Apple is not only a manufacturer, but also a service provider. That may be why so many people are attracted by iPhone and other Apple products. iCloud, for example, is an important service for all iOS users to backup and transfer photos and other files. However, the complicated design of iCloud setup blocks may people to utilize iCloud photo backup feature.
This article will show you how to sync photos to iCloud from your iPhone running iOS 18/17/16/15 or earlier. What you need to do is to read our guide carefully and add the photos that captured by iPhone to your iCloud account.
- Part 1: How to Backup Photos to iCloud Automatically
- Part 2: How to Backup Photos to iCloud Manually
- Part 3: How to Backup Photos Using a Third-Party Tool as iCloud alternative
- Bonus: View iCloud Backup with iPhone Data Recovery
Part 1. How to Backup Photos to iCloud Automatically
iCloud is able to back up your photos to the server automatically. It is one of the biggest benefits of iCloud. Once you turn on the automatic backup option, your photos captured by iPhone will be uploaded to your iCloud account without more actions.
Step 1. Turn on your iPhone, run the Settings app, and tap on your name.
Step 2. Move to iCloud > Photos and enable iCloud Photo Library as well as My Photo Stream options.
Step 3. Then you will face two options, Optimize iPhone Storage and Download and Keep Originals. The former will decrease the photo size while retain the full resolution in iCloud. The latter will store photos on iPhone with the original resolution. Select one based on your situation.
Step 4. Back to the iCloud Settings screen, tap Backup and turn on iCloud Backup option.
Step 5. Next, go back to your home screen, open the Control Center and turn on Wi-Fi. Enter your Wi-Fi network credential, and your photos will be saved to iCloud immediately.
My Photo Stream is a dedicated backup functionality for iPhone photos. It will backup photos to iCloud but take up the space of your iCloud account. Moreover, do not forget to input iCloud password during the backup if it requires. (Forget iCloud password?)
Part 2: How to Backup Photos to iCloud Manually
Some people do not like iCloud’s automatic photo backup functionality, which may eat up iCloud storage quickly. Of course, users are allowed to manage their photos and then add them to iCloud manually.
Step 1. Also, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and connect iPhone to your Wi-Fi network.
Step 2. Head to iCloud in Settings app, turn on the data types you intend to move to iCloud and tap Backup.
Step 3. Put the switch of iCloud Backup to the On position and tap Back Up Now.
Step 4. It may take half an hour to several hours to complete the process. Next, locate Settings > iCloud > Storage > Manage Storage > Backups and check if your photos are saved to iCloud.
In this way, you are able to move iBooks, contacts, etc., from iPhone to iCloud manually.
As mentioned previously, the free iCloud account only gives you 5GB storage. If you have a large number of photos and videos in your Camera Roll, you’d better manage them before backup. Besides, you will get no way to view all iCloud backup data, except the help of some third-party tools.
Part 3: How to Backup Photos Using a Third-Party Tool as iCloud alternative
It is well-known that iOS is a close operating system and you cannot backup your photos to computer directly. However, sending photos to iCloud is not the best way of backup due to the limited storage space. Apeaksoft iOS Data Backup & Restore can meet your need.
Apeaksoft iOS Data Backup & Restore
- Sync photos from iPhone to PC rather than iCloud with one click.
- Keep all your photos in the original format and quality.
- Support almost all photo formats as well as full HD pictures.
- Available for iPhone 16/15/14/13/12/11/X and earlier models running iOS 18/17/16, etc.
In short, it is the best iCloud alternative to sync photos to computer.
How to Backup Photos with iOS Data Backup and Restore
Step 1. Connect iPhone to best photo backup tool for iPhone
Download and install iOS Data Backup & Restore on your PC. There is another version for Mac computer. Plug your iPhone into the computer using the Lightning cable came with your handset. Then open the program and it will detect your device immediately.
Step 2. Preview photos within alternative of iCloud
Click the iOS Data Backup button to move on. Then you will be presented two options, Standard backup and Encrypted backup. The later allows you to add password on your backup. Select one based on your need and click Start button to open the data type window. Check the boxes next to Photos under the Media area and other desired data categories.
Step 3. Selectively transfer photos without iCloud
Once you click the Next button, iPhone photos backup process will start. If you selected Encrypted backup, you will be asked to enter your password. When the Congratulations window pops up, watch the Backup Information on the screen. If it is okay, quit the program and disconnect your iPhone. Bear in mind that you should keep your iPhone connecting to your computer during the process.
Note: iOS Data Backup & Restore relies on physical connection to move photos to computer without iCloud, so it is faster and does not require a Wi-Fi network.
Bonus: View iCloud Backup with iPhone Data Recovery
It is convenient to move photos to iCloud from your iPhone; however, you cannot view iCloud backup without restoring it to your iPhone. Sometimes, whether you can view iCloud backup depends on what you use. Apeaksoft iPhone Data Recovery has the capacity to open iCloud backup files once you enter your account. In addition to look at the files in the backup, you can recover and restore any files.
Conclusion
Based on our sharing above, you should understand how to backup photos to iCloud from your iPhone or iPad. People are more likely to use iCloud to backup and transfer files between iPhone and computer. To help people who feel confused about how to set up iCloud to backup photos, we introduced the procedure step by step. On the other hand, iCloud is not a perfect service. If you want to get rid of the limitations, Apeaksoft iOS Data Backup & Restore is a good choice. It is not only easy to use, but also allows you to back up oceans of HD photos to computer without the internet.
