Apple has released iCloud for Windows 5 with support for iCloud Photo Library and two-factor authentication for Apple ID accounts. Windows users were previously limited to accessing iCloud Photo Library through the web interface.

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Apple recommends that iCloud for Windows users have Windows 7, 8 or 10 installed. For email, the software currently supports Outlook 2007 through Outlook 2013, while Outlook 2016 users can access iCloud Mail, Contacts, and Calendars on iCloud.com.

Use iCloud Photo Library on your Windows PC to download all of the photos and videos from your Apple devices to your computer, or upload your Windows Pictures library to iCloud. And when you turn on iCloud Photo Sharing, you can share your captured memories with just the people you choose.

Apple has published a support document for setting up and using iCloud Photo Library on Windows.

Top Rated Comments

Klae17 Avatar
125 months ago
What the hell is Windows 5? .... Is what I thought right away.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tucom Avatar
125 months ago
At fist read it as iCloud, for Windows 5.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aloshka Avatar
125 months ago
This is stupid. The photo sync is not automatic. You have to click download in icloud app or in explorer which will download to a downloads folder. Changes here are not reflected on icloud. So if you need to delete a photo you have to go to icloud.com and delete it there. Then delete from your downloads folder too. To upload you have to copy and image to upload folder and click upload.

Very smooth . When downloading there is no progress bar and there are delays. So if it stops downloading that doesn't necessarily mean it's done. It could start up later again and download now photos
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
125 months ago
What the hell is Windows 5? .... Is what I thought right away.
Whoever wrote the headline wasn't thinking -- "iCloud 5 for Windows" makes much more sense
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Crosscreek Avatar
125 months ago
The case is getting stronger for a Windows desktop that fills in the gaps of a headless Mac between the underpowered Mac Mini and the over priced Mac Pro. I can now access all my iCloud files and photos in my Windows 10 Bootcamp and do everything I used my Mac Mini for. My calendars, e-mail and contacts sync with my iPhone and iPad.

Apple better get their desktop act together beside those AIO iMacs or I'll be headed to a Windows machine for my next desktop.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thekeyring Avatar
125 months ago
This is stupid. The photo sync is not automatic. You have to click download in icloud app or in explorer which will download to a downloads folder. Changes here are not reflected on icloud. So if you need to delete a photo you have to go to icloud.com and delete it there. Then delete from your downloads folder too. To upload you have to copy and image to upload folder and click upload.

Very smooth . When downloading there is no progress bar and there are delays. So if it stops downloading that doesn't necessarily mean it's done. It could start up later again and download now photos
Sounds like Apple should just do a Photos app for Windows. Or encourage Windows users to use the web app.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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