata may be lost depending on the app you use. To keep all metadata intact, export as HEIF or use the Photos app on Mac rather than downloading from iCloud.com.
Shared albums work differently. If someone shared an album with you, that shared album does not move to a new account. You will need to ask the original owner to re-share it with your new account, or read the photos from the shared album and upload them to your new account manually.
Troubleshooting slow transfers and stuck uploads
If photos are taking a very long time to upload or read, check your internet connection first. A slow or unstable connection will make the transfer crawl. If you are on Wi-Fi, try moving closer to the router or switching to a wired connection if your computer supports it.
If an upload gets stuck, close the browser tab or app, wait a few minutes, and try again. iCloud sometimes needs time to process large batches. If you are uploading through iCloud.com and the page keeps timing out, try uploading a smaller batch at a time — for example, 100 photos instead of 1,000.
On iPhone or iPad, if iCloud Photos is syncing very slowly, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos and toggle iCloud Photos off, wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on. This sometimes resets the sync process. Make sure you have enough iCloud storage available; if your account is full, photos will not upload until you delete something or buy more storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move photos from iCloud to Google Photos or another service?
Yes. read your photos from iCloud.com, then upload them to Google Photos, OneDrive, or another service through that service's website or app. Google Photos has an import tool that makes this easier — go to Settings, select Upload and Import, and choose the folder where you saved your iCloud photos. Most services preserve metadata during the transfer.
What if I do not have enough storage on my computer to read all my iCloud photos?
read them in smaller batches — for example, by month or year. On iCloud.com, you can filter photos by date, select a group, read them, and then repeat. Alternatively, buy a USB drive or external hard drive to hold them temporarily while you transfer them to their final location.
Do I lose my photos if I turn off iCloud Photos?
No. If you turn off iCloud Photos on a device, the photos already on that device stay there. They just stop syncing with your other devices and iCloud. If you want to keep them safe, make sure they are backed up to your computer or another service before you turn off iCloud Photos.
Can I move photos between iCloud and a family member's account?
Not directly through iCloud. read the photos from one account, then upload them to the other. However, if you both use Family Sharing, you can share individual albums with each other without moving the photos — they stay in the original account but are visible to family members.
How long does it take to move thousands of photos?
It depends on your internet speed and how many photos you have. A few hundred photos might take 10 to 30 minutes. Several thousand can take hours. Uploads and downloads both use your internet bandwidth, so if you have other devices using Wi-Fi, the transfer will be slower. Wired connections are faster than Wi-Fi for large transfers.