Fixed: Unable to Download Photos from iCloud to iPhone/PC

It is convenient and time-saving to enable iCloud Photos function to keep photos on your iOS devices up to date. And when you need to browse or edit photos in iCloud in another iPhone, iPad, or Windows PC, you just need to download photos from iCloud to your device.

However, out of unknown reasons, you may be unable to download photos from iCloud to iPhone or PC but receive an error message.

How can you get out of the issue from iPhone or PC? Don’t panic, this guide will explain you detailed solutions to help you out.

Why are photos not downloading from iCloud to iPhone/PC?

iCloud photos not downloading to iPhone/PC can be caused by a variety of factors and incorrect settings. The followings are some of the key causes of the issue.

• Unstable Internet connection. The downloading process requires a stable network connection. An unstable network connection can make the process interrupt or fail.
• Wrong settings on iPhone or PC. Wrong settings in iCloud Photos and its relative services can also lead to photos not downloading from iCloud to iPhone/PC.
• Software glitches and bugs. Sometimes, iOS errors or bugs will stop functionality, making iCloud photos cannot be downloaded.

Now that you have a general understanding of the reasons, you can start from there to solve the issue.

Part 1. Fixes to unable to download photos from iCloud to iPhone

The solutions below are nice tries to troubleshoot the issue. Make sure the device is signed in with the same Apple ID, and try the fixes one after another to get the issue fixed.

Fix 1. Check or reset network settings

A stable network condition is a prerequisite to download photos from iCloud. You can go to the Safari app and open a web browser to check if the network works properly. You can also turn on and off airplane mode to refresh your network on iPhone.

Besides, if your network condition is not stable, you can reset network settings to avoid network errors that troubles you. To reset network settings, please head to Settings > General > (Transfer or Reset iPhone for iOS 15 and later > Reset)> Reset Network Settings. Enter your password to make it.

Fix 2. Check iPhone storage space

If you don't have enough space on your iPhone to store photos anymore, iCloud won’t download photos to iPhone.

You can check iPhone storage space by going to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. If needed, you can head to this guide: iPhone storage full, to free up some space on your iPhone. And then, download photos from iCloud to iPhone again.

Fix 3. Toggle off Optimize iPhone Storage

If you’ve enabled the iCloud Photos setting Optimize iPhone Storage, you can save photos and videos on your iPhone in a reduced size to optimize your limited iPhone storage space. However, at the same time, you cannot download full-resolution photos.

In that case, you need to revert the setting to Download and Keep Originals. Here are the steps: On your iPhone, go to Settings > [your name] > Click iCloud > Photos > Select Download and Keep Originals.

Fix 4. Sign out & in iCloud account

Sometimes, a software error can make your iCloud inaccessible temporarily. You can try signing out of your account and back in again to reactivate the service.

Go to the Settings > [your name] > Scroll down the bottom of the screen, tap Sign Out. Wait for some time and sign in again, then, try to download iCloud photos again.

Part 2. Fixes to iCloud photos won’t download to PC

Make sure your computer is under a stable Internet connection and signed in with the correct iCloud account. And try common solutions to fix iCloud photos won’t download to PC.

Fix 1. Check iCloud Photos settings

There is a lot of weird terminology used in iCloud Photos, which occasionally makes it difficult to understand. As a result, you need to check your settings of iCloud Photos to successfully download your photos under the Photos Options window.

Step 1. Click the iCloud icon from system tray to open iCloud settings > Click the Options besides Photos.

Step 2. Make sure the two options: iCloud Photos Library and Download new photos and videos to my PC are enabled. If you have enabled My Photo Stream in certain iOS devices, you also need to enable it on your computer to download newer photos.

Step 3. Finally, click Done to save your changes.

Fix 2. Update iCloud

If you haven’t set up automatic update iCloud for Windows software, you may need to manually check and update it from time to time. An outdated version of iCloud for Windows always fails to work smoothly, which can lead unable to download photos from iCloud. Therefore, it is suggested to follow the steps below to update it to the latest version.

Step 1. From the Start menu, search for and launch Apple Software Update > Wait until the updater searches for available updates.

Step 2. If there is an update for iCloud, select it and click Install to update it.

Fix 3. Force download photos

You make sure that you set up properly and iCloud for Windows is up-to-dated. But still, iCloud photos not downloading to PC, you may need to force download photos from iCloud.

Step 1. Click the iCloud icon on the system tray, and click Download Photos.

Step 2. When the Download Photos and Videos window appear, select the files by year you’d like to download > Click Download to begin.

Wait for a while, then you can check photos in the Download folder in iCloud Photos.

Part 3. How to quickly download iCloud photos to PC

If you are in a hurry to get iCloud photos, you can try FoneTool, a great iOS and iCloud data management tool, to download wanted photos from iCloud to PC directly in one click. Free download FoneTool to your computer by clicking the icon below, and follow the steps below to download iCloud photos using FoneTool.

Step 1. Launch FoneTool, and click My iCloud on its homepage. Sign in with your iCloud account. You will be asked to enter the verification code to confirm your operation.

Step 2. Choose Manage iCloud. Click Photos to preview and select the photos you'd like to download from iCloud. Tap the Download button to continue.

Step 3. Choose a destination as per your needs. Finally, tap Download button to save iCloud photos to your computer.

FoneTool is also a powerful iCloud alternative, enabling you to backup and transfer files. Just get the tool to your computer to have a try.

Summary

The troubleshooting process does cost much time. Hope the fixes in this guide can help you when you are unable to download photos from iCloud to iPhone/PC.  

If you are looking for an iCloud alternative, FoneTool is an excellent tool for you to sync photos, as well as backup files on iOS devices. If this guide helps you, please share it with others.