How to use iCloud Music Library from any device. How to access your iCloud library on a Windows PC Now you can optimize the space taken up by photos on your device

The most attentive users of iOS devices have probably long ago noticed a new item in the operating system settings - ( Settings->iCloud->Photos). The most adventurous and advanced are already taking full advantage of this innovation from Apple, despite the fact that iCloud Media Library is still in beta status! It works great now, but will be released from beta status in the final version of iOS 8.3.

What is iCloud Photo Library?

What will change in a user’s life if he turns it on on his devices? I’ll write everything down point by point so that everything fits neatly into the readers’ heads.

1. iCloud Photo Library lets you store All your photos and video in iCloud Drive. The key word here is “ All"! Let me remind you that by default the system runs a photo stream, which stores only the 1000 latest photos in the cloud. Also important word “ video” – before this, the video was stored exclusively on the device on which it was filmed.

2. The user has the opportunity to store small copies of photos and optimized videos on iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and Mac. Due to this, the user can free up a significant amount of space on their devices. The savings will be especially noticeable with a large number of photos and videos. But this saving has its downside - more about it below.

3. If you transfer all your iDevices to the iCloud library, you will get all the benefits of synchronization with the cloud (iCloud Drive). Photos and changes to them will appear on all your devices, that is, you have a single library. A scheme like this: “took photo on iPad, edited on Mac, posted on Instagram from iPhone” will finally work as it should!

4. Due to the fact that an unlimited number of photos will be stored in the cloud, most likely the free 5 gigabytes will not be enough for the user. The user will have to switch to paid plans. Now the cost of 20 gigabytes in iCloud Drive is only 39 rubles per month. This is not much and for most users this number of gigabytes is enough for their eyes. If not, then the tariffs are more expensive and more serious at your service.

5. In the Photo program, instead of the two albums Camera Roll and My Photo Stream, a single album “All Photos” will appear.

6. The media library becomes available through iCloud.com anywhere in the world.

How do I enable iCloud Photo Library?

Before you turn on Photo Library, you need to make sure that your iCloud plan allows you to seamlessly switch to iCloud Photo Library. Here you must soberly assess the space that your photos and videos will take up in the cloud. If you have 10 thousand photos on your iPad and 3 gigabytes are free in iCloud (see Settings -> iCloud-> Storage), then it’s clear that all your stuff won’t fit into the cloud. Try either deleting some media data or increasing your tariff plan.

OS X users should be especially careful. Yosemite version 10.10.3 introduced the Photos program. If you enable iCloud Photo Library there, your current iCloud plan may not be enough. For example, my media library on my computer takes up more than 150 gigabytes. Perhaps it makes sense to store your computer media library in some other cloud.

Next, turn on the switch for iCloud Photo Library ( Settings->iCloud->Photos) and connect your iPad (iPhone or iPod Touch) to a power source. If there is a Wi-Fi network, all Photos and Videos will be uploaded to the cloud. The speed of this procedure depends on the speed of outgoing traffic of your Internet connection and the size of your media library.

To avoid problems, I recommend connecting your devices to iCloud Music Library one at a time. We turned it on on one, waited until the data was merged into the cloud, checked that everything was fine and moved on to the next device. Firstly, you still won’t gain in speed (your outgoing channel is not rubber). Secondly, the beta status implies the possibility of unexpected errors. And in the final version, I would recommend playing it safe.

Also consciously choose one of two options:

– iPad/iPhone/iPod storage optimization. (To save space on the device. But when accessing a photo, it will be loaded from the cloud. In fact, only a small preview photo is stored on the device.) This is not always convenient.

– Uploading while preserving the original (if you need photos in the original resolution on the device).

It’s best to leave the “Upload to My Photo Stream” option turned on. You can’t manually upload new photos to the cloud...

We also leave the “iCloud Photo Sharing” option turned on. Shared photo streams are convenient. Try it sometime...

Deleting photos(or video) in iCloud Photo Library occurs in two stages.

1. Deleting a photo on one of the devices. It goes into the “Recently Deleted” folder. After 30 days, the photo will be deleted from there automatically.

2. If you don’t want to wait 30 days, you can also delete the photo from the “Recently Deleted” album. The photo will completely disappear from all devices and from the iCloud Photo Library.

How to disable iCloud Photo Library?

It is enough to turn off this item in the settings of all devices that are connected to your media library. But for 30 days, all photos and videos will be stored in the cloud, from where they can be downloaded through the website.

Disadvantages of iCloud Photo Library

At the moment, the media library has more advantages than the old photo stream scheme. But there are also small disadvantages. For example:

a) the user is actually forced to switch to a paid plan. Well, either you need to constantly clean up your media library.

b) having a single media library is not always convenient in itself.

Draw your own conclusions! The user decides whether or not to connect the iCloud media library. I described the possibilities in detail. If you have any questions or impressions, write comments! :)

Where is the app for iOS, why can I use it freely on my computer, but on iOS only using third-party apps? But it's even harder to understand all the benefits of iCloud Drive and iCloud Photo Library (which is still in beta) for photos. We figured out all the intricacies of the new services and how it will affect photos.

There is no longer a limit for uploading photos to the cloud

Previously, only 1,000 photos were stored in iCloud. New ones were loaded automatically and the thousandth and first photo replaced the very first one. Now, according to information on the Apple website, the number of photos you can upload is limited only by the amount of space in your iCloud Drive.

This is the main reason to buy additional iCloud storage. By purchasing an additional 20 gigabytes for a dollar per month, you can store all your photos in the cloud.

Now you can optimize the space occupied by photos on your device

After enabling iCloud Photo Library, you can check the box for “Optimize iPhone storage space.” This feature allows you to upload original photos to the cloud, leaving compressed copies on your gadget. You won’t notice the difference between them on the small iPhone screen, but there will be extra space. If you have a large media library, then there may be a lot of free space.

Videos are also uploaded to the cloud

But, as you understand, they require much more space. If you have a lot of videos, then the minimum tariff plan of 20 gigabytes may not be enough. The free 5 gigabytes are not even worth talking about. But this is great news for those who have a lot of videos that they don't want to lose.

You can view your photos in the browser

By going to iCloud.com, in the “Photos” tab, you can view all your photos that have already been synchronized. You can also upload photos here from other devices, for example, from a computer.

The originals are always safe

If you want to edit a photo, you don’t have to worry about the original - it will always be stored in the cloud. Moreover, all changes made to the photo will be synchronized and available on all devices.

30 days for deleted photos

Deleted photos are not deleted, excuse the pun. All deleted photos are moved to the Recently Deleted folder, where they are available for another 30 days. During this time they can be returned. If you want to immediately delete a photo once and for all, you will have to delete it again, but from this album.

You get the same 30 days if you turn off iCloud Photo Library. All photos will be available for uploading for 30 days, and then will be deleted from Apple servers.

Conclusion

These are all the changes we found. In general, the iCloud media library has many advantages and almost no disadvantages. There is no catch, but in order to fully use the feature, you will have to buy additional space in iCloud Drive.

Plans start at $0.99 for 20 gigabytes per month and should be enough for most people. If you are an avid photographer and your library contains thousands of photos or many videos, then you will have to give Apple a little more money. But this is money for safety and reliability.

Are you currently using iCloud Photo Library and will you be purchasing additional iCloud Drive storage?

For those who take a lot of photos and videos, the ability to efficiently store these files, as well as share them with other devices and users, is critical. One solution to this problem is a media library integrated with Apple cloud storage. However, to successfully use this tool, you need to have certain skills in working with it, in particular, know how to disable iCloud media library in iTunes and perform other operations with it.

What is iCloud Photo Library and why is it needed?

iCloud Media Library is a special service from Apple that allows owners of this company’s mobile devices to transfer media files to cloud storage and make them available from any device. Here are its main features:

1. Storing an unlimited number of photos and video files in iCloud Drive. Other resources, such as Photo Stream, usually do not allow you to upload photos in free mode beyond the established limit and often do not work with video data.
2. You can set the settings on iPhones, tablets and other computer equipment to store compressed copies of photos and videos. Thanks to this, a lot of space is freed up on the devices itself, which is important when actively working with media data.
3. Automatic synchronization on all Apple devices. Now taking a photo on an iPhone, editing it on an iMac and posting it on the Internet from an iPad is as easy as shelling pears
4. The ability to connect additional space on the cloud - if there is a shortage of free 5 GB, an additional 20 GB costs only 39 rubles per month.
5. A single album for photographs – “All Photos”, which simplifies working with them.
6. Access from anywhere in the world via iCloud.com.

How to disable your media library

Despite the convenience of this service, sometimes the question arises of disabling it. This is usually done for security reasons, since if files are stored on only one device, it is easier to protect them from access by third parties. It also happens that you need to make room in iCloud for other information. Let's look at the main ways to disable this service.

Method 1: via iPhone and iPad

To disable your media library using an iOS device:

1. Unlock the device and go to “Settings”;
2. In the iCloud settings menu, find the media library icon and move the slider to the Off position.
3. The device is no longer synchronized with the storage; all media data will remain on it.

You cannot disable the service completely, but only its use by a number of services, for example Apple Music. For this:

1. Go to “Settings”, and then to the “Music” section;
2. Scroll down the page to the “iCloud Music Library” column;
3. Press the green button to disable the function.

To connect the storage you need an Apple ID account

Method 2: Using iTunes

This method is best used when working from a computer. Basic steps:

• Open iTunes;
• Enter settings;
• Select the “Basic” tab;
• Set the checkbox next to the “iCloud Photo Library” option to the desired position.

How to enable iCloud Music Library

We present ways to enable the service on various types of computer equipment.

• How to enable iCloud Music Library on iPhone. In Settings, click on your Apple ID, click on the iCloud icon, and in the “Photos” tab, turn on the media library switch.
• On an iMac or laptop. Go first to system settings, and then to the Apple cloud section. Click on the “Options” icon located next to “Photos” and check the “iCloud Photo Library” box.
• On your PC, you must first install the iCloud application for Windows. Then, in the “Photo” settings of this program, find the media library icon and click on it.

Media files are familiar to every modern PC or mobile device user. They usually include graphics as well as audio documents. Increasingly, owners of Apple products are thinking about how to use the iCloud media library. What kind of option is this? What settings does it have? Answers to all these questions will definitely help new iOS users master the mentioned option. It is extremely useful, especially for those who prefer to work with graphics and take a lot of photographs.

Description

What is iCloud Photo Library? Photos and videos stored on an Apple device. More precisely, using the mentioned option, the user will be able to save media files in a cloud service. Very comfortably!

Using the setting being studied, the Apple owner will be able to upload photos and videos to iCloud, as well as synchronize the corresponding data on other Apple devices. The media library supports optimization of information storage, which can significantly reduce the space occupied by photos and videos.

In the latest versions of iOS, users have the ability to upload all media files from their media library to iCloud Drive. All this helps not only to store fewer files in the memory of the mobile device, but also contributes to the rapid recovery of lost documents.

Where is it located - for mobile devices

How to access iCloud Music Library? You can find the corresponding section on both Mac and iOS. Usually there are no problems with finding a media library. Setting it up is much more of a hassle.

To find a media library on an Apple mobile device, you will need:

1. Turn on your Apple device and wait until it boots up completely.
2. Connect to the Internet. For example, via Wi-Fi.
3. Select the "Settings" menu item.
4. Switch to Apple ID-iCloud.
5. Log in to your Apple ID if required by iOS.
6. Select the "Photo" menu item.

This is where the parameters of the Apple mobile device’s media library are located. Now you can configure the corresponding option, as well as perform its initial activation. We'll talk about this later.

Where is it located - for Mac computers

How to use iCloud Photo Library? First, it’s worth finding out where the corresponding option is located. Or rather, its settings. Otherwise, you can forget about working with the proposed function once and for all.

We've sorted out the search for media library parameters on mobile devices. On computers you can also find the corresponding section. Let's look at an example of working with MacOS. If you have the iCloud for Windows app on Windows, you'll have to do the same thing.

So, to open the main menu with the iCloud media library settings on a MacOS computer, you need to:

1. Launch Mac.
2. Go to "System Settings".
3. Click on the iCloud image.
4. Press the "Options" button next to the "Photo" menu item.

That's all. Now the main iCloud library settings window will appear on the screen. Photos and videos using this option will be saved quickly and without difficulty. Moreover, they will become convenient to manage when working with several Apple devices under one account.

Enabling the option

When thinking about how to use iCloud Music Library, you need to understand that you will first have to enable the appropriate option. By default, it is deactivated on all Apple devices. And without first setting up and turning on the iCloud media library, it will not work under any pretext.

How to enable the corresponding option? To do this you will need:

1. Go to the media library settings. This can be done according to the instructions above.
2. Click or tap on the “Enable” text next to the “iCloud Photo Library” caption.
3. Confirm the operation. Sometimes the system asks for your Apple ID password.

That's all. The main thing is that the iCloud cloud service is activated on the Apple device. Without it, you will not be able to work with the setting you are studying.

Possible settings

We figured out how to access the iCloud media library. And with its inclusion too. What settings does this option have?

There are not many of them, but it is extremely important to know about them. Otherwise, the user risks facing serious problems, including the loss of media files on the device. This is not the best scenario.

By going to the "Photos" menu item in iCloud, the user will see several blocks of settings. Namely:

• storage optimization;
• uploading to "My photo stream";
• iCloud photo sharing.

What does each setting mean? And what is the best way to configure the media library of an Apple device? We'll try to figure this out further!

"Optimization" setting

How to use iCloud Photo Library? To do this, it is important to configure the appropriate option correctly. This is not so difficult to do, especially if you know which setting is responsible for what.

The "Storage Optimization" item is used to optimize saved images and videos. Originals with high resolution and quality will be stored in iCloud, and their versions adapted for mobile devices will be stored directly on the Apple device being used. Very comfortably.

To use this setting, just tap on it. After this, a green check mark will appear in the corresponding parameter line. This means that optimization is enabled.

Setting "Load while keeping originals"

How to use iCloud Photo Library? It is important to understand what this option is, how it works, and how it needs to be configured in a given case. Even a child can cope with all this.

The second item for setting up the media library is “Download while saving originals.” If you activate this line, then all pictures and videos on the Apple device will be stored in their original (original) form both in iCloud and in the memory of the device being used.

Typically this setting is not used. Its activation leads to quick filling of space both on the smartphone/tablet and in the cloud service. Especially if iCloud Drive is activated along with it.

Option "Upload to photo stream".

The next important section is “Uploading to Photo Stream”. Usually it is left on. Especially if the user works with several Apple devices under one account.

"Upload to My Photo Stream" is used to synchronize the library data of all devices connected to iCloud. If new photos/videos are deleted or new appear on one device, changes are made simultaneously on other devices.

Important: all adjustments will be made while connected to the Internet. For example, via Wi-Fi.

Sharing option

How to view your iCloud library? The first step is to configure this option.

The last Photo Library option is iCloud Photo Sharing. Experienced owners of Apple devices recommend leaving it on.

"Sharing..." allows you to create albums with media files that can be viewed by other users. After activating the appropriate setting, the owner of the Apple device will be able to connect to other people’s open albums.

About connecting devices

Uploading to the iCloud media library will be carried out automatically if you activate the option being studied. The speed of downloading new data directly depends on the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, sometimes you have to wait quite a long time for data updates.

If you need to connect several devices to your iCloud media library, it is better to do this one at a time. That is, first wait for the data to be uploaded from one Apple device, make sure the media library is working normally, and then connect another.

Why is it not recommended to connect several Apple devices at once? Firstly, such a decision will not speed up the entire procedure. This is due to the fact that the speed of the receiving channel is limited. Secondly, activating a media library from several devices at once is fraught with failures and errors.

How to watch on a smartphone

How to view your iCloud library? In general, you can cope with this task in different ways. Usually, working with Apple devices does not raise any unnecessary questions.

iCloud Photo Library appears under the Photos menu item. Every time the user opens it, a connection is made to the “Media Library” option. You won't have to go anywhere else. All media files will be displayed in the specified section. And updating as well.

View on computer

In the case of computers, it is recommended to use the web interface to view the media library. With its help, the user can quickly view saved photos and videos in iCloud. The main thing is that the “iCloud Photo Library” option is activated on Apple mobile devices. Otherwise, it will not be possible to achieve the desired goal.

To view data in the iCloud media library on a PC, you will have to:

1. Go to icloud.com.
2. Log in to the cloud service using your Apple ID.
3. Click on the inscription "Photo".
4. Wait a while.

The entire iCloud media library will appear on the screen. Here you can edit it or just study it.

Uploading data from Windows

When thinking about how to use the iCloud media library, many are faced with this problem - they have a mobile device from Apple, and their computer runs Windows. How then to upload data from a PC to the media library?

In this case, you need to work with the iCloud for Windows application. To download data from the OS you will need:

1. Launch Windows Explorer.
2. Open the "Favorites" menu item.
3. Select the "iCloud Photos" section.
4. Click on the "Unload..." operation.
5. Specify the images and videos that you would like to upload to iCloud.
6. Click on "Open".

All that remains now is to wait. After some time, the iCloud library will be updated. On mobile devices, this operation will be carried out after the first connection to the Network.

Upload to Windows

Having an error loading photos from iCloud Photo Library? A similar event occurs if a user tries to open an image deleted from iCloud from a mobile device. The solution to the problem lies in restoring the corresponding document.

It's hard to believe, but when working with Windows and iCloud, you can upload images and videos to the OS quite quickly. This usually requires:

1. Repeat the first 3 steps from the previous tutorial.
2. Select the "Download" menu item.
3. Mark the files you want to save on your PC.
4. Specify the path for downloading documents.

You can finish at this stage. All you have to do is wait until the documents are downloaded to your computer.

Important: the higher the Internet speed, the faster photos and videos will be uploaded.

About deleting documents

How to turn off iCloud Music Library? This is another operation that does not require any special skills or knowledge from the user. But we'll deal with it later. We forgot to consider the process of deleting files from the library. Its update has already been sorted out - the operation occurs after connecting to Wi-Fi.

In order to delete a photo/video from the library, you need to erase it in the "Photo" menu item. The document is then placed in the Recently Deleted folder. It will be stored here for a month. Only after this the file will be completely erased from the iCloud media library.

If you don’t want to wait, you can simply open the “Recently Deleted” folder on your Apple device and, having selected the desired document, click on the “Delete” button. This will forcefully erase the media library files.

Disabling the option

Disabling iCloud Music Library takes just a few steps. A couple of minutes - and it's done. It is advisable to make an iCloud backup before stopping working with your media library. This will protect data from loss.

How to turn off iCloud Music Library? To do this you will need:

1. Go to the menu item "Settings" - Apple ID - iCloud.
2. Switch to the Photos service.
3. Switch the toggle switch to the "Off" position. If you are working with a PC, you will need to uncheck the “Enable media library” checkbox.
4. Confirm processing of the request.

Is iCloud Photo Library turned on? How can I turn it off? Now the answer to such a question will not confuse a person. And working with iCloud and photos/videos from it too.

Important: before turning off your media library, you can send files from it from your mobile device to email or social networks.

Conclusion

iCloud Media Library is a useful service that allows users to optimize their experience with cloud data and media files on Apple devices. It is advisable to activate the studied function immediately after purchasing an Apple product.

Unfortunately, iCloud space often runs out quickly when the media library is activated. In this case, you can simply purchase additional space for the cloud service in your account management settings.

There are dozens of different ways to transfer photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your Windows computer. But most of them are either completely inconvenient to use or require direct connection of the mobile device to the PC. In this instruction, we talked about how to get direct, and most importantly convenient access to the iCloud media library on a computer running Windows.

Setting up iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

In order to access your iCloud media library from a Windows computer, you first need to make sure that the feature is activated on your mobile device. If automatic uploading of your media library to iCloud is turned off, then you need to turn it on.

Step 1. Go to menu " Settings».

Step 2. Select the section " Photo and Camera».

Step 3: Activate the switch " iCloud Photo Library».

Step 1: Download iCloud for Windows from Apple's official website.

Step 2. Install iCloud for Windows and launch the utility.

Step 4. Click on the button Options" next to the item " Photo».

Step 5. Check the box " iCloud Photo Library" and press " Ready».

Step 6: Click " Apply» to save the settings.

Ready! You can now access your iCloud library from your Windows computer. To do this, go to the folder " This computer"("My Computer" in older versions of Windows) → " iCloud Photos" and press " Upload a photo or video" In the window that opens, select media files for which year you want to download to your computer. The selected photos will appear in your Downloads folder.

Please note that all photos and videos created in the future will be downloaded to your computer automatically.