How To Make iCloud Photos Download Faster

Why your iCloud photos download faster with the right settings

By default, iCloud Photos uses the “Optimize [Device] Storage” setting, which saves space by keeping small, space-saving versions locally while storing original, high-resolution versions in iCloud. This means originals are downloaded on demand, only when you tap a photo or video, which is why scrolling through your library can feel sluggish and why a bulk download seems to crawl. This is the primary solution because it eliminates the wait time caused by the optimize setting.

Switch to 'Download and Keep Originals' on iPhone or iPad

On your iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app, tap your name at the top, then select iCloud and Photos. From there, choose Download and Keep Originals to store full-resolution photos and videos directly on your device.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap [Your Name] at the top.
3. Select iCloud.
4. Tap Photos.
5. Choose Download and Keep Originals.

Once selected, your device will start downloading the entire original library. This may take a while if you have thousands of photos, but it happens in the background, and you can check progress under the same Photos settings screen.

Download originals to your Mac

For Mac users, the process is similar but lives inside the Photos app. Open Photos, then go to Photos > Settings (or Preferences on older macOS versions), select the iCloud tab, and click Download Originals to this Mac to store your entire iCloud library in full resolution locally.

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Click Photos in the menu bar.
3. Select Settings or Preferences.
4. Click the iCloud tab.
5. Click Download Originals to this Mac.

This will begin syncing all full-resolution files to your Mac’s hard drive. You can monitor the progress in the Photos app’s toolbar, and the download continues even if you close the window.

Check your internet connection

A weak or unstable network is the most common culprit behind slow iCloud downloads. Before changing any settings, verify that your connection is fast and reliable.

1. Move closer to your Wi-Fi router to improve signal strength.
2. Reset your router by unplugging the power cable, waiting 30 seconds, and plugging it back in.
3. Switch to a different Wi-Fi network if available, or test with cellular data to isolate the issue.
4. Run a speed test using a reliable tool; if speeds are far below your plan, contact your internet service provider.

If your download and upload speeds are low, fixing the network first will make every other step more effective.

Restart your device

Restarting clears temporary software glitches that can interfere with background downloads. On an iPhone or iPad, press and hold the power button until the “Slide to power off” slider appears, then drag it. On a Mac, click the Apple menu and select Restart.

1. For iPhone/iPad: Hold the power button, slide to power off, wait a few seconds, then press and hold the power button again to turn it back on.
2. For Mac: Click the Apple menu and choose Restart, or press and hold the power button until the restart option appears.

After the device reboots, check if downloads resume at a faster pace. This often resolves minor software hiccups that slow down iCloud syncing.

Update iOS or macOS

Apple regularly releases updates that include performance improvements and bug fixes for iCloud services. Running an outdated operating system can cause slow or stalled downloads.

1. On iPhone/iPad: Go to Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, tap Download and Install.
2. On Mac: Open System Settings (or System Preferences), select Software Update, and click Update Now if available.

Make sure your device is plugged into power and has enough free storage for the update. After installing, restart your device and try downloading your iCloud photos again, the new software may have fixed the underlying issue.

Pause other downloads

Concurrent downloads, app updates, or backups can hog bandwidth and starve iCloud Photos. Pausing them temporarily frees up network resources for your photo download.

1. On iPhone/iPad: Open Control Center (swipe down from the top-right on Face ID models, or swipe up from the bottom on older models), long-press the download indicator, and tap the pause button next to any active download.
2. On Mac: Open Launchpad, click the Downloads folder, then Control-click an item and select Pause or Prioritize Download.

Once iCloud Photos has finished, you can resume the other downloads. This is especially helpful if you’re downloading a large photo library while also updating apps.

Use Wi-Fi instead of cellular data

Wi-Fi networks typically offer faster and more stable connections than cellular data, which is critical when downloading large photo and video files. On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and make sure you’re connected to a reliable network. On a Mac, click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar and select your network.

1. Open Settings on iPhone/iPad and tap Wi-Fi.
2. Toggle Wi-Fi on and select a network with a strong signal.

If you’re on public Wi-Fi, ensure you have enough data quota or that your session won’t expire mid-download. Staying within range of the router maintains a strong signal throughout the process.

Sign out and sign back in to iCloud

Signing out and back in refreshes the connection between your device and iCloud, resolving authentication or syncing issues that can slow downloads.

1. On iPhone/iPad: Go to Settings > [Your Name], scroll down, and tap Sign Out. Enter your Apple ID password to confirm, then go to Settings again and tap Sign In to your iPhone.
2. On Mac: Open System Settings (or System Preferences), click Apple ID, select Overview, and click Sign Out. Then sign back in with your Apple ID.

After signing back in, your device will re-establish its iCloud connection and resume downloads. This often clears temporary glitches that were preventing full-speed syncing.

Understand iCloud.com download limits

If you’re downloading from iCloud.com in a browser, you are limited to selecting and downloading up to 1,000 photos or videos at a time, which are then provided in a ZIP file. This limit means you’ll need to download in batches if your library is larger, and each batch arrives as a compressed archive that you’ll need to unzip after saving.

To work within this limit, select photos in groups of 1,000 or fewer, download each ZIP, and then repeat.