How to backup your iCloud Photos library completely
To create a backup of all your photos from iCloud, you have multiple options with pros and cons. Here are the possible options.
My recommendation is my own tool Happy Photo Exporter, for sure, but I agree I am biased as an author. So let me first list the other alternatives:
1. Apple Data & Privacy Portal
The most complete, but process-wise cumbersome approach.
Use https://privacy.apple.com , login, choose Photos and request a full download. Select the file size (e.g. to 25 GB) how the data will be split for download purposes. This contains original files. It takes up to 7 days to complete.
The export format is quite complete, the process is reliable, but slow and manual. The export files are not easy to consume though. Favorite and Album information is residing in csv files.
Experts‘ tools for fixing unpracticalities of the export format and manage the exports include https://github.com/jaimetur/PhotoMigrator, https://github.com/dayowe/fix-icloud-photo-metadata, https://github.com/johannesmutter/fix-my-takeout and https://github.com/covepseng/chronicle.
This dataset is always „complete“, not incremental.
Currently, there is no simple end-user tool known to do a „restore“, to seamlessly import the contents with to a photo library.
2. iCloud.com Manual Download
The almost good approach, even if clunky.
Login to https://iCloud.com –> Photos –> Select Images –> Download
This downloads Originals and Current Versions, in full resolution, and includes also LivePhoto Videos. Metadata include only EXIF, no additional information available on Favorite or Album.
When selecting large amounts of images however, the download is not always reliably completing. File timestamps are not set, but exif is kept properly. The ZIP-file created is „flat“, No incremental downloads possible.
There is no official import/restore app for these image files.
3. On Mac: use the Photos App „all-local“
Clunky but complete – if you have enough local storage
If you can afford to load all iCloud Photos to your device (Mac), without auto-compression/purging of storage, then your local photo library file will be complete. Then you may backup the Photos Library.photoslibrary file to TimeMachine or a SSD/HD drive and thus have a complete backup, with everything in. When you have ensured that you really have everything arriving on your local storage, this is the most complete „immediate“ method; this is all-encompassing if only a little bit clunky.
You may restore this „in one go“ to a target Mac system. So far, Apple has developed migration procedures on the Photos App that ensure that newer versions can read and migrate older files, it is reasonable to assume this to continue probably for a couple of years.
Always a full dataset, no incremental method available. Not easily extractable from other OS (Windows/Linux).
If you don’t have enough local storage to have everything stored locally, this just won’t work, since the local file then is incomplete..
Don’t rely on this for big datasets.
This is not a good option, but maybe the most tried solution. The Photos app offers „share“ functionality. It encompasses both locally available and network images on-demand. This is built-in but and fine for small number of images. But only moderately reliable if you try to share bigger amounts of images.
You have limited control on resolution and export details, and it tends to stall or break on bigger data volumes, repeated shares then exporting duplicates..
Original and current images need two separate runs, LivePhoto Movies are not conveyed, Metadata mostly not transferred. File timestamps are not set properly. Import can not reconstruct fully.
5. Photos App on Mac, export photos
Moderately acceptable solution, out of the box
On Mac, the Photos App also offers an „export“ functionality. encompasses both locally available and network images on-demand. This is built-in but and quite reliable also for bigger number of images.
Metadata can be partially be included, you have some control on resolution and export details. It is always complete, no incremental export.
Original and current (edited) images need two separate runs, LivePhoto Movies are not conveyed, Adjustment data not exported, Metadata mostly not transferred. File timestamps are not set properly. Import can not reconstruct fully.
6. OSXPhotos for Mac
The most exhaustive solution for unix/terminal/python Gurus with large local storage.
For users which are fit in Terminal and Python, the open source library osxphotos can extract everything from your Mac photo library (local data only, no on-demand downloads). Command-line interface and admin rights needed to get it installed. However, like option 3. above, it does not download, i.e. you need to have everything locally stored to make it complete.
No official re-import tool known.
7. Happy Photo Exporter
The best solution I know
App for iPhone, iPad, Mac, which exports all photos with all information available via official APIs. Local and network online photos. Original, Current, LivePhotos, Adjustment Data, Albums, Favorite, Exif, Keywords, Captions.
Full export and import, backup, restore, including restoring metadata and recombining original+current+LivePhotos.
Full export/import with incremental export/import feature.
What is it missing? It can not read or write image titles (only captions and keywords).
Otherwise. It. Just. Does. The. Job. Enjoy.