Common Reasons Why My iCloud Photos Are Blurry

Blurry iCloud photos can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to share or view high-quality images. There are several factors that can contribute to blurry photos, including:

  • Low-Resolution Images: If the original photos you uploaded to iCloud were taken with a low-resolution camera or compressed significantly, they may appear blurry when viewed at larger sizes.
  • Network Issues: Slow or unstable internet connections can affect the quality of photos downloaded from iCloud.
  • Device Display: The quality of your device's display can also impact how sharp photos appear.
  • iCloud Settings: Incorrect iCloud settings, such as enabling "Optimize iPhone Storage," can result in blurry photos.

How to Fix Blurry iCloud Photos

If you're experiencing blurry iCloud photos, here are some steps you can take to improve their quality:

Method 1. Manually adjust photo quality

If you wish to increase the sharpness attribute to make a picture less blurry on your iPhone, then you can take advantage of the built-in Photos app to adjust the sharpness.

Step 1. Launch the Photos app on your iPhone and open the blurry photo.

Step 2. Next, tap “Edit” at the top-right corner of your screen.

Step 3. Navigate to the "Sharpness" ajust interface. Then adjust the sharpness accordingly.

Step 4. Tap "Done" to save your changes.

Ajust Photos Sharpness

Method 2. Disable "Optimize iPhone Storage" option

 If you want to maintain the highest possible quality for your photos, disable this setting in Settings > Photos. This will prevent iCloud from automatically compressing your photos to save space. Instead, choose "Download and Keep Originals" option, which will ensure that your photos are stored in their original quality on your device.

Download and Keep Originals

Method 3. Use Third-Party Photos Editing Tools to Enhance Images

There are numerous third-party photo editing apps available that offer advanced features for enhancing image quality. Consider exploring options like Adobe Photoshop Express, Snapseed, or VSCO.

Method 4. Verify Sync Process

If your iCloud photos are still blurry despite adjusting settings, there may be an issue with the syncing process. Here are some troubleshooting steps:

  • Check Internet Connection: Ensure you have a strong and stable internet connection. A slow or unreliable connection can affect the quality of downloaded photos.
  • Restart Devices: Restart your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to refresh the system and potentially resolve any syncing issues.
  • Disable and Re-enable iCloud Photos: Go to Settings > Photos and disable iCloud Photos. Wait a few minutes, then re-enable it. This can sometimes help resolve syncing problems.
  • Contact Apple Support: If you've tried the above steps and are still experiencing issues, contact Apple Support for further assistance.

Best Practices for Maintaining Photo Quality

To ensure that your iCloud photos are always of the highest quality, follow these best practices:

  • Use a High-Quality Camera: Take photos with a high-resolution camera to capture as much detail as possible.
  • Avoid Excessive Compression: Avoid heavily compressing your photos before uploading them to iCloud. This can reduce image quality.
  • Optimize iCloud Settings: Enable iCloud Photo Library and select "Download Originals to My iPhone" to ensure that your photos are stored in their original quality.
  • Use Editing Tools Wisely: While editing tools can help enhance image quality, be careful not to overdo it, as excessive editing can introduce artifacts or blurriness.
  • Regularly Check iCloud Storage: Monitor your iCloud storage to ensure that you have enough space for your photos. If your storage is running low, consider purchasing additional storage or optimizing your iCloud usage.

Bonus Tip: Transfer or Sync Files between iCloud and Other Clouds

This article answers the question “where do icloud link photos go". If you’re considering migrating files from your current cloud service to iCloud Photos or iCloud Drive, or vice versa, MultCloud can be extremely useful. Trusted by over 3 million users, MultCloud is a multi-cloud management tool that facilitates the transfer or synchronization of files between various cloud services.

For instance, it allows for seamless file transfers from cloud drives like Google Drive to iCloud Photos without the need to download and then re-upload files. MultCloud also enables you to access and manage all your cloud accounts via a single application. Currently, it supports more than 30 different cloud services, including Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, Google Photos, iCloud Photos, FTP, WebDav, and more.

  • Cloud Transfer: MultCloud can transfer files from one cloud service to another directly without downloading and re-uploading.
  • Cloud Sync: With MultCloud, you can easily sync two folders between different cloud services in real-time.
  • Cloud Backup: You can backup and restore data between different cloud services automatically.
  • Instagram Downloader: MultCloud can help you download Instagram videos, photos, reels and stories to local device or remotely upload them to your clouds.
  • Email Migration: You can directly back up and save Gmail emails as PDFs to your computer or cloud drive in bulk. 
  • Manage all cloud accounts in one place: Connect all your clouds to MultCloud and you'll find it so easy to access and manage multiple cloud storage files with a single login.