Sync Immediately tells iCloud Photos to prioritize uploading the photos and videos you add after you turn it on, and it switches itself off after one day. You find it in Photos: tap Collections, tap your iCloud account profile, tap Sync Immediately, then tap For Today.
Apple’s iOS 27 guide documents the option. It suits the moments when you need new pictures on another device quickly, such as event shots you plan to edit on your iPad or Mac.
How to turn on Sync Immediately
iCloud Photos has to be on first: go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos and turn on Sync this iPhone. Then:
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- Open the Photos app.
- Tap Collections, then tap your iCloud account profile at the top of the screen.
- Tap Sync Immediately, then tap For Today.
To stop early, return to the same place and tap Off.
Turn it on before you start shooting
Apple’s wording is specific: “iCloud Photos prioritizes syncing items that are added to your library after Sync Immediately is turned on.” Apple doesn’t say it moves photos you already took to the front of the queue.
So switch it on before the photos exist. Heading to a game, a school play or a shoot and want the results on another device soon after? Turn it on when you arrive.
How long it lasts, and what it costs
Sync Immediately “automatically turns off after one day,” and Apple’s steps offer only For Today and Off, so you turn it on again each time you need it.
Apple warns that it “may affect battery and cellular usage.” Away from Wi-Fi on a limited data plan, watch your usage, especially if you shoot a lot of video.
When Sync Immediately pauses
Apple says it “will pause if Low Power Mode or Low Data Mode is turned on.” Either is easy to miss:
- Low Power Mode pauses iCloud Photos temporarily in any case, according to Apple’s Low Power Mode page. If your iPhone supports Adaptive Power and it’s on, Low Power Mode turns on by itself below 20 percent battery, and it turns off when you charge to 80 percent or higher. The battery icon turns yellow while it’s active. On iPhone 15 and later, the switch is in Settings > Battery > Power Mode; on iPhone 14 and earlier, Settings > Battery.
- Low Data Mode for cellular is in Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Data Mode. Apple says it pauses automatic updates and background tasks when your iPhone isn’t on Wi-Fi.
Check whether your photos have uploaded
The Collections screen shows sync status in the top-right corner, and the last time your iPhone synced with iCloud appears below your account profile. Apple lists these indicators:
- Partially filled blue circle around your account icon: photos are uploading.
- Partially filled gray outline: uploads are paused.
- Yellow badge: iCloud syncing is paused.
- Yellow warning icon: your iCloud storage is almost full.
- Red exclamation mark: your iCloud storage is full.
Tap your account icon for details on any of them. A red exclamation mark means Sync Immediately can’t help, because uploads need space. Free up iCloud storage or move to a larger iCloud+ plan first.
