Turn iCloud Photos on or off on your Mac

Why it happens

iCloud Photos keeps one photo library in iCloud and the same copy on each of your devices. Your Mac only joins in when it's switched on for this Mac. You can control it in two places, System Settings and the Photos app, and both change the same thing.

How to fix it

1. Open System Settings and click your name at the top of the sidebar, then click iCloud.

2. Click Photos and turn on Sync this Mac.

   Apple Account›iCloud›Photos›Sync this Mac

3. Prefer to do it from the app? Open Photos, choose Photos, then Settings…, click iCloud and tick iCloud Photos.

   Photos›Settings…›iCloud

4. In that iCloud tab, choose Optimize Mac Storage to keep smaller copies when space runs low, or Download Originals to this Mac to keep every full photo on the Mac.

   Photos›Settings…›iCloud›Optimize Mac Storage

5. Keep the Mac plugged in and online. A big library can take hours or a few days to upload or download the first time.

Still not fixed?

1. Turning it off only stops this Mac. Your photos stay in iCloud and on your other devices. If the Mac only has smaller copies, Photos tells you, so download the originals first if you want to keep them here.

2. If uploads stop, your iCloud storage may be full. Check it under your name, iCloud, then Manage….

   Apple Account›iCloud›Manage…

3. Only the System Photo Library syncs with iCloud. If you use more than one library, open the one you want and click Use as System Photo Library in Photos, Settings…, General.

   Photos›Settings…›General›Use as System Photo Library

4. If the switch won't turn on, or photos still don't appear after a day online with the same Apple Account as your iPhone, contact Apple Support.