If your full-resolution photos live in iCloud, use Photos on your Mac to download them, then export copies to a folder on your Mac or an external drive. For a complete library, choose Download Originals to this Mac; for an independent set of files you can browse in Finder, export them after downloading. These steps leave the iCloud library in place, but changes made in Photos can still sync to your other devices.

Choose what “local copy” means

The Photos setting Download Originals to this Mac stores full-size photos and videos in the Mac’s Photos library as well as in iCloud. Optimize Mac Storage instead keeps smaller versions locally when space is limited, while originals remain in iCloud. If you need ordinary image and video files outside Photos, export them to a folder. Apple documents both approaches in its guide to using iCloud Photos on Mac.

Before downloading an entire library, check that your Mac has enough free space. If you have limited space, export selected items to an external drive instead. A download can take time depending on library size and internet connection; do not treat thumbnails or the fact that an item appears in Photos as confirmation that every original has finished downloading.

Download full-resolution originals to Photos

  1. Open Photos on your Mac and choose Photos > Settings from the menu bar. (On older macOS versions, this may be Photos > Preferences.)
  2. Click iCloud.
  3. Turn on iCloud Photos or Sync this Mac, if needed, and select Download Originals to this Mac.
  4. Keep the Mac connected to the internet and allow Photos to download the library.

To check library activity, select Library, click All Photos, and scroll to the bottom of the window. Photos displays library status there, including when it last updated with iCloud Photos. Apple describes this status area in Check the status of your library in Photos for macOS. Wait until the download or update is complete before relying on the library as a local copy.

This step keeps the originals in the Photos library. It does not create a separate folder of photo files, and a library that uses iCloud Photos remains synchronized: edits and deletions can propagate across devices. If you want files you can store or use separately, export them next.

Export separate copies to a folder or drive

In Photos, select the photos and videos you want to copy. To export the original file formats, choose File > Export > Export Unmodified Original. Choose a naming and subfolder option if offered, click Export, then select a destination in Finder, such as a folder on an external drive. Apple notes that a Live Photo exports as a still image and a separate video file. See Export photos, videos, slideshows, and memories on Mac.

“Unmodified Original” is useful when you want the file as captured or imported; it does not include edits you made in Photos. If you want the edited appearance, use File > Export > Export [number] Photos and choose the offered format and quality settings. That creates an exported version, rather than the original file. For a large library, export in manageable selections and check each destination folder before continuing.

Verify the copy and avoid common mistakes

Open the destination in Finder and confirm that expected files are present; open a few to check that they can be read. Compare the selection with Photos before deleting or moving anything. Keep the export drive connected until copying has finished. If you need a full-library backup that preserves the Photos library structure, Apple recommends backing up the library locally; its Mac backup guide describes Time Machine and manually copying the library to external storage. Do not alter the internal contents of the Photos Library package in Finder; use Photos’ export controls when you need individual files.

If your goal is a standalone file archive, exported files provide that copy. If your goal is to keep originals available inside Photos on the Mac, select Download Originals to this Mac and let the download finish. You can use both methods when you want the library locally and a separate set of files elsewhere.

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