# icloud-photos-downloader/icloud_photos_downloader

A command-line tool to download photos from iCloud

Repository: https://github.com/icloud-photos-downloader/icloud_photos_downloader
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/icloud_photos_downloader
Language: Python
License: MIT
License Family: permissive
Last push: 2026-05-30T21:47:25+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 88/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 85, release rhythm 86, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3764, "days_push": 95, "days_rel": 95, "gap_med": 10.5, "n_releases_24m": 29}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 12180, forks 820 (observed 2026-08-28T04:10:51.945208+00:00)

## What it is
A command-line tool (icloudpd) that downloads all photos and videos from an iCloud account to local storage. It runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS and is available as executables, Docker images, and via PyPI, AUR, and npm.

## Use cases
- download all my icloud photos to a local disk
- back up icloud photo library to a NAS
- automatically sync icloud photos on linux
- export icloud photos without using the apple photos app
- periodically fetch new icloud photos via cron or docker
- migrate photos off icloud to self-hosted storage

## When to choose
- you want a scriptable, cross-platform way to pull your iCloud photo library down to a server, NAS, or desktop
- you need automated/scheduled downloads via Docker, cron, or package managers
- you are comfortable enabling iCloud web access and disabling Advanced Data Protection

## When to avoid
- you need a GUI photo manager or viewer rather than a downloader
- your account uses Advanced Data Protection, which is incompatible
- you need two-way sync with iCloud rather than one-way download
- you require guaranteed long-term maintenance, as the project is seeking a new maintainer

## Facets
- artifact type: cli-tool
- maturity: maintenance
- function: cli, file-system, developer-tools
- domain: files, privacy
- platform: windows, python, cli
- tags: icloud, photos, backup, download, apple, automation, command-line, linux, macos, docker

## Member repositories
- icloud-photos-downloader/icloud_photos_downloader (main) score 88

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:10:51.945208+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T17:14:51.984973+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/icloud-photos-downloader/icloud_photos_downloader (fetched 2026-08-28T04:10:51.945208+00:00, sha eb72ab205097)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.