---
id: icloud.how-do-i-export-original-photos-to-an-external-drive
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-export-original-photos-to-an-external-drive
category: "iCloud & iCloud Photos"
subcategory: "iCloud Photos and the Photos library"
question: "How do I copy my original photos out of Photos onto an external drive?"
alt_questions:
  - "Export unmodified originals Photos"
  - "Back up iCloud photos to external drive"
  - "Save all photos to hard drive Mac"
  - "Download original photos from iCloud to SSD"
  - "Archive photos outside Photos library"
short_answer: "Select photos and choose File → Export → Export Unmodified Original, then pick a folder on the external drive. With Optimize Mac Storage on, Photos downloads originals as it exports, so export in batches if space is tight."
tags: ["icloud photos", "export", "external drive"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-move-my-photos-library-to-an-external-drive", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-find-duplicate-photos-in-icloud-photos"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# How do I copy my original photos out of Photos onto an external drive?

Select the photos in Photos, then choose **File → Export → Export Unmodified Original** and pick a folder on the external drive. You get the original files exactly as they were imported, outside the Photos library.

With **Optimize Mac Storage** on, Photos downloads each original from iCloud as it exports, so it needs a connection and some temporary space — export in batches if your Mac is nearly full.

Exported photos on an external drive are a separate copy you control, which is useful as a backup or an archive. Storage Studio's **Duplicates** window can later spot exact copies among exported files outside the library.