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To turn on iCloud Photos, open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud > Photos, and switch on Sync this iPhone. Your iPhone will begin syncing its photo library with iCloud when the setting is enabled.
Turn on iCloud Photos
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Tap your name at the top of Settings to open your Apple Account settings.
- Tap iCloud, then Photos.
- Turn on Sync this iPhone.
The Photos control may be grouped or labeled slightly differently in some iOS versions. If the screen differs, look in your iCloud settings for the Photos sync control. To make the same library available on another Apple device, turn on iCloud Photos separately on that device as well. Apple’s setup instructions describe the current iPhone path.
What happens after you enable syncing?
Your iPhone uploads its photos and videos to iCloud, and the library can stay in sync across devices signed in to the same Apple Account with iCloud Photos enabled. Changes sync too: Apple says that edits made in Photos on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac are automatically updated across your devices. See Set up and use iCloud Photos.
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iCloud Photos is a synchronized library, not an independent backup for each device. If you delete a photo or video on one device while iCloud Photos is enabled, it is also deleted from the other devices using that same synced library. Apple explains how to access and view iCloud Photos.
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Choose how photos are stored on your iPhone
After enabling sync, choose whether to keep full-resolution originals on the iPhone or save device space. The setting may appear under iPhone Storage in current iOS instructions; on some versions, the options appear directly in Photos settings.
| Setting | Where full-resolution originals are kept | Effect on iPhone storage |
|---|---|---|
| Optimize iPhone Storage | In iCloud; the iPhone can keep smaller, space-saving versions when needed. | Uses less device storage, particularly when the library is large. |
| Download and Keep Originals | In iCloud and on the iPhone. | Requires enough free iPhone storage for the originals. |
These options affect local storage, not the main sync switch. Apple’s photo and video storage guidance describes the choices.
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Check iCloud space and sync progress
Make sure there is enough iCloud storage
Apple says a new iCloud account includes 5 GB of storage. It is shared by Photos, backups, iCloud Drive, and other iCloud services, so less than 5 GB may be available for your photo library. If iCloud storage is full, new photos and videos will not upload. You can free space or consider iCloud+; see Manage iCloud storage on your Apple device.
Allow syncing to finish
The initial upload can take time. Apple says the duration depends on the size of your library and your internet speed, so there is no reliable fixed completion time. Check the library status in the Photos app to see whether syncing is still underway. Depending on your software version and library state, Photos may also offer controls to pause or resume uploading.
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Check iPhone storage if you keep originals
If you selected Download and Keep Originals, confirm that the iPhone has enough available space. If it does not, choose Optimize iPhone Storage to keep originals in iCloud while using smaller versions on the device when needed.
Quick Recap
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