How to back up the photos on your phone: iCloud or Google Photos, then a computer or a drive

If your phone has just said its storage is full, or you’ve started to worry about what happens to the photos if the phone is lost, you’re in the right place. Don’t delete anything yet. The safe order is to make copies first and clear space second, and this page goes through it one step at a time, from the makers’ own instructions. If you’d rather someone sat beside you, we offer home tech support to set up your photo backup with you.

If we sent you this link, start with the section for your phone: iPhone or Android.

Where are your photos right now?

On most phones, the photos are in one place only: the phone. A backup is a second copy somewhere else, and a good one is a third copy as well. The aim is three copies: the phone, the cloud, and a computer or an external drive.

Pick where the photos are

Only on the phone On the phone and in the cloud Phone, cloud and a drive The phone is lost or broken

PhoneCloudDrive

Only on the phone

Every photo is in one place, the phone. If anything happens to it, the photos go with it.

On the phone and in the cloud

iCloud Photos on an iPhone, or Google Photos on Android, keeps a second copy in your account, uploaded by itself.

Phone, cloud and a drive

A third copy on a computer, backed up to an external drive, doesn't depend on any account or password.

The phone is lost or broken

The phone is gone, but the photos aren't: the copy in the cloud and the copy on the drive are both still there.

The three copies, and what each one protects you from

The copy	What it is	If the phone is lost or broken
Only on the phone	The photos you took, and nothing else	They go with the phone
On the phone and in the cloud	iCloud Photos on an iPhone, Google Photos on Android	They're still in your account, on any device you sign in to
Phone, cloud and a drive	A copy on a computer, backed up to an external drive	Two copies survive, and one doesn't depend on any account

The cloud copy happens by itself. The drive copy is the one you’ll be glad of if you ever lose the account password, or delete something that then deletes everywhere.

How do I back up iPhone photos to iCloud?

Turn on iCloud Photos, and the iPhone uploads every photo and video to iCloud by itself, which Apple says keeps them in their original formats at full resolution. Apple’s steps on an iPhone or iPad:

1. 1

   Open Settings

   Tap Settings, then tap your name at the top.

2. 2

   Open iCloud

   Tap iCloud, then tap Photos.

3. 3

   Turn it on

   Turn on Sync this device.

4. 4

   Leave it on WiFi and charging

   The first upload can take a long time. Apple says it depends on how many photos you have and your internet speed, and suggests charging the phone on WiFi overnight.

Apple’s page to set up and use iCloud Photos (opens in a new tab) has the steps for a Mac and other devices too. The account you sign in with is your Apple Account. Apple’s own help now calls it “Your Apple Account, formerly Apple ID”, so if you remember setting up an Apple ID, it’s the same thing with a new name.

How do I check iCloud Photos has finished?

Open the Photos app and look at the library status, which Apple says appears below your name and photo count. On iOS 26 or later, go to Collections, then tap the profile button in the top corner. On iOS 18, tap the profile button. On iOS 17 or earlier, go to Library, tap All Photos and scroll to the bottom.

If it says syncing has paused, Apple’s reasons include Low Power Mode or Low Data Mode, a battery below 20 per cent, a poor network connection, or a full iCloud. Charge it on WiFi and leave it overnight. Apple says not to turn iCloud Photos off, because that restarts the syncing.

Is iCloud Backup the same thing?

No. iCloud Backup copies the phone’s settings and information, and Apple says it leaves out what already syncs to iCloud, so with iCloud Photos on, your photos are not in it. Apple’s advice is to keep backup copies of your photo library as well. To check iCloud Backup, open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, then iCloud Backup: Apple says the date and time of the last backup are shown under Back Up Now.

If I delete photos from my iPhone, are they deleted from iCloud?

Yes, when iCloud Photos is on. Apple says: “When you delete photos and videos on one device, they’re deleted everywhere you use iCloud Photos.” This is the step where people lose photos, because deleting to make room on the phone also deletes the cloud copy.

There is a safety net, with a catch. Apple says deleted photos stay in the Recently Deleted album for 30 days and can be recovered from there. But if you’re over your iCloud storage limit, Apple says the phone removes deleted photos and videos immediately, with no 30 days.

Why does it say my iCloud storage is full?

Because the account has used all its space. Apple says every account gets 5GB free when you set up iCloud, and your photos, iCloud Backup, iCloud Drive, messages and email all use it. Apple’s words for what happens next are that your device won’t be backed up to iCloud and new photos and videos won’t be uploaded to iCloud Photos.

To see what is using the space, open Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, then Storage or Manage Account Storage. Apple’s ways to make room include:

• Delete an old backup. A phone you no longer use may still have a backup there. Tap Backups, tap the old device’s name, then Turn Off and Delete from iCloud.
• Make your backup smaller by turning off apps you don’t need backed up.
• Clear out what you don’t need in iCloud Drive, and old texts, attachments and email.
• Buy more storage. Apple calls the bigger plans iCloud+.

Deleting photos is on Apple’s list too, but only once they’re copied somewhere else. Apple’s page on managing your iCloud storage (opens in a new tab) has every option.

iPhone storage full: is it the same as iCloud storage full?

No. iPhone storage is the space on the phone itself, and iCloud storage is your space online; Apple treats them as separate, each with its own alert. To see what’s filling the phone, open Settings, tap General, then iPhone Storage.

If photos are filling it and iCloud Photos is on, Apple’s setting is Optimise Storage: open Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, then Photos under Saved to iCloud, tap iPhone Storage and choose Optimise Storage (on iOS 26 or earlier, just choose Optimise Storage). Apple says the phone then keeps space-saving versions while the originals stay in iCloud, so iCloud needs room for them first.

How do I back up Android photos with Google Photos?

Turn on backup in the Google Photos app, and it uploads the photos to your Google Account. Google’s steps:

1. 1

   Open the Google Photos app on your Android phone or tablet.

2. 2

   Sign in to your Google Account.

3. 3

   At the top right, tap your profile picture or initial.

4. 4

   Tap Photos settings, then Backup.

5. 5

   Turn Backup on.

Google says each Google Account includes up to 15 GB of storage, shared across Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos. When it’s full, Google says you can’t back up any photos and videos to Google Photos until you free up space or buy more. Google’s Google Photos backup help (opens in a new tab) has the full steps.

How do I know Google Photos has backed up?

Look at the top of your library in the Google Photos app. Google says it reads Backup complete when your items have finished; Backing up photos means it’s still going, and Backup paused means it has stopped for now.

Freeing up space on an Android phone

Tap your profile picture or initial, then Free up space on this device. Google says it removes the phone’s copies of photos already backed up, and they stay in Google Photos; it is plain that “This feature deletes photos from your device”, so wait for Backup complete first. Deleting is different: Google says deleting in the Google Photos app removes the photo from the phone and from every device with backup on, and it sits in the bin for 30 days.

How do I transfer photos from my iPhone to my computer?

With a cable. The computer copy is the one that doesn’t depend on any account, and it’s the copy you back up to a drive. You need a USB cable that can transfer files, as Microsoft puts it.

We earn a small commission if you buy through our Amazon links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Gear mentioned here, on Amazon Australia

Product	What it is for	Link
UGREEN USB-C to USB-C cable, 2 m	USB-C phone to a USB-C computer	View on Amazon for the UGREEN USB-C to USB-C cable, 2 m (opens in a new tab)
Apple USB-C to Lightning Cable, 1 m	Lightning iPhone to a USB-C computer	View on Amazon for the Apple USB-C to Lightning Cable, 1 m (opens in a new tab)

iPhone to a Mac

Apple’s steps: connect the iPhone with a USB cable, click Allow on the Mac if it asks, and unlock the iPhone; if it asks you to Trust This Computer, tap Trust. Open the Photos app on the Mac, select the photos and click Import Selected, or click Import All New Photos. If iCloud Photos is on, Apple says the photos sync to the Mac by themselves; to keep full-size copies on the Mac, open Photos, then Settings, then iCloud, and choose Download Originals to this Mac.

iPhone or Android to a Windows PC

For an iPhone, Apple says to install the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store first. Then these are Microsoft’s steps, for an iPhone or an Android phone:

1. 1

   Plug the phone in

   Connect it to the PC with a USB cable that can transfer files, and unlock the phone. Microsoft says the PC can't find a phone that is locked.

2. 2

   Allow it

   If the phone asks, select Trust or Allow. On an Android phone you may need to change its USB setting to transfer photos or media.

3. 3

   Open Photos

   Select Start, then Photos.

4. 4

   Import

   Select Import, then your connected phone, and follow the instructions. You can pick which photos to bring across and where to save them.

The steps are on Microsoft’s page to import photos and videos from a phone to a PC (opens in a new tab). If iCloud Photos is on, Microsoft says photos that are in iCloud but not on the phone may not import. The way round it is to sign in at icloud.com/photos on the PC, select the photos (Apple says up to 1,000 at a time) and click the Download button at the top right.

Android photos to a Mac

On the Mac, go to photos.google.com, select a photo or video, click More, then Download.

How do I back the computer up to a drive?

Use the backup built into the computer, with an external drive that plugs into a USB port. These two are set up for the computer each one names:

Gear mentioned here, on Amazon Australia

Product	What it is for	Link
Toshiba Canvio Advance 2TB	Portable backup drive, set up for Windows	View on Amazon for the Toshiba Canvio Advance 2TB (opens in a new tab)
WD My Passport for Mac 2TB	Portable backup drive, Mac-ready	View on Amazon for the WD My Passport for Mac 2TB (opens in a new tab)

On a Windows PC, use File History. Microsoft says it backs up your libraries, including Pictures, and keeps making regular backups. Plug in the drive, open Control Panel (search for it in the Start menu), and under System and Security select Save backup copies of your files with File History. Select Turn on, and if the wrong drive is chosen, select Select drive and pick yours. Our Windows checks guide starts with the same backup.

On a Mac, use Time Machine. Apple says it backs up your files, including photos. On macOS Ventura or later, choose the Apple menu, System Settings, General, then Time Machine. Click Add Backup Disk or the + button, select the drive and click Set Up Disk. The Mac may ask to erase the drive, which wipes anything on it, so use a new or empty one. Our Mac checks guide has the same steps in more detail.

How do I check the backup worked?

Look for each copy yourself. A backup you haven’t seen is a hope, not a backup.

• The cloud copy. On a computer, sign in at icloud.com/photos or photos.google.com and open a few recent photos.
• The phone’s status. The library status in the iPhone’s Photos app, or Backup complete in Google Photos.
• The computer copy. Open the folder you imported into, and open a few photos, old and new.
• The drive copy. On a Mac, choose Back Up Now from the Time Machine menu in the menu bar and let it finish. On a PC, leave the drive plugged in while File History copies.

Check again every few months, and after a new phone.

Getting a new phone? Once the photos are safe in two places, wipe the old phone before you pass it on. Still choosing one for a parent? Here’s what to look for in a phone or tablet.

What if the photos won’t upload at all?

Check the home internet. Apple says the upload time depends on your internet speed, and lists a poor network connection as one reason iCloud syncing pauses. Why your NBN may be slow shows how to tell. If the WiFi is weak where the phone charges overnight, charge it nearer the modem, or have a WiFi technician fix the weak spots; if nothing in the house gets online properly, an internet technician tests the connection from the NBN box in.

When to call us, and when you don’t need to

You don’t need us if iCloud Photos or Google Photos says it’s finished, you’ve seen the photos on another device, and a copy is on a computer and a drive. That is the whole job, and it’s yours to do with the steps above.

Call us when you’d rather not do it alone, when the account password is lost, or when nobody in the house is sure what is backed up where. A home tech support visit for backups, accounts and new devices works through it with you: the cloud backup turned on and checked, the photos copied to the computer, the drive set up so it keeps running, and the old phone’s photos moved to a new one. You type your own passwords, and the accounts stay yours.

We set up the backup with you; we don’t do data recovery. If a phone has already died with the only copy of the photos on it, that needs a repair shop, and we’ll tell you so straight away.

Not sure where your photos are right now? Send us a message, or ring 02 9188 1577.