This guide explains how to transfer photos from one iCloud account to another while choosing the right method for your library size, available storage, devices, and photo-quality needs.
You’ve created a new Apple Account, but years of photos are still stored in the old account. Now you want to move them without losing videos, dates, or full-resolution copies. The task becomes even harder when your iCloud library is larger than the available space on your iPhone.
Apple does not provide a general button that merges 2 personal iCloud Photos libraries. However, you can transfer photos by keeping the originals on an iPhone, downloading and uploading them through iCloud.com, or syncing with AOMEI FoneBackup on a Windows PC.
The right method depends mainly on your library size, available device storage, and whether you need a local copy.
Before starting, make sure you can sign in to both Apple Accounts and complete their verification prompts. The destination account also needs enough iCloud storage for the incoming photos and videos.
Use this table to choose a suitable method:
| 🧩 Your situation | ✅ Recommended method | ❌ Key limitation |
|---|---|---|
| The complete library fits on your iPhone | Keep the photos on the iPhone and change accounts | Requires enough local storage |
| You only need selected files or want a computer copy | Download and upload through iCloud.com | May not preserve every format or library detail |
| The library is too large for your iPhone | AOMEI FoneBackup | Transfers supported content, not the entire account |
| You only want to share a small collection | Shared Albums | Not a full-quality migration method |
If your iPhone uses Optimize iPhone Storage, some original files may exist only in iCloud. Do not sign out of the source account until the required originals have finished downloading or you have chosen another transfer method.
👍 Best for: Moving a library that fits in your iPhone’s available storage without using a computer.
This method uses your iPhone as temporary storage. You download the originals from the source account, keep them on the device when signing out, and then sync them with the destination account.
Step 1. Open Settings, tap your name, and select iCloud > Photos.
Step 2. Select Download and Keep Originals. Keep the iPhone connected to power and a stable network while the full-resolution photos and videos download.
Step 3. Open the Photos app and check the library status. Do not continue if originals are still downloading.
Step 4. Return to Settings, tap your name, scroll down, and tap Sign Out. When the option appears, choose Sign Out But Don’t Erase so supported data, including photos, remains on the device.
Step 5. Sign in with the destination Apple Account. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos, then turn on Sync this iPhone.
The photos stored on the iPhone should begin uploading to the destination account. A large library can take time, so leave the phone connected to power and Wi-Fi.
👍 Best for: Transferring selected photos with a Windows PC or Mac while keeping a separate local copy.
This method downloads files from the source account to a computer and uploads to the destination account. It avoids using your iPhone’s storage, but it may not reproduce every part of the original Photos library.
Step 1. Open a browser, visit iCloud.com, and sign in with the source Apple Account.
Step 2. Scroll down and select Photos. It will automatically load all available photos and videos.
Step 3. Select the photos and videos you want to move and click the Download button. Or open More Download Options to choose the appropriate format.
Wait for the download to finish. Extract the ZIP archive if the browser saves the selection as a compressed file.
Keep the downloaded files until they are uploaded to destination account.
Step 1. Sign out of the source account on iCloud.com, then sign in with the destination Apple Account.
Step 2. Open Photos and select Library or an album.
Step 3. Click Choose Files, select the downloaded photos, and click Upload.
Keep the browser open until the upload finishes. Check the destination library through iCloud.com or a connected Apple device.
👍 Best for: Windows users who want to sync supported iCloud photos between 2 accounts without downloading the entire library into separate computer folders first.
If signing out of your iPhone feels risky or the library is too large for the device, AOMEI FoneBackup provides a iCloud Sync featur that can transfer photos from one iCloud account to another.
iCloud data management and sync tool
Available categories can vary by product version, account, and data type. Check the categories shown in the current interface before starting.
Step 1. Download, install and open AOMEI FoneBackup on a Windows PC. Select My iCloud, sign in to the source Apple Account, and click iCloud Sync.
Step 2. Sign in to the destination Apple Account in the next window.
Step 3. Select the photos or other data you want to transfer. Use Select All only if the destination account has enough storage. Click Start Sync to continue.
Keep the computer connected to the network until the process finishes.
Sign in to the destination account through iCloud.com or a connected Apple device. Check recent and older photos before changing anything in the source account.
🚨Check the transfer before deleting anything:
Shared Albums work well when you only want another account to view or save a limited collection. However, they aren't designed to replicate a complete iCloud Photos library at full quality.
⚠️ Important limitations include:
AirDrop is another option for a small collection on nearby Apple devices. However, selecting, sending, and checking thousands of files makes it impractical for a large account migration.
| Method | 👍 Best for | Main requirement | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep photos on iPhone | A library that fits on one device | Enough local storage | Originals must download first |
| iCloud.com | Selected files or a local computer copy | Computer storage and both account logins | May not preserve every format or library detail |
| AOMEI FoneBackup | Supported account-to-account synchronization | Windows PC and access to both accounts | Does not transfer the complete Apple Account |
Use the same-iPhone method when the entire library fits on your device. Choose iCloud.com when you only need selected files or want a visible local copy. Use AOMEI FoneBackup when you have a Windows PC and want to sync supported content without relying on the iPhone’s storage.
1. Can Apple merge 2 iCloud Photos libraries?
Apple does not provide a general feature that merges the complete iCloud Photos libraries of 2 personal Apple Accounts. You normally need a device, computer, or supported synchronization tool between them.
Apple supports migrating certain purchases between eligible accounts, but purchase migration is different from combining iCloud Photos libraries.
2. Can I transfer all my iCloud photos without enough iPhone storage?
Yes. Use iCloud.com and a computer with sufficient storage, or use AOMEI FoneBackup to sync supported content between the accounts on Windows. Do not try to download the complete library to an iPhone that cannot hold it.
3. Will albums and Live Photos transfer to the new account?
Not with every method. Browser downloads and uploads may not recreate albums, edits, favorites, or Live Photo behavior. Keep the source library until you have tested the transferred content.
4. Does Family Sharing move ownership of photos?
No. Family Sharing lets members share services and an iCloud+ storage plan while keeping separate Apple Accounts. It does not transfer ownership of a personal iCloud Photos library.
There is no single method that suits every iCloud photo library:
For a large or valuable library, keep the source account unchanged until the destination has finished syncing and you have checked several original photos, videos, and Live Photos.