[reconnecting]

Perhaps no one here has tried to download an entire iCloud library at once, or perhaps size is an issue, but that doesn't change the fact that there is no download button for iCloud Photos and iCloud Photos Downloader simply solves this. That's what this post is about.

[troad]

I can personally confirm I've downloaded an entire iCloud library at once, to a brand new Mac, using the 'Download Originals to this Mac' option. As have many others here, I would think.

That's literally what that option is for.

If it's not working for you, you might be dealing with a bug, or perhaps you haven't given it enough time to sync. If you go to Photos > Library and scroll down, it should show you the sync status.

[reconnecting]

Thanks, that was a relief because I realised I didn't see the sync status at the bottom. It appears that Monterey hides the status message at the bottom by default, and I had to pull the page down twice to see it.

Long story short, iCloud wasn't syncing photos "due to performance" and this message was hidden.

Thanks once again!

[troad]

No worries! I don't understand why Apple is so averse to surfacing the status of things, especially highly sensitive and finicky things like online sync. It would dramatically improve the feel of the software if it didn't seem like it just inexplicably wasn't working half the time.

Happy to hear it helped. :)

[coder543]

iCloud Photos Downloader is an option, yes, but it is incorrect to say that Apple does not provide an official way to do this on Mac. Again, I direct you to the Apple Store so someone can show you in person, since you won't listen to anyone on here.

[reconnecting]

I confirm that you was absolutely right!

Photos on MacOS indeed synchronise photos with iCloud.

After our conversation I had tried to understand why I indeed don't see any status and I found out, that to get one in Monterey iOS I must need to scroll down of the collection and after, at the bottom pul whole page for the second time. Status message appears and it was saying that syncing was disabled due to Mac performance (I didn't asked for this).

Apologies, for misleading, code543 and thank you for consistence.

However, I must admit that I'm happy that found iCloud Photos Downloader as a result, also I liked that it's downloading all photos in date/folder structure.

[mingus88]

Let me be one more voice telling you that you are wrong. I just did this morning.

In settings, "download originals to this mac", select all photos, file -> "export unmodified originals" will trigger the Photos app to download every file from iCloud into your local library (as well as exporting them to wherever you want)

I guess "there is no download button" but dude...I don't need iCloud Photos Downloader.

[reconnecting]

Thanks for letting me know. May I ask what macOS version you use?

Unfortunately, I'm unable to locate any button, status bar, or option to refresh or pull everything from iCloud in macOS Photos. There aren't even any details showing what percentage of iCloud is currently synchronized with macOS Photos. With nothing to debug, I can only conclude that for some reason the sync isn't working in my case.

It's great if this works for you and you don't need iCloud Photos Downloader, but for some reason I don't have that luxury.

[reconnecting]

Thank you! The status message was indeed hidden on Monterey, and syncing was blocked due to "Performance."