Download and Keep Originals: What It Is and How to Use It
If you have a lot of photos and videos on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC, you might want to save them in iCloud Photos. iCloud Photos is a service that automatically uploads your photos and videos to iCloud, so you can access them from any device with your Apple ID. You can also share them with others using shared albums.
download and keep originals
But what if you want to keep the original quality of your photos and videos on your device, instead of storing them in iCloud? Or what if you want to download them from iCloud to your device or computer? That's where download and keep originals comes in.
Download and keep originals is an option that lets you save the original, full-resolution photos and videos in both iCloud and your device. This way, you can view them offline, edit them without losing quality, or transfer them to another device or computer. However, this also means that they will take up more storage space on your device.
In this article, we will show you how to turn on download and keep originals, how to download photos and videos from iCloud.com, how to download photos and videos from the Photos app, how to download photos and videos from shared albums, and what happens when you delete photos or videos.
How to Turn On Download and Keep Originals
On iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch
To turn on download and keep originals on your iOS device, follow these steps:
Go to Settings > [your name].
Tap iCloud, then tap Photos.
Select Download and Keep Originals.
This will start downloading all your photos and videos from iCloud to your device. Depending on the size of your library, this may take some time. You can check the progress by going back to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos.
On Mac or PC
To turn on download and keep originals on your Mac or PC, follow these steps:
How to download and keep originals from iCloud Photos
Download and keep originals vs optimize storage on iPhone
What is download and keep originals feature in iCloud Photo Library
Download and keep originals not working on iOS device
How to transfer original-quality photos to Mac/PC with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals meaning and benefits
How to free up space on iPhone with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals behavior when iCloud library size exceeds device storage
How to turn on download and keep originals on iPad
Download and keep originals for shared albums in iCloud Photos
How to download and keep originals from iCloud.com
Download and keep originals vs most compatible format for photos and videos
How to sync photos across devices with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals troubleshooting tips and tricks
How to backup photos with download and keep originals option
Download and keep originals pros and cons for iCloud users
How to edit photos with download and keep originals enabled
Download and keep originals vs optimize Mac storage for Photos app
How to recover deleted photos with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals alternative solutions for photo storage
How to view photos in full resolution with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals impact on device performance and battery life
How to manage photo library size with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals comparison with other cloud photo services
How to switch from download and keep originals to optimize storage
Download and keep originals best practices and recommendations
How to access photos offline with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals FAQ and common issues
How to use FoneTrans for iOS to transfer photos with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals guide for beginners
How to export photos from Photos app with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals settings for different devices
How to protect your privacy with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals review and feedback from users
How to save bandwidth with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals tips for photographers and videographers
How to compress photos with download and keep originals option
Download and keep originals support for HEIF and HEVC formats
How to change photo quality with download and keep originals enabled
Download and keep originals tutorial video for iCloud Photos users
How to share photos with others with download and keep originals option
Download and keep originals advantages over local backup methods
How to restore photos from iCloud backup with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals compatibility issues with older devices or software versions
How to use MultCloud to manage photos with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals explanation for iCloud Photo Library users
How to delete photos permanently with download and keep originals
Download and keep originals difference from unmodified original option
How to use AirDrop to transfer photos with download and keep originals
On your Mac, open the Photos app. On your PC, open iCloud for Windows.
Choose Photos > Preferences (Mac) or Options (PC).
Select iCloud, then click Download Originals to this Mac (Mac) or Download new photos and videos to my PC (PC).
This will start downloading all your photos and videos from iCloud to your computer. Depending on the size of your library, this may take some time. You can check the progress by looking at the status bar at the bottom of the Photos app (Mac) or the iCloud icon in the system tray (PC).
How to Download Photos and Videos from iCloud.com
If you want to download photos and videos from iCloud.com to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC, follow these steps:
On your device or computer, open a web browser and go to icloud.com.
Sign in with your Apple ID and password.
Click Photos.
Select the photos or videos you want to download. You can select multiple items by holding down the Command key (Mac) or the Ctrl key (PC) while clicking.
Click the Download icon at the top right corner of the screen. It looks like a cloud with an arrow pointing down.
Choose whether you want to download the unmodified originals or the most compatible formats. The unmodified originals will preserve the original quality and format of your photos and videos, but they may take up more space and may not be compatible with some devices or apps. The most compatible formats will convert your photos and videos to JPEG or H.264, which are widely supported and use less space, but they may lose some quality or metadata.
Click Download. The photos or videos will be downloaded to your device or computer as a ZIP file.
You can then unzip the file and view or edit your photos and videos as you wish.
How to Download Photos and Videos from the Photos App
If you want to download full-size copies of your photos and videos from the Photos app on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac, follow these steps:
On your device or computer, open the Photos app.
Select the photos or videos you want to download. You can select multiple items by tapping (iOS) or clicking (Mac) while holding down the Shift key.
Tap (iOS) or click (Mac) the Share icon at the bottom left corner of the screen. It looks like a box with an arrow pointing up.
Choose Save to Files (iOS) or Export (Mac).
Select a location where you want to save your photos or videos. You can choose iCloud Drive, On My Device (iOS), On My Mac (Mac), or any other app or service that supports saving files.
Tap (iOS) or click (Mac) Save (iOS) or Export (Mac). The photos or videos will be saved to your chosen location as full-size copies.
You can then access or edit your photos or videos from that location.
How to Download Photos and Videos from Shared Albums
If you want to download copies of your photos and videos from shared albums on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC, follow these steps:
On your device or computer, open the Photos app (iOS, Mac) or iCloud for Windows (PC).
Select Shared Albums at the bottom of the screen (iOS), on the sidebar (Mac), or on the toolbar (PC).
Select the shared album that contains the photos or videos you want to download.
Select the photos or videos you want to download. You can select multiple items by tapping (iOS) or clicking (Mac, PC) while holding down the Shift key.
Tap (iOS) or click (Mac, PC) the Download icon at the bottom right corner of the screen. It looks like a cloud with an arrow pointing down.
The photos or videos will be downloaded to your device or computer as copies. They will not have any edits, comments, or likes from the shared album.
You can then view or edit your photos or videos as you wish.
What Happens When You Delete Photos or Videos
If you delete photos or videos from iCloud Photos, they will be removed from iCloud and all your devices that use iCloud Photos. However, they will not be deleted immediately. Instead, they will be moved to a Recently Deleted album for 30 days, where you can recover them if you change your mind. After 30 days, they will be permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.
If you delete photos or videos from your device that uses download and keep originals, they will also be removed from iCloud and all your devices that use iCloud Photos. However, if you have a backup of your device that contains those photos or videos, you can restore them from that backup.
If you delete photos or videos from a shared album, they will only be removed from that shared album. They will not affect your iCloud Photos library or any other shared albums. However, if you are the owner of the shared album, you can delete photos or videos permanently by going to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Shared Albums > Delete Data.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained what download and keep originals is and how to use it on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC. We have also shown you how to download photos and videos from iCloud.com, how to download photos and videos from the Photos app, how to download photos and videos from shared albums, and what happens when you delete photos or videos. We hope this article has helped you understand and use download and keep originals better. Here are some tips and recommendations for using download and keep originals:
Make sure you have enough storage space on your device and iCloud before turning on download and keep originals. You can check your storage by going to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage.
Use a fast and reliable Wi-Fi connection when downloading photos and videos from iCloud. This will speed up the process and avoid any errors or interruptions.
Keep your device plugged in and avoid closing the Photos app when downloading photos and videos from iCloud. This will prevent the download from pausing or stopping.
Back up your device regularly to preserve your photos and videos in case of loss or damage. You can use iCloud Backup or iTunes to back up your device.
Organize your photos and videos into albums, folders, or memories to make them easier to find and manage. You can also use keywords, faces, or places to search for specific photos or videos.
FAQs
Here are some common questions and answers related to download and keep originals:
What is the difference between download and keep originals and optimize device storage?
Download and keep originals is an option that saves the original, full-resolution photos and videos in both iCloud and your device. Optimize device storage is an option that saves the original, full-resolution photos and videos in iCloud, but saves smaller, lower-quality versions on your device. This helps you save space on your device, but you need an internet connection to access the full-resolution versions from iCloud.
How can I tell if a photo or video is downloaded or not?
You can tell if a photo or video is downloaded or not by looking at the status icon on the bottom right corner of the thumbnail. If there is no icon, it means the photo or video is downloaded. If there is a cloud icon with a down arrow, it means the photo or video is not downloaded. If there is a cloud icon with an exclamation mark, it means there is an error downloading the photo or video.
How can I stop downloading photos and videos from iCloud?
You can stop downloading photos and videos from iCloud by turning off download and keep originals. To do this, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos and select Optimize Device Storage (iOS) or Download Originals to this Mac (Mac). This will stop downloading any new photos or videos from iCloud, but it will not delete any existing ones on your device.
How can I free up space on my device after downloading photos and videos from iCloud?
You can free up space on your device after downloading photos and videos from iCloud by deleting any unwanted or duplicate items. To do this, go to the Photos app and select the items you want to delete. Then tap (iOS) or click (Mac) the Trash icon at the bottom right corner of the screen. This will move them to the Recently Deleted album for 30 days, where you can recover them if you change your mind. After 30 days, they will be permanently deleted.
How can I transfer photos and videos from one device to another?
You can transfer photos and videos from one device to another by using AirDrop, iCloud Photos, iTunes, or a USB cable. AirDrop lets you wirelessly send photos and videos to nearby devices that have AirDrop enabled. iCloud Photos lets you sync your photos and videos across all your devices that use iCloud Photos. iTunes lets you sync your photos and videos between your computer and your iOS device using a USB cable. A USB cable also lets you copy your photos and videos from your device to your computer or vice versa.
44f88ac181