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Transferring iCloud photos from one iCloud account to another when upgrading an iPhone

Hello, I have an iPhone 5s and I am upgrading to an iPhone X. My photos on the 5s are stored in iCloud with low res optimization on my phone. I do not have enough storage capacity to keep original res photos on my 5s iPhone. I am sharing an Apple ID with my husband and would like to transfer or copy all of the photos to my new iPhone X which will have my new apple ID.


What is the best way to move or copy original quality, compression, and resolution from one Apple ID to another on a different phone? We will be family sharing iCloud storage too.


Thank you!


iPhone X

Posted on Jul 23, 2021 8:11 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 24, 2021 7:00 PM

laurie king Said:

"Transferring iCloud photos from one iCloud account to another when upgrading an iPhone: [...]Can I download these photos from this iCloud account onto a MacBook Pro computer and then upload them to my new Apple ID iCloud account for my new phone?"

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Yes. But, be certain you have the room to dow load it. If you have just a few photos, then you should be fine - all should go nice and quick. If you have hundreds, then plug in an external storage device, and transfer them from the Photos app to your external hard drive, through these instructions: Export photos, videos, and slideshows from Photos on Mac - Apple Support. Then, once all is transferred to the hard drive, log out of iCloud on the Mac, Next, restart the Mac, and then log in using the new Apple ID.


Use a Computer for this:

Perform all of this on a computer, rather than an iPhone, as it would be more user-friendly doing so.


In Depth:

I. Using the current Apple ID:

  1. Log In: to https://www.icloud.com/photos
  2. Export: the Photos (expert them to an external hard drive if little storage.


then...


II. Using the New Apple ID:

  1. Upload: the files to https://www.icloud.com/photos

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13 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 24, 2021 7:00 PM in response to laurie king

laurie king Said:

"Transferring iCloud photos from one iCloud account to another when upgrading an iPhone: [...]Can I download these photos from this iCloud account onto a MacBook Pro computer and then upload them to my new Apple ID iCloud account for my new phone?"

-------


Yes. But, be certain you have the room to dow load it. If you have just a few photos, then you should be fine - all should go nice and quick. If you have hundreds, then plug in an external storage device, and transfer them from the Photos app to your external hard drive, through these instructions: Export photos, videos, and slideshows from Photos on Mac - Apple Support. Then, once all is transferred to the hard drive, log out of iCloud on the Mac, Next, restart the Mac, and then log in using the new Apple ID.


Use a Computer for this:

Perform all of this on a computer, rather than an iPhone, as it would be more user-friendly doing so.


In Depth:

I. Using the current Apple ID:

  1. Log In: to https://www.icloud.com/photos
  2. Export: the Photos (expert them to an external hard drive if little storage.


then...


II. Using the New Apple ID:

  1. Upload: the files to https://www.icloud.com/photos

Jul 23, 2021 8:26 PM in response to laurie king

laurie king Said:

"Transferring iCloud photos from one iCloud account to another when upgrading an iPhone: [...]I do not have enough storage capacity to keep original res photos on my 5s iPhone.[...]What is the best way to move or copy original quality, compression, and resolution from one Apple ID to another on a different phone? We will be family sharing iCloud storage too."

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Start with Clearing Space on the iPhone:

There may just not be enough empty space. So, try emptying some more of it. Many system resources may be being used by unnecessary items. So, you need more internal storage space. Consider performing the following...

A. Clean TV and Music Libraries:

Remove all unneeded files from your TV and Music Libraries. Full-Movies take up 2-4GB typically, and a bunch of those would take up a load of storage, ideally. So, if you have any movies that are not needed, then delete them.

Also...

B. Clear Temporary Internet Files:

Clear your Temporary Internet Files(Cookies & Cache) of Safari:

Also...

C. Clear "Other":

Clear the storages named "Other". It basically contains unnecessary files such as caches that are used for system ease of use - all of which gather over time: How to Clear "Other" in your iPhone's Storage - Use Backup - User Tip


Once Cleaned...

Sync Through iCloud:

Sign in to the same Apple ID on the new iPhone, and then enable Photos in iCloud Settings on both iPhone. Once photos is synced, then all should presumably upload to iCloud, and be accessible to both iPhones. In the long run, all should be accessible, given they are associated to the same Apple ID.

I. On Both iPhones:

  1. Click: Settings
  2. Tap: your Name (top item)
  3. Tap: iCloud
  4. Tap: Photos (so that it is green)

II. Then, Check iCloud:

See if you can access particular items, through iCloud, directly. Go Here: https://www.icloud.com/photos

Jul 23, 2021 9:53 PM in response to laurie king

laurie king Said:

"Transferring iCloud photos from one iCloud account to another when upgrading an iPhone: Hello, thanks so much for the info about clearing out my old phone. However, I want to remove the photos from the present Apple ID iCloud account and put them onto my own Apple ID iCloud on my new iPhone X. Sorry if I wasn’t clear.[...]"

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You are welcome.


First and Foremost...

Avoid Sharing an Apple ID:

Sharing an Apple ID is highly not recommend. So, you should have your own, for yourself.


As for Recovering These....

Two Thoughts:

  • Upload to your Computer:

If you want, you could upload these photos from your iPhone to your computer, directly off of your iPhone. You would manage the files from your computer. Go Here: Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

or...

  • Upgrade iCloud Storage:

Or, you could upload these to iCloud and then download them to your Mac.

Go Here: Use iCloud Photos to store photos in iCloud - Apple Support

iCloud Storage Plans:

Here is the pricing plan (in USD):

50GB: $0.99

200GB: $2.99

2TB: $9.99

Go Here:

Jul 23, 2021 8:19 PM in response to laurie king

Photo sharing is a little messy.


You have a few options. Use the same Apple ID to have one master album; but then you lose your APPLE ID identity on your phone.


Designate one account as the master account to which all photos, etc. are updated.

Then place everything into the family share folder.

This require a lot more maintenance in ensuring that photos library and shared album remain up to date.


Copy all of the images by downloading to a computer and the moving those copies into your (or your spouse's device)

Again, must be maintained over time.



Jul 23, 2021 9:20 PM in response to TheLittles

Hello, thanks so much for the info about clearing out my old phone. However, I want to remove the photos from the present Apple ID iCloud account and put them onto my own Apple ID iCloud on my new iPhone X. Sorry if I wasn’t clear.


My husband and I have been sharing an Apple ID and I’ve been backing up my photos from my phone onto this iCloud account. I’d like to get my photos off of this original iCloud account we shared and onto my own, so he can back up his photos onto the original one we shared. Only my photos are on the original iCloud right now.


Jul 24, 2021 10:09 AM in response to TheLittles

Great information!! Last question… I am currently paying for iCloud storage on my shared iCloud account optimizing my photos that are too large for my old iPhone 5s. Can I download these photos from this iCloud account onto a MacBook Pro computer and then upload them to my new Apple ID iCloud account for my new phone? I’m apprehensive to connect my phone to the MacBook because I’m afraid it will start syncing automatically (it’s my daughter’s computer). I’m not sure if she has enough hard drive space available, but I could do a few photos at a time and then delete them from her computer as I go along? I’d still keep the same quality and resolution that way too, correct, if that’s possible.

Thanks!

Jul 27, 2021 2:50 PM in response to TheLittles

A iPhone sales representative at Best Buy said another method to transfer photos from one Apple ID account to another on a new phone, would be to sign in to the old Apple ID on my new iPhone, turn on iCloud photos, , and then sign out leaving a copy of all photos, messages , etc on the new phone’s hard drive. Then, sign into new Apple ID account and turn on iCloud photos backup to the new Apple ID iCloud account. Do you concur that would work? Would I lose any quality?


Jul 27, 2021 6:31 PM in response to laurie king

laurie king Said:

"A iPhone sales representative at Best Buy said another method to transfer photos from one Apple ID account to another on a new phone, would be [...]Do you concur that would work? Would I lose any quality?"

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It would work. You would not lose any quality. Thing is, it would all be downloaded on your iPhone. So, if you have thousands, of photos then it would take up lots of space, and lots of time to download. A high resolution photo can be 2MB, in which case, 1,000 photos would be 2GB. So, just how many do you have? If you don't download them, then they're gone, if not saved to iCloud, or elsewhere.

Jul 29, 2021 11:31 AM in response to laurie king

laurie king Said:

"Transferring iCloud photos from one iCloud account to another when upgrading an iPhone: Thanks, yes I have about 2,000 photos on my current iCloud account.[...]"

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Q1. "Wouldn’t these photos remain on my old iPhone even if I sign out of ICloud on my new iPhone?"

A1. Yes. They would. But, it may take up lots of space, if anything of concern.


Q2. "Just in case they all don’t download properly onto my new phone, they’d still be in the old iCloud account, too, correct?"

A2. Yes. Along as to don't deleted them.

Transferring iCloud photos from one iCloud account to another when upgrading an iPhone

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