Apple has been removing some of the bricks around its walled garden with its push into services that cover music, video, fitness, and more, allowing Windows and Android users access to more of its apps and products, including iCloud Photos. There is now a higher level of integration with Windows 11, as well as a better web app experience.
Of course, you’re more likely to use iCloud Photos for photo and video management if you own an iPhone or a Mac, but if you need to access your files from non-Apple devices—or share your captured content with people who haven’t invested as much in the Apple ecosystem as you have—much it’s easier than it used to be.
Windows Support for iCloud Photos
iCloud for Windows has been available for several years, providing a basic portal through which you can access your photos and videos — as well as upload photos and videos to Apple’s servers — from computers running Microsoft’s operating system. The app isn’t particularly polished, but it does support contacts, calendars, and iCloud Drive files.
iCloud Photos integration is now available in the native Photos app for Windows 11—pictures and videos from your Apple devices can appear alongside content from OneDrive and files on your local hard drive.
iCloud Photos on the web
There’s also iCloud Photos on the web, which is another option if you’re using a Windows computer and pretty much your only option if you’re using an Android device—unless you do something complicated with another service that acts as an intermediary.
Apple is currently working on a redesigned version of the iCloud web apps, which you may or may not see when you log in. The changes primarily affect the site’s front page rather than the Photos component, so there isn’t much of a difference in terms of working with your photos and videos.
The left navigation pane is where you navigate through your files: Your most recent photos and videos will be displayed first, but you can navigate to individual albums with a few clicks.
When you select an image, options for sharing, downloading, and deleting it appear in the top right corner. You can also change the size of image thumbnails using the slider at the top, next to the navigation pane on the left.
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