Microsoft has begun the rollout of iCloud picture library integration inside Home windows 11, within the type of an replace to the Images app.

The announcement (opens in new tab) on the Home windows Expertise Weblog from Dave Grochocki, Principal Product Supervisor Lead for Home windows Inbox Posts, follows the corporate’s preliminary unveiling of the function at its Floor occasion in October 2022. 

As soon as customers obtain the replace, they need to obtain the iCloud for Home windows app from the Microsoft Retailer to hyperlink their accounts.

Microsoft, Apple, and closed ecosystems

Home windows integrating with Apple’s personal cloud storage answer is unquestionably one of many first indicators that the notion that Microsoft and Apple units must be separate ecosystems is thawing. 

As beforehand reported by The Verge (opens in new tab), iCloud picture library integration follows Apple Music showing as an app within the Microsoft Retailer (though Home windows customers must wait till subsequent yr), and a local Apple TV app can be mentioned to be coming quickly in preview.

Microsoft claims that the choice to combine the 2 platforms was made with person expertise in thoughts.  

“We all know that many Home windows prospects have picture and video collections on their iPhones (opens in new tab) that they want to have the ability to view on their PC,” wrote Grochocki.

“This iCloud Images integration will make it simpler for these with an iPhone to have direct entry to all their cherished reminiscences in a single organized place and is one other step in our continued efforts to make experiences on Home windows 11 seamless.”

The brand new function is much like Microsoft’s current choice to permit picture libraries on Android telephones for use with Microsoft 365 on the net. That integration works equally, in that an extra app is required to hyperlink picture libraries throughout platforms.

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