You Can Finally Access Your IPhone Photos on Windows
This was once unthinkable, but now tech companies are starting to play well with each other. Ecosystems are no longer so walled off that it becomes impossible to have an Android and a Mac or an iPhone and a PC. In fact, Microsoft now lets you sync iCloud photos from your iPhone to Windows 11 – you just have to go to the front of the queue.
Microsoft announced the exciting update during the big reveal of the Surface on Wednesday. Among all the new features coming to Surface 9 and the next build of Windows 11, the company mentioned a collaboration with Apple. Through the iCloud for Windows app, you will now see iCloud Photos in your Windows Photos app; if you like, anyway. iCloud is also the keyword here. To see photos from iPhone on PC, those photos need to be synced to iCloud. If you’re not using iCloud Photo Library, your photos won’t show up in Windows.
This feature hasn’t been officially rolled out yet, so you won’t see this option on your computer just yet. However, according to TechCrunch , you can test this out sooner if you enroll your PC in the Windows Insider Program. Before you register, please be aware that you will be installing software on your computer that is not complete. If you’d rather keep stable builds on your PC, this feature should be coming in the next big Windows 11 update, so you can just wait until then.
However, to try it out in advance, go to the official Windows Insider Program website here and click Sign Up. Sign in with the Microsoft account associated with your computer, accept the Microsoft Program Agreement and Privacy Statement, and then submit your request.
Now go to Start > Settings > Windows Update . Click Windows Insider Program, then select Get Started. Link the same Microsoft account that you signed up for the program with when prompted, then select Development Channel, Beta Channel, or Preview. Windows recommends the beta channels for most users, and so do we, since you’ll get more stable software actually tied to the official release. The developer channel, on the other hand, offers software for testing as often as Microsoft is willing to test it, which can sometimes lead to breakage. It’s probably not worth it to see your iPhone photos on your computer.
Whichever option you choose, restart your device when prompted to install the latest build of Windows. Then make sure you have the latest version of iCloud for Windows installed on your computer. Because you have registered your device in the Insider Program, you will have access to a newer version than most. Sign in to your iCloud account in the app, then make sure photos are synced.
Now when you open the Photos app on your PC, you should see a new iCloud Photos tab on the side of the window. Click it and any photos you sync to your iCloud Photo Library should appear on your PC for viewing and sharing. Please be aware, however, that this feature is still in testing, so your results may vary at this point.