Are There Worthy Alternatives to iCloud Photos? Probably Not GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO News > Software & Apps
Are There Worthy Alternatives to iCloud Photos? Probably Not
Don't like Apple's new iCloud snooping? We have some bad news
By Charlie Sorrel Charlie Sorrel Senior Tech Reporter Charlie Sorrel has been writing about technology, and its effects on society and the planet, for 13 years. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on August 11, 2021 11:57AM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Software & Apps Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Key Takeaways
In iOS 15, the iPhone will attempt to match your photos with known CSAM images on upload to iCloud Photo Library.There are no alternatives that integrate so well with iOS and the Mac.PhotoSync lets you keep using your existing photo library. Raj Rana / Unsplash Regardless of your opinion on Apple’s new iCloud Photo Library snooping feature, you may be looking for a new way to store, sync, and organize your photos. We have good news and bad news. iCloud Photo Library is one of the best things Apple makes. You take a photo on your iPhone, and it shows up almost instantly on your Mac and iPad. All your edits sync, and are undoable from anywhere. It’s fast, reliable, and until now, enjoyed excellent privacy. In iOS 15 and macOS Monterey, your Apple device will process its own local images before uploading to iCloud Photo Library to see if they match known child sexual abuse material (CSAM). What happens next is beyond the scope of this article. We’re here to see if there are any viable alternatives that offer the convenience and former privacy of iCloud Photo Library. "[We] are already seeing increasing interest from people managing their own photos/video storage on a NAS or self hosting AI-based photo solutions," Hendrik Holtmann of iOS and Mac sync app PhotoSync, told Lifewire via email. "The scanning of messages and photo libraries being part of the ‘child safety features’ announced for iOS 15 will most likely increase privacy awareness among users." Cloud Sync
The short answer is "No." iCloud Photo Library is so deeply integrated into Apple products that no third-party option can get close. You can use something like Dropbox or Google Photos, which are reliable, fast, and offer pretty good integration with Mac and iOS. But if you came for privacy, look elsewhere. Pretty much all cloud storage providers can and will scan your images to offer extras like people-recognition and more. Apple "For a small company building/scaling the backend for such a service, there are some obstacles in iOS itself," says Holtmann. "The iCloud Photo Library integrates on a deeper level into the system than a third-party app can do with the current APIs offered by iOS." Another option is to encrypt your photos locally, then upload them. "Encrypting files prior to upload works with any cloud storage service such as iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox," Paul Bischoff, privacy advocate at Comparitech, told Lifewire via email. "Both of these solutions are more private, but less convenient, so I'm skeptical that they'll see mainstream adoption." Local Sync
The third way is to sync your photos between your devices yourself. One great option for this is PhotoSync, which has the advantage of integrating with your existing device photo library. This is great, because the built-in Photos app remains private, for now. It only scans your photo and sends the results to Apple if you use it with iCloud Photo Library. It’s the best of both worlds. The privacy of the no-cloud offline option, and (most of) the convenience of the built-in photo library. PhotoSync Using PhotoSync, you can take photos on your iPhone and have them sync to your Mac when you’re at home. It’s not nearly as convenient as iCloud Photo Library, but it’s fast, private, and works wirelessly. It sends photos from your iPhone’s camera roll to your Mac, and adds them to your photo library on your Mac. PhotoSync also works with Android and Windows, and with PhotoPrism, which is a server that runs on your computer, it’s kind of like your own personal iCloud Photo Library. Another option is to use the Mac’s built-in sync. This syncs images from your Mac to your iPhone, via iTunes or the Finder, but again, it’s far from ideal, as the sync is one-way, like putting songs onto an iPod. You’ll also lose proper sync of Live Photos, and edits won’t sync back from your iPhone. Spoiled
The bottom line is that iCloud Photo Library is unrivaled if you use Apple hardware. It’s so good, and so reliable, that we’ve been spoiled. And since it was introduced, other options have withered until there really aren’t many alternatives—especially if your reason for leaving iCloud is privacy. We’re left with the old security/convenience tradeoff. If you value the privacy of your photos, then you’re going to have to give up some of the niceties of iCloud sync. That sucks, but when even Apple is acting out, there’s little choice. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Access iCloud Photos From Any Apple, Windows, or Android Device How to Sync Contacts from iPhone to Mac How to Turn on Photo Stream and iCloud Photo Sharing Dropbox vs. Google Drive How to Find a Wi-Fi Password on an iPhone How to Recover Permanently Deleted Photos From iCloud The History of iOS, from Version 1.0 to 16.0 What Is macOS? How to Delete Photos From iCloud (While Keeping Them on Your iPhone) How to Connect iPhone to Mac 17 Best Free Cloud Storage Services for Backup in 2022 How to Download Photos from iCloud My Photo Stream vs. iCloud Photo Library: What's the Difference? How to Transfer Photos from iPhone to MacBook Air How to Delete Photos From iPhone but Not iCloud How to Bring the Windows 10 Experience to iOS and Android Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies