If you have a large photo library and try to download photos from the iCloud website. You will end up getting frustrated when you’re unable to download more than one photo at a time. It’s nothing wrong to say that it’s pointless to work.
This article will show you how to download photos from iCloud to an external USB drive easily. So make sure to read the post till the end.
Also read: How to Move Photos from iCloud Photos to Google Photos

How to download photos from iCloud to external drive?
To do so, users need to do the following:
Step 1: Change Default Download Location
If you prefer to access iCloud.com via Safari, then change the default download location, and set it to the external USB drive. For that, visit Safari > Preferences > General. In fact, every browser allows to change the download location, so revert the download location once the job is finished.
Alternately, press the command key (⌘) + comma (,) key to summon the preference menu in the majority of the browser.

Step 2: Log into iCloud.com
Simply log into iCloud.com on your computer with Apple credentials.

Step 3: Visit Photo App
Once you get yourself logged in into iCloud account, the various iCloud folder appears. Click on Photos.

Step 4: Select Photos to Download
This method is simple, just click on the selected photo in order to highlight it in order to download.

- To select multiple images, hold the command key and continue holding till all photos are selected.
- Press the command key again on the photo to deselect that you don’t want to download.
Want to download all photos from iCloud? How to select multiple iCloud Photos using Mac?
- To select all photos from the library to download, press
Command + A
. - To select specific photos from the library, hold the shift key and select a specific photo accordingly.
- To select non-consecutive photos from the library, select the photos that you want. Hold the Command button and click on the other photos you want.

Step 5: Download Photos
Now, click on Download Cloud indicated in the cloud with a down arrow after selecting the photos that you want to download.

All the photos will be downloaded to the default location i.e to an external USB drive as selected above. Click on the downloads and select the magnifying glass to know the location.

Once done, revert the default download folder location to its original position.