---
id: icloud.how-do-i-pause-icloud-photos-syncing
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-pause-icloud-photos-syncing
category: "iCloud & iCloud Photos"
subcategory: "iCloud Photos and the Photos library"
question: "How do I pause iCloud Photos syncing on my Mac?"
alt_questions:
  - "Pause iCloud Photos upload"
  - "Stop Photos syncing for now"
  - "Photos using all my bandwidth pause"
  - "resume icloud photos mac"
short_answer: "At the bottom of Photos' Library view, click Pause to hold syncing (usually for a day) and Resume to continue. Pausing removes nothing; to stop for good, turn off iCloud Photos in Photos → Settings → iCloud."
tags: ["icloud photos", "pause", "sync"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/why-is-icloud-photos-taking-so-long-to-upload", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/what-happens-if-i-turn-off-icloud-photos-on-my-mac", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/why-are-my-photos-not-syncing-to-icloud"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# How do I pause iCloud Photos syncing on my Mac?

In Photos, scroll to the bottom of the **Library** view, where the sync status appears, and click **Pause** (usually for one day). Click **Resume** to carry on sooner. Pausing doesn't turn off iCloud Photos or remove anything; it only holds uploads and downloads for a while.

Pausing is useful on a slow or metered connection. To stop syncing entirely, turn off iCloud Photos in **Photos → Settings → iCloud** — see [what happens if you turn it off](https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/what-happens-if-i-turn-off-icloud-photos-on-my-mac).