How to Enable or Disable iCloud Photos in Windows 11 Photos App

Why manage your iCloud Photos on 🪟 Windows 11?

Managing your iCloud Photos on Windows 11 lets you see your iPhone pictures right on your PC. You can also hide them from the Photos app when you don’t want them there. You control which photos show up in the Windows 11 Photos app, so you decide how your collection looks.

It does not control syncing, downloading ⬇️ or storage. Those are handled by the iCloud for Windows app. Turning the setting off in Photos will not stop your photos from syncing and will not free any disk space. The sections below explain where to manage each part.

What happens when you are done?

Once you finish these steps, your iCloud Photos will either appear or disappear from the left sidebar in the Microsoft Photos app.

• If enabled: your iCloud photos show in the Photos app. The syncing itself is done by iCloud for Windows, so new photos arrive as long as iCloud Photos is turned on there and on your Apple device.
• If disabled: the Photos app stops showing your cloud-based images, which gives you a cleaner, more focused workspace. Syncing carries on in the background, and the files already downloaded stay on your PC.

To change what is actually synced or stored, use the iCloud for Windows app, not the Photos app.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

• An active Apple ID with iCloud Photos enabled on your iPhone or iPad. If iCloud Photos is off on the Apple device, there is nothing for your PC to sync.
• Windows 11 updated to the latest version.
• A Windows 11 install that can use the Microsoft Store. The iCloud for Windows app comes from the Store, so you need Store access. You do not need a Microsoft account for this, but the Store itself must be available and working.
• A current version of the Photos app from the Microsoft Store. Open the Store, go to Library, and install any pending updates for Microsoft Photos.
• iCloud for Windows installed and signed in. The Show iCloud Photos toggle only appears in the Photos app when this is the case.
• Two-factor authentication enabled on your Apple account for security.

If the toggle is missing later on, the cause is almost always one of the items above. Check them first.

Initial Setup and Installation

To see your iCloud photos in the Windows 11 Photos app, you first need to install the official iCloud for Windows app. Download it from the Microsoft Store, then open the app and sign in with your Apple ID. Make sure the Photos option is checked, and click Apply to start syncing your pictures.

1. Visit the Microsoft Store to download the official iCloud app, and install it.
2. Open the app and sign in with your Apple ID. Enter the two-factor verification code that appears on your Apple device if you are asked for it.
3. Select Photos (or turn on iCloud Photos in the app's Photos options) and click Apply.
4. Wait for the app to start syncing. The app will now sync your photos to your PC. The first sync can take a while if you have a large library.

This iCloud for Windows app is where you control syncing, downloads and storage. If you want to stop syncing, turn off the Photos option here and click Apply. Do that, not the Photos app toggle, when you want to stop the sync.

If the iCloud Photos option does not show up in the Photos app after you sign in, close the Photos app and open it again. If it is still missing, restart your PC. As a last step, sign out of iCloud for Windows, sign back in, and check again.

How to show or hide iCloud photos

You can change the iCloud Photos setting in the Windows 11 Photos app at any time. You do not need administrator privileges to complete these steps for managing your iCloud Photos. Before you start, make sure iCloud for Windows is installed and signed in, and that the Photos app is up to date. Otherwise the toggle will not be there.

1. Open the Photos app from your Start menu. The Photos window opens.

2. 

3. Click the Settings gear icon at the top right. The Settings page opens.

4. 

5. Find the Personalization section.
6. Toggle the Show iCloud Photos switch to On or Off. The iCloud Photos entry then appears in or disappears from the left sidebar. If the switch is not there, go back to the requirements above.

7. 

To undo the change, flip the same switch back. Nothing is deleted either way. Switching it off only hides your iCloud photos in the app, so it will not stop syncing and will not free up disk space.

File Explorer Integration

Once iCloud is installed, you can access your files directly through File Explorer. Open File Explorer and select iCloud Photos in the left navigation pane (it is also located under your user folder, e.g. C:\Users\Username\iCloud Photos). This integration makes it easy to drag and drop files between your computer and the cloud.

With iCloud Photos syncing on, a deletion can carry over to iCloud and your other Apple devices. If you want to free disk space, check the options in the iCloud for Windows app first, and don't simply delete photos from the folder.

Troubleshooting Sync Errors

If your iCloud Photos aren't syncing correctly on Windows 11, work through these checks in order:

1. Check your internet connection.
2. Make sure your iCloud storage isn't full.
3. Confirm that iCloud Photos is still turned on on your iPhone or iPad.
4. Open the iCloud for Windows app and click the Repair button.
5. Update Windows 11 and the Photos app from the Microsoft Store, then restart your PC.
6. If the option still doesn't appear in the Photos app, sign out of iCloud for Windows, sign back in, and check again.

Simple fixes like these clear up most sync errors.

Summary

• Install the iCloud for Windows app from the Microsoft Store to begin.
• Use the Photos app settings to toggle iCloud visibility.
• Check your storage limits regularly to ensure smooth syncing.
• Use File Explorer for quick access to your cloud-stored images.
• Always keep your Apple ID credentials secure and use two-factor authentication.