Why does iCloud for Windows have no options for Photo Sync - it is dreadful

iCloud for Windows does not allow you to change the location it syncs to, nor provide any options, such as sub-folders by year etc. It is a truly poor piece of software that could so easily be made better, if Apple thought to put more than a second of effort in. As it is, there is simply a default bucket into which everything is poured. After having an iPhone for decades, that bucket now has 10's of thousands of photos in it, causing my PC serious headaches every time I open the folder (for preview etc to find an image).


Does anyone know of a software app that can do the sync job, but properly.


Thanks.


[Edited by Moderator]

Posted on Sep 18, 2025 10:55 AM

Reply
6 replies

Sep 18, 2025 11:21 PM in response to Spawnvu

It is a very known problem and its been going on for a decade… There is countless threads maybe 100s on this problem with no solution and 1000 of votes on them apple ignores it and then the threads are being closed.

Only option in the long run is to resize you windows system partition to the size you need if possible …. an almost impossible task for a normal user.

I have tried moving the location of the entire microsoft picture folder to my data partition/drive. it seems to change destination path shown in the icloud windows app but the pictures still continue to download to windows/syste/user/etc.etc.

95% of windows pc have maybe 50-150gb available space on system partition so its a huge problem with the size of phone picture librarys today… so almost everyone will experiance windows giving you a “low diskspace” at some point because of this. There are also plenty other problems that might come up in future because of this.

Litterally 2 steps below in the settings of windows icloud app you can change the destination folder of shared album.. the button have simply been removed on icloud photos destination/sync folder so it may be a 30 second fix for apple.


Next problem is that icloud photos want to upload everything in your microsoft picture folder to icloud… no way to get around the option. so if you have 2tb photos in your windows picture library then they will be uploaded NO choice. Something many might realize too late.

I assume it is in hope you will need to buy even more icloud space since your picture libraries are now all mixed up on icloud photos and your phone. you can not choose a specific folder only.


I tried getting my pictures from iphone to my pc without icloud… 5 senior advisors could not help me. they all told me to go here and complain .. one even called me a conspiracy theorist… my problem is 400gb of pictures on iphone.


I will continue to find a solution and in the same time i will contact EU and Danish telecommunications appeal board.

will contact a danish public service tv program also and let them have a look.

I feel apple are keeping my pictures hostage


Sep 19, 2025 06:54 AM in response to Silverstone78

Silverstone78 wrote:

I tried getting my pictures from iphone to my pc without icloud…

The instructions are fairly straightforward. They even include information on where to find help importing them into Microsoft Photos.

they all told me to go here and complain

I think you misunderstood. This is a user-to-user forum. Apple doesn't read here for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:


Product Feedback - Apple


Sep 20, 2025 10:52 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

The link you send.. you can only explain the problem with few sentences in that link.


i can see in here Threads are being closed all the time… there is how many closed threads in here on this exact problem?


it been a decade.. i can still not copy pictures to my window laptop from

iphone in any easy way unless i pay apple even more. I can copy from mac to windows no problem.. i can copy movies series, podcast, music, even just files easy

between all my devices. But just not pictures from iPhone to windows…. That is conveniently strange for apple.

i can even sync my windows photo library without icloud to my phone but NOT the other way.

Sep 21, 2025 11:33 AM in response to Silverstone78

Silverstone78 wrote:

The link you send.. you can only explain the problem with few sentences in that link.


Why should I write the answer out myself when Apple says it better?


i can see in here Threads are being closed all the time… there is how many closed threads in here on this exact problem?

Threads get closed when they are dormant for more than about 30 days. It has nothing to do with the content.


it been a decade.. i can still not copy pictures to my window laptop from
iphone in any easy way unless i pay apple even more. I can copy from mac to windows no problem.. i can copy movies series, podcast, music, even just files easy
between all my devices. But just not pictures from iPhone to windows…. That is conveniently strange for apple.
i can even sync my windows photo library without icloud to my phone but NOT the other way.

I'm sorry you haven't figured out how to use your equipment, especially after all this time.


Best of luck.

Why does iCloud for Windows have no options for Photo Sync - it is dreadful

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