Apps Add or Remove iCloud Photos in Photos app in Windows 11

  • Thread starter Thread starter Brink
  • Start date Published: Start date Updated Updated:

Photos_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove iCloud Photos on the left navigation pane in Photos app for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

The Microsoft Photos app included in Windows is a rich media experience that empowers you to do more with your photos and videos. View, organize, and share photos from your PC, OneDrive, iCloud Photos and other devices all from one gallery.

iCloud Photos is directly integrated into the Photos app on Windows 10/11. This iCloud Photos integration will make it easier for those with an iPhone to have direct access to all their memories in one organized place.

To bring your iCloud Photos into the Photos app, make sure your Photos app is updated and then install the iCloud for Windows app, all from the Microsoft Store. From there, sign in and choose to sync your photos, and all your iCloud Photos content will appear automatically in your Photos app.

You can choose to not show iCloud Photos to the left navigation in the Microsoft Photos app.

References:


EXAMPLE: iCloud Photos in the Photos app

iCloud_Photos_in_Photos_app.png




Here's How:

1 Open the Photos app.

2 Click/tap on the Settings (gear) icon at the top. (see screenshot below)

If you do not see the Settings (gear) icon, then click/tap on the See more (3 dots) button and click/tap on Settings.


3 Turn on (default) or off Show iCloud Photos for what you want.

iCloud_Photos_in_Photos_app_settings.png



That's it,
Shawn Brink


 
Last edited:
No matter how many times I disable "Show iCloud photos" in the Photos app, it turns back on. Any thoughts? I apologize if this is the wrong place to ask.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
    Motherboard
    ASUS B650E-F Gaming WiFi
    Memory
    G.Skill 32GB 6000MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    RTX 4080
    PSU
    Super Flower 1000w
    Case
    Fractal North
    Cooling
    Deepcool AK620 ZERO DARK
No matter how many times I disable "Show iCloud photos" in the Photos app, it turns back on. Any thoughts? I apologize if this is the wrong place to ask.
Hello, :alien:

Is this happening only after new Photos app updates, or all the time?
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Fresh Win 11 install and just installed Photos via winget v2024.11070.31001.0, not sure if that answers correctly.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
    Motherboard
    ASUS B650E-F Gaming WiFi
    Memory
    G.Skill 32GB 6000MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    RTX 4080
    PSU
    Super Flower 1000w
    Case
    Fractal North
    Cooling
    Deepcool AK620 ZERO DARK
Fresh Win 11 install and just installed Photos via winget v2024.11070.31001.0, not sure if that answers correctly.
It could be an issue of the app update resetting its settings back to default.

Does the setting continue to change back to default after changing it even without a new app update?
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
It does seem to be the only setting that reverts. I'm not sure how to determine if there's an update for the Photos app solely.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
    Motherboard
    ASUS B650E-F Gaming WiFi
    Memory
    G.Skill 32GB 6000MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    RTX 4080
    PSU
    Super Flower 1000w
    Case
    Fractal North
    Cooling
    Deepcool AK620 ZERO DARK
It does seem to be the only setting that reverts. I'm not sure how to determine if there's an update for the Photos app solely.
If the setting is constantly changing, then you could see if resetting the Photos app like below may sort it. Otherwise, you may need to wait for a new app update to hopefully fix it.

 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Well, even after resetting the app, it's still the only setting that reverts. I appreciate the help and will just hope to see it fixed in the future. Is that something that simply comes via Windows Update, or is there another way to determine updates "per app"?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
    Motherboard
    ASUS B650E-F Gaming WiFi
    Memory
    G.Skill 32GB 6000MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    RTX 4080
    PSU
    Super Flower 1000w
    Case
    Fractal North
    Cooling
    Deepcool AK620 ZERO DARK
Well, even after resetting the app, it's still the only setting that reverts. I appreciate the help and will just hope to see it fixed in the future. Is that something that simply comes via Windows Update, or is there another way to determine updates "per app"?
It'll be updated automatically via the Microsoft Store app, but you can manually check for updates like below at anytime.

 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
I appreciate your time & help! Plz feel free to clean these posts out of your tutorial, I don't want to clog it up with nonsense.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
    Motherboard
    ASUS B650E-F Gaming WiFi
    Memory
    G.Skill 32GB 6000MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    RTX 4080
    PSU
    Super Flower 1000w
    Case
    Fractal North
    Cooling
    Deepcool AK620 ZERO DARK
I appreciate your time & help! Plz feel free to clean these posts out of your tutorial, I don't want to clog it up with nonsense.
You're most welcome. They're fine. :shawn:
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
@Brink and @aggrophobik in the newer Insider builds there is a newer version of the Photos App that does not revert the iCloud settings when toggled to off, I am currently on an Insider DEV build and the settigs do not revert after closing Photos. We will just have to wait patiently for the new version to roll out to non Insider machines via MS Store.

Old Photos.jpg


This is the version of Photos I have on my non Insider Windows build 22631.4169 that reverts iCloud settings.

iCloud Insider.jpg


This is the version of Photos I have on my Insider Windows DEV build 26120.1843 that does not revert settings
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro x 2 + Insider Dev
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    My first abomination, I call it the Money Pit One
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 12900K @ 5.2 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO
    Memory
    2 x Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB (4x16GB Total) DDR5-6200 CL36 Dual Channel Kit
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 XC3 ULTRA GAMING 10GB GDDR6X
    Sound Card
    ROG SupremeFX ALC4082 with ESS® ES9018Q2C DAC for pinpoint positioning and dynamics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung 43" HDR Neo QLED Mini-LED Tizen Smart TV (QN43QN90DAFXZC) 2024
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080 @ 150 DPI & 120Hz
    Hard Drives
    2 x Samsung 980 Series - 250GB PCIe Gen3. X4 NVMe 1.4 - M.2 Internal SSD (Windows 11 Pro Dual boot)
    PSU
    Corsair HX1000i 80+ Platinum Modular Power Supply 1000W
    Case
    Phanteks Enthoo Luxe Tempered Glass Full Tower Case - Black
    Cooling
    CORSAIR iCUE H150i RGB Elite 360mm Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    Perixx PERIBOARD-732B Wireless Mini Backlit USB Keyboard with Low Profile Keys - US Layout
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Anywhere 2S Wireless Mouse
    Internet Speed
    1000 Mbps
    Browser
    Latest Version Of Firefox & Microsoft Edge Chromium Stable
    Antivirus
    ESET Internet Security
    Other Info
    LG Electronics 14x Sata Blu-ray Disk Rewriter - WH14NS4O
    2 x OREI 4K 4x2 HDMI Matrix Switch With ARC Audio Extraction, HDR & Downscaling (UHD-402D) so I can send the output of my Cable Box, Roku, or any of my 4 computers to either of my TV's separately or simultaneously.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro x 2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    My second abomination, I call it the Money Pit Two
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 12900K @ 5.2 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG STRIX Z690-F GAMING WIFI
    Memory
    2 x Vengeance RGB 32GB DDR5 6400MHz CL32 Dual Channel Kit (4x16GB Total) Black
    Graphics card(s)
    ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3070 Ti OC Edition 8 GB GDDR6X
    Sound Card
    ROG SupremeFX ALC4082 with ESS® ES9018Q2C DAC for pinpoint positioning and dynamics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung 43" HDR Neo QLED Mini-LED Tizen Smart TV (QN43QN90DAFXZC) 2024
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080 @ 150 DPI & 120Hz
    Hard Drives
    2 x Samsung 980 Series - 250GB PCIe Gen3. X4 NVMe 1.4 - M.2 Internal SSD (Windows 11 Pro Dual boot)
    PSU
    Corsair AX860 - 860W Modular Power Supply
    Case
    Phanteks Enthoo Pro Tempered Glass Full Tower Case - Black
    Cooling
    CORSAIR iCUE H150i RGB Elite 360mm Liquid CPU Cooler
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Anywhere 2S Wireless Mouse
    Keyboard
    Perixx PERIBOARD-326 Wired Mini Backlit USB Keyboard with Low Profile Keys - US Layout
    Internet Speed
    1000 Mbps
    Browser
    Latest Version Of Firefox & EDGE Chromium Stable
    Antivirus
    ESET Internet Security
    Other Info
    LG Electronics 14x Sata Blu-ray Disk Rewriter - WH14NS4O
    2 x OREI 4K 4x2 HDMI Matrix Switch With ARC Audio Extraction, HDR & Downscaling (UHD-402D) so I can send the output of my Cable Box, Roku, or any of my 4 computers to either of my TV's separately or simultaneously.
It'll be updated automatically via the Microsoft Store app, but you can manually check for updates like below at anytime.

Prolly been asked a million times/common knowledge, but how would one go about updating these apps if they don't use MS Store or even have it installed? I just recently learned how to use Winget to grab JUST the apps I want. Shooting for that minimal install after all.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
    Motherboard
    ASUS B650E-F Gaming WiFi
    Memory
    G.Skill 32GB 6000MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    RTX 4080
    PSU
    Super Flower 1000w
    Case
    Fractal North
    Cooling
    Deepcool AK620 ZERO DARK
Prolly been asked a million times/common knowledge, but how would one go about updating these apps if they don't use MS Store or even have it installed? I just recently learned how to use Winget to grab JUST the apps I want. Shooting for that minimal install after all.
Depending on the app, you could search for it in the Microsoft Store app to download and install from.

 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

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