User Case – How to Use OneDrive to Save Photos from iPhone?

 

Will I delete my iPhone photos from OneDrive if I save them there and then delete them from the phone? Or, will all the pictures I've ever taken with my phone be stored in OneDrive forever, even if they are no longer on the phone? For photo backup and phone space savings, I would prefer to use OneDrive rather than iCloud. Which methods are most effective for achieving this?

- Question from Reddit

Why Use OneDrive Instead of iCloud on iPhone?

Use OneDrive Instead of iCloud on iPhone
Use OneDrive Instead of iCloud on iPhone

If you choose OneDrive over iCloud and want to learn how to upload iPhone photos to OneDrive, there must be some have-to reasons because iCloud is seamlessly integrated into the Apple ecosystem. Here are some reasons why you might prefer OneDrive:

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility: OneDrive is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. If you use a variety of devices, like an iPhone and a Windows PC, OneDrive provides a consistent cloud experience on all of them.
  • Storage: OneDrive offers users 5 GB of free storage in addition to reasonably priced paid plans. More storage may be included in your subscription if you currently use Microsoft services like Office 365.
  • File Sharing and Collaboration: OneDrive has robust file-sharing and collaboration features, particularly for companies or teams utilizing Microsoft 365. You can co-author documents in real-time, manage permissions, and share files with ease.
  • Options for Photo Storage: AI-driven photo organization has been added to OneDrive's photo management tools, and the service now offers a photo backup feature.
  • Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem: OneDrive is made to integrate easily with Microsoft products, such as Windows, Outlook, Teams, and Office 365. If you currently use other Microsoft apps, your files remain synchronized whether you access them from your iPhone, tablet, or PC.

How to Upload iPhone Photos to OneDrive Automatically/Manually

There are 2 ways to upload photos from your iPhone to OneDrive. If you want to automatically upload photos to OneDrive from iPhone, you can enable the Camera Upload feature on the OneDrive app. Besides, if you want to have more control over which photo to upload, you can manually select photos to upload. Whether you choose which way, you need to have the OneDrive app on your iPhone. If you have not downloaded it before, this is your first step.

How to Upload Multiple Photos from iPhone to OneDrive Automatically

Step 1. Open the OneDrive app on your iPhone and log in to your account.

Step 2. Click on your profile picture in the upper-left corner and choose Settings in the menu.

Step 3. Select Camera Upload and switch on the button next to your account. Then, you can choose to upload using cellular data, allow video uploading, and how to organize new uploads (month, year, or none).

How to Upload iPhone Photos to OneDrive Automatically
How to Upload iPhone Photos to OneDrive Automatically

Note: If you find OneDrive iPhone photos not syncing, you can check the following probable reasons.

  • Low Power Mode: If your device is in the lower power mode, the photo syncing process will stop. It is the same as when the battery is less than 20% on your iPhone.
  • Close the OneDrive app in the background: It is recommended to run the OneDrive app in the background so that the syncing process can keep working.
  • No Wi-Fi connection: If you do not enable the Upload Using Cellular Data in the Camera Upload settings, photos will not be synced with OneDrive when there is no Wi-Fi connection.
  • iCloud Photos is enabled: It is possible that OneDrive syncing cannot work when iCloud Photos is also enabled. So, disable iCloud Photos and try the Camera Upload function again.

How to Move Photos from iPhone to OneDrive Manually

Step 1. Open the OneDrive app on your iPhone and log in to your account.

Step 2. Click the plus icon in the upper-right corner of the Home page and choose Upload.

Step 3. Choose Photos and Videos to upload and select your desired photos. Then, click Done to start uploading photos from iPhone to OneDrive.

Transfer iPhone Photos to OneDrive Manually
Transfer iPhone Photos to OneDrive Manually

Bonus Tip: How to Easily Transfer Photos from iCloud to OneDrive

If you decide to use OneDrive instead of iCloud to backup your iPhone photos, you may need to transfer photos from iCloud to OneDrive. The easiest way to transfer files from one cloud to another is using MultCloud.

MultCloud
MultCloud

MultCloud is an online cloud file transfer service that supports 30+ clouds, including OneDrive and iCloud Photos. With MultCloud, you can save time in downloading photos from iCloud Photos and uploading them to OneDrive for transfer. The process will be automatic which only needs you to choose the source and destination. Besides, the transfer will run offline so you do not have to open MultCloud during transfer.

You can use the Cloud Transfer function to transfer photos from iCloud Photos to OneDrive, or vice versa.

Step 1. Go to the MultCloud website and create an account by clicking Get started for free.

Step 2. Add iCloud Photos to MultCloud by clicking Add Cloud and its logo. Then, enter the login credentials in the blanks and go through two-factor authentication.

Add iCloud Photos to MultCloud
Add iCloud Photos to MultCloud

Step 3. Add OneDrive to MultCloud with the same operations in Step 2, but no two-factor authentication is needed here.

Add OneDrive to MultCloud
Add OneDrive to MultCloud

Step 4. Select Cloud Transfer and choose iCloud Photos in the source box and OneDrive in the target box. Then, click Transfer Now to start transferring.

Transfer iCloud Photos to OneDrive
Transfer iCloud Photos to OneDrive

Conclusion

This post gives you 2 solutions on how to upload iPhone photos to OneDrive. If you want to upload all photos from your iPhone to OneDrive, enable the Camera Upload function on the OneDrive app and photos will be automatically uploaded to OneDrive. On the other hand, you can also manually upload photos to OneDrive for backup. You can choose a better way depending on your needs.

Besides, if you want to upload photos from iCloud to OneDrive or from OneDrive to iCloud, try MultCloud to automate the process without downloading and re-uploading. If you want to sync files between them, you can use another function, Cloud Sync. Go to the MultCloud website and easily transfer files now!

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