Now is the perfect time to reassess your iCloud storage options, especially with Apple’s decade-old service, My Photo Stream, set to conclude on July 26. This change may prompt many users to explore alternative solutions for photo storage and management that better suit their evolving needs.
Apple WWDC 2023 sneak peek: Everything you require to understand
Understanding the Differences: My Photo Stream Versus iCloud Photo Storage
Launched alongside iCloud in 2011, My Photo Stream offered a free, Wi-Fi-based solution for users to temporarily store images in one digital location. This service enabled users to conveniently save or share their photos across various Apple devices while on the move. It specifically supports file formats such as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and RAW, although it saves them at lower resolutions to optimize storage space on devices like the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. However, it should be noted that My Photo Stream is not accessible from Apple Watches, does not support Live Photos, and does not retain any edits made to images across devices. Access to this service is available through device settings, but new users who have just created their Apple ID will find it unavailable.
The service can hold up to 1,000 files for a duration of one month, making it a useful stepping stone for users looking to manage their photos both locally and in the cloud. However, it is essential to understand that My Photo Stream is not designed to be a permanent backup solution.
Files stored in the complimentary My Photo Stream do not impact a user’s iCloud storage limit, providing an additional layer of convenience for those who may be concerned about reaching their storage capacity.
What Will Happen to My Photos When My Photo Stream Ends?
As per official announcements from Apple, users will find that data uploads to My Photo Stream will cease one month prior to the service’s termination on July 26. This grace period gives users ample time—30 days—to save their images to other devices or upload them directly to their iCloud accounts. Once the service concludes, all photos will still remain on the devices where they were originally captured, alleviating concerns about losing any precious moments or important files.
Step-by-Step Guide to Saving Photos from My Photo Stream
To access your My Photo Stream, navigate to the Photo Library on your devices. From there, select “Albums” and then locate “My Photo Stream.” This straightforward navigation allows you to find your stored images easily.
Once you are in the My Photo Stream album, you can select and download any photos you wish to keep on your device, or alternatively, drag the images directly into your Mac’s Photo Library for safekeeping. Apple also recommends setting up iCloud Photos across all your devices to ensure a seamless experience for saving and syncing photos, videos, and edits effortlessly.
var facebookPixelLoaded = false;
window.addEventListener(‘load’, function(){
document.addEventListener(‘scroll’, facebookPixelScript);
document.addEventListener(‘mousemove’, facebookPixelScript);
})
function facebookPixelScript() {
if (!facebookPixelLoaded) {
facebookPixelLoaded = true;
document.removeEventListener(‘scroll’, facebookPixelScript);
document.removeEventListener(‘mousemove’, facebookPixelScript);
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;
n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′;n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,
document,’script’,’//connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js’);
fbq(‘init’, ‘1453039084979896’);
fbq(‘track’, “PageView”);
}
}
