How to upload photos and videos to iCloud Photo Library from PC?

The iCloud Photo Library allows you to securely store all your photos and videos in iCloud and seamlessly sync them across all your Apple devices. It's a great way to free up storage space on your iPhone, iPad, or Macbook while still having all your memories available anytime.

Uploading your photos and videos to iCloud Photo Library from a Windows PC takes a few simple steps. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know to successfully upload media to iCloud Photo Library directly from your PC.

Prerequisites for Uploading to iCloud Photo Library from PC

Before you can upload photos and videos from your Windows PC to iCloud, there are a few requirements you need:

• An active iCloud account
• iCloud for Windows 10 installed on your PC
• Windows 10 version 7.0 or later
• Enough available iCloud storage for your media
• Windows PC and iCloud account signed into the same Apple ID

Once you have those basics covered, you'll be ready to start uploading.

An Active iCloud Account

First and foremost, you need an active iCloud account associated with your Apple ID. This is the same account you use for iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, and other Apple devices.

You can sign up for a new iCloud account for free or log into your existing account. Just make sure you have enough storage available in your iCloud plan to accommodate the photos and videos you want to upload.

iCloud for Windows 10 Installed

The iCloud app for Windows allows you to access your iCloud content and features like iCloud Photo Library from your PC. You can download and install iCloud for Windows 10 for free from the Microsoft Store.

Make sure to install the latest version of iCloud for Windows 10 to enjoy full compatibility.

Windows 10 Version 7.0 or Later

Your Windows PC will need to be running Windows 10 version 7.0 or later to work with iCloud for Windows.

You can check your Windows version by going to Settings > System > About. Look under Windows specifications to see your version and build number.

If you're running an older version, you'll need to update to the latest Windows 10 version.

Enough iCloud Storage

Check that you have sufficient storage available in your iCloud quota for all the photos and videos you want to upload.

The amount of storage you get depends on your iCloud subscription plan. The free plan includes 5GB. Paid plans offer 50GB, 200GB, or 2TB of storage.

You may need to upgrade your iCloud storage if your media library exceeds what's available. Upgrading is easy to do at any time from the iCloud settings.

Signed into Same Apple ID

Finally, make sure you are signed into the same Apple ID on both your Windows PC and iCloud account.

This allows the seamless syncing of content across your devices via iCloud. Use the same Apple ID during the iCloud for Windows setup as you do on your iPhone or other Apple devices.

How to Install iCloud for Windows on PC

Installing the iCloud app on your Windows PC only takes a few minutes. Follow these steps:

1. Go to the Microsoft Store on your Windows 10 PC.
2. Search for iCloud.
3. Select the iCloud app published by Apple.
4. Click Get to download and install iCloud.
5. Launch iCloud once it finishes installing.
6. Enter your Apple ID and password to sign in. This should be the same ID used on your iPhone and other Apple devices.
7. Follow the on-screen setup prompts to configure iCloud and enable features like iCloud Photo Library.
8. You can then access iCloud apps and services directly from your Windows desktop.

Setting Up iCloud Photo Library on Windows

Before uploading any photos, you need to set up iCloud Photo Library on your Windows PC. Here's how:

1. Open the iCloud for Windows app.
2. Click the Photos icon.
3. Select the option to Download new photos and videos to my PC.
4. Check the box to Enable iCloud Photo Library.
5. Click Done to confirm the setup.
6. Allow some time for iCloud to sync your library over WiFi.

Once setup is complete, the iCloud Photos folder will appear in File Explorer on your Windows PC.

Uploading Photos and Videos to iCloud Photo Library

Now comes the fun part of actually uploading your media! With iCloud Photo Library enabled, there are a couple straightforward ways to upload photos and videos from PC:

Method 1: Drag and Drop

1. Open the iCloud Photos folder in File Explorer.
2. Navigate to the folders or drives containing the photos/videos you want to upload.
3. Select the files and drag them directly into the iCloud Photos folder.
4. The selected media will automatically upload to iCloud.
5. Changes will sync across devices when connected to WiFi.

Method 2: Copy and Paste

1. Copy photo and video files you want to upload from local folders or drives.
2. Open the iCloud Photos folder in File Explorer.
3. Right-click and select Paste to copy the files into the iCloud folder.
4. Uploading to iCloud will begin instantly.
5. Allow time for uploads and syncing to fully complete.

No matter which method you use, the process of getting your media into iCloud through Windows is quick and easy. Just add your files to the iCloud Photos folder and everything else is handled automatically.

Uploading Photos/Videos from iPhone to iCloud Photo Library

In addition to direct uploading from your Windows PC, you can also leverage your iPhone camera to easily add photos and videos to your iCloud Photo Library.

Here's how:

1. Make sure iCloud Photo Library is enabled on your iPhone in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos.
2. Take photos or record videos normally using the Camera app.
3. The new media will upload automatically from your iPhone to iCloud Photo Library.
4. Content will appear in Photos app on all your devices after the upload completes.
5. No need to manually manage uploads from your phone. It's all done for you seamlessly by iCloud.

So use your iPhone as your personal media capture device while letting iCloud do the heavy lifting in the background to store everything safely in the cloud.

Quick Tip to ensure your videos never go missing

Videos are precious memories and all of us never want to ever lose them to hard disk crashes or missing drives. PicBackMan is the easiest and simplest way to keep your videos safely backed up in one or more online accounts. 

Simply Download PicBackMan (it's free!), register your account, connect to your online store and tell PicBackMan where your videos are - PicBackMan does the rest, automatically. It bulk uploads all videos and keeps looking for new ones and uploads those too. You don't have to ever touch it.

Managing Uploads to iCloud Photo Library

There are a few handy ways to manage your uploads to iCloud Photo Library and keep tabs on the syncing process:

• Check upload status - The iCloud for Windows app shows current upload progress and lets you pause/resume.
• View recently added items - Look in the Recents album of the Photos app on iOS devices or Mac to see latest additions.
• Enable iCloud download notifications - Get notifications on your PC when new photos and videos are downloaded and available locally.
• Use Optimize Mac/PC Storage - Automatically removes device copies of media already stored in iCloud to save local storage space.
• Check iCloud storage usage - Monitor how much of your quota is used by iCloud Photo Library media. Upgrade if needed.
• Suspend library uploads - Pause auto-upload completely if you need a break from syncing or need to save bandwidth.

Troubleshooting Uploads and iCloud Photo Library

If you run into issues getting photos and videos to successfully upload from your PC to iCloud, here are some troubleshooting tips:

• Confirm iCloud for Windows app is signed into the same Apple ID as your other devices.
• Double check that iCloud Photo Library is fully enabled and set up on Windows.
• Verify your Internet connection is working properly.
• Try restarting your PC and resetting the iCloud for Windows app.
• Ensure adequate iCloud storage is available for new uploads.
• Toggle iCloud Photo Library off/on on Windows to reset sync.
• Update to the latest Windows and iCloud for Windows versions.
• Still having issues? Contact Apple Support for further troubleshooting assistance.

Following this troubleshooting guidance should help get uploads functioning properly again.

Tips for Fast and Efficient Uploads

Here are some handy tips for ensuring fast, efficient, and successful uploads of your photos and videos from PC to iCloud:

• Upload over WiFi for faster speeds vs LTE/cellular.
• Keep your Windows PC and iCloud app up-to-date with the latest versions.
• Pause syncs and uploads before doing major OS or app updates.
• Only upload original, full-resolution photo and video files when possible.
• Disable iCloud Photo Library on old devices before replacing them to avoid duplicate uploads.
• Add media to iCloud in batches rather than all at once to avoid overload.
• Perform uploads overnight or during periods of non-use to avoid system resource contention.

Alternative Photo Storage Options

While iCloud Photo Library is ideal for iOS/Mac ecosystem users, there are several alternative cloud storage options for your photos and videos if needed:

• Google Photos - Provides free unlimited storage for high-quality (not original) files. Nice companion web and mobile apps.
• Amazon Photos - Lets Prime members store unlimited original full-resolution photos. 5GB free storage otherwise.
• Microsoft OneDrive - Integrates with Windows PCs. Office 365 subscribers get 1TB cloud storage included.
• Dropbox - Offers 2GB free storage with affordable pricing for more. Sync, share and collaborate.
• Google Drive - Gives 15GB free Google account storage for any type of file. Upgrade options available.