Don’t like Apple’s new iCloud snooping?
We have good news and bad news.
iCloud Photo Library is one of the best things Apple makes.
Raj Rana / Unsplash
You take a photo on your iPhone, and it shows up almost instantly on your Mac and iPad.
All your edits sync, and are undoable from anywhere.
Its fast, reliable, and until now, enjoyed excellent privacy.
Apple
What happens next is beyond the scope of this article.
Cloud Sync
The short answer is “No.”
iCloud Photo Library is so deeply integrated into Apple products that no third-party option can get close.
PhotoSync
But if you came for privacy, look elsewhere.
Pretty much all cloud storage providers can and will scan your images to offer extras like people-recognition and more.
Another option is to encrypt your photos locally, then upload them.
Local Sync
The third way is to sync your photos between your devices yourself.
This is great, because the built-in Photos app remains private, for now.
It only scans your photo and sends the results to Apple if you use it with iCloud Photo Library.
Its the best of both worlds.
Its not nearly as convenient as iCloud Photo Library, but its fast, private, and works wirelessly.
Another option is to use the Macs built-in sync.
Youll also lose proper sync of Live Photos, and edits wont sync back from your iPhone.
Spoiled
The bottom line is that iCloud Photo Library is unrivaled if you use Apple hardware.
Its so good, and so reliable, that weve been spoiled.
Were left with the old security/convenience tradeoff.
That sucks, but when even Apple is acting out, theres little choice.
