How to force iPhone to upload to iCloud

How do I force my iPhone 15 with iOS 18.4.1 to upload the most recent photos to iCloud?

iPhone 15 Pro, iOS 18

Posted on May 13, 2025 11:13 AM

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3 replies

May 13, 2025 02:40 PM in response to j9lemmon

j9lemmon wrote:

Thanks, Zachyy
If I take a photo, and immediately tap my icon, I see “Syncing 1 item to iCloud”. This message will often display for several minutes. My WiFi gives me an upload speed of over 500 Mbps, so I guess the delay is at the server?
My takeaway from this is: if I want to edit a photo on my Mac soon after taking it, use AirDrop.

Correct, and great idea. It depends on the connection speed and how many photos and videos you are syncing to iCloud. Then if you have Low Power Mode turned on one of your devices, it won't sync to iCloud. That's also what I do, if I have a photo on one device and want to use it on another, I'll use AirDrop. There's also the Universal Clipboard feature where you can copy something on one device, and paste on another device, but I usually forget about that feature and don't use it much. Those methods are both instantaneous. You're welcome and enjoy the rest of your day!

May 13, 2025 02:17 PM in response to Zachyy

Thanks, Zachyy

If I take a photo, and immediately tap my icon, I see “Syncing 1 item to iCloud”. This message will often display for several minutes. My WiFi gives me an upload speed of over 500 Mbps, so I guess the delay is at the server?

My takeaway from this is: if I want to edit a photo on my Mac soon after taking it, use AirDrop.

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How to force iPhone to upload to iCloud

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