Ente Photos
vs Apple Photos

Standard iCloud Photos is encrypted with keys Apple holds. Advanced Data Protection makes your private library end-to-end encrypted. It requires compatible devices and recovery setup; new UK users cannot enable it. Apple can still read some metadata and the data you approve for a browser session.

Ente cannot read photos shared through an album link. Anyone with the link can view the album unless you add an access restriction. You can set a password or choose when the link expires.

Shared Albums and sharing with anyone who has a link use standard protection, even with Advanced Data Protection on. Shared Photo Library is a different feature: it is end-to-end encrypted only when every participant has Advanced Data Protection on.

The 2023 review covered encryption and Photos web and mobile apps. The 2025 review covered server security and infrastructure. The reports are linked in the Open section below.

iCloud’s security and privacy practices undergo an independent annual assessment for ISO 27001 and ISO 27018 certification. These reviews cover service controls; they do not establish a public Photos app code audit.

On Android and Linux, use iCloud.com in a browser. On Windows, iCloud for Windows syncs photos for viewing in File Explorer or Microsoft Photos. With Advanced Data Protection on, enable browser access and approve each session from a trusted Apple device.

iCloud Photos syncs the iPhone or iPad Photos library. Ente lets you choose the device albums to back up. Neither service has unlimited background time on iOS; a large first backup may need the app open.

Once backup finishes, deleting from the phone’s gallery leaves the Ente copy. Choose “Delete from device” or “Free up space” in Ente.

With iCloud Photos on, deleting in Apple Photos removes the photo from iCloud and your synced devices. Optimize Storage frees local space while keeping the photo in the library.

Optimize Storage keeps originals in iCloud and smaller copies on the phone as space is needed. Ente’s free-up-space action is manual. Both can keep cloud originals while reducing phone storage.

The desktop app uploads new photos from selected folders while it is running. This is a backup from your folders to Ente, not a way to edit local files from the cloud.

On Mac, import files into the Photos library. On Windows, add photos to the iCloud Photos folder to upload them. Ente can watch your chosen folders without moving the originals.

Export originals to album folders with separate metadata files. The desktop app updates the export while it runs; the CLI can run on a schedule, including on a NAS. Desktop exports can reflect album changes and deletions, so keep a separate backup if you want older versions.

Mac Photos manually exports files to folders, or automatically keeps originals inside its Photos library. Windows can automatically download and keep originals in the iCloud Photos folder. Back up local copies separately to keep older versions.

Enable face recognition in Ente on mobile or desktop and let it finish analyzing your library. Photos are analyzed on your device.

Turn on Magic Search and let the initial photo analysis finish. Search for scenes such as “a child on a beach.” This feature is available on mobile and desktop, not the browser app.

Natural-language search needs an Apple Intelligence-compatible device and a supported language and region. Ordinary searches by person, place, date or category also work on other supported Apple devices.

Both show photos with location data on a map. Photos without location data will not appear there unless a location is added.

Remove duplicates, or review groups of similar shots on mobile after photo analysis finishes. Similar-shot review helps you choose which photos to keep.

Keep photos in separate hidden albums and share a named album with people or by link. Unlock Hidden to view it. Recipients choose whether to hide the album in their own library. Automatic Family Library Sharing skips hidden albums. Hiding in Ente does not hide copies in your phone’s gallery.

One Hidden album, locked by default on current iPhone, iPad and Mac software. Hidden photos do not appear in ordinary albums. Hidden photos in an iCloud Shared Photo Library remain accessible to all participants, who can also unhide them.

Turn on uploads so guests can add photos and videos in a browser without an Ente account. Paid plans offer links with no device limit; free plans allow 10 devices. Uploads use the album owner’s storage.

Updated Shared Albums let guests join and upload in a browser without an Apple Account or Apple device. Create or upgrade the album using version 27 or iCloud.com, and allow contributions.

Turn on comments and likes for an album link. Visitors enter a display name in their browser; no Ente account needed. Comments and likes are end-to-end encrypted.

Shared Albums support likes and comments. Updated Shared Albums add emoji reactions, using version 27 or iCloud.com.

Shared albums keep original files. A public link can allow original-quality downloads; the album owner can turn downloading off.

Updated Shared Albums share newly added photos and videos at their original resolution. Older items are not restored to full quality automatically. Create or upgrade using version 27 or iCloud.com. New additions count toward the album owner’s iCloud storage.

Updated Shared Albums have viewing, adding and managing permissions. They are created in iOS, iPadOS or macOS 27, or on iCloud.com. Older albums need upgrading; older devices can use the web.

Share existing and future albums with a member of your Ente family plan. Choose their permissions and exclude albums; hidden albums are skipped. Setup and automatic sharing run in the mobile app.

Up to six people share one library, including editing and deleting shared items. Camera sharing can add photos automatically. This is separate from Shared Albums and iCloud family storage.

Ente backs up and plays iPhone Live Photos and supported Android Motion Photos. On iPhone, native Live Photos can be saved back to Apple Photos. Desktop exports contain separate photo and video files; Android Motion Photos may need conversion to restore as Apple Live Photos.

iCloud backs up Live Photos, and Apple Photos plays them natively. Some Android Motion Photos can be converted into compatible Live Photos with a third-party tool before import.

Crop, rotate, adjust colors, add filters and draw on a photo in the mobile app. Saving creates a new photo and keeps the original.

Edit light, color, filters and framing, then revert to the original on the same photo. Some tools, such as Clean Up, require supported Apple Intelligence devices.

Touch and hold text or a QR code in an opened photo to copy text or use the code’s contents. Available on iOS and Android; text detection supports selected languages.

On iPhone, touch and hold text or a QR code in a photo to use it. Live Text requires a supported device and language.

Cast photo slideshows to Chromecast or use the Ente Cast Apple TV app. Both are paired receivers for a chosen album. The Apple TV receiver needs tvOS 18.4 or later and currently shows photos, not videos.

Use the Photos app on Apple TV or stream to an AirPlay-compatible TV. The AirPlay receiver does not need an iCloud login. Some Android or Google TV models have AirPlay; check the model.

Open cast.ente.com on the other screen, then enter its PIN on your signed-in phone or computer. The receiver shows the selected album without signing into your Ente account on that screen. It needs a compatible browser and internet connection.

To play photos from your private library on iCloud.com, sign in to your Apple Account in a supported browser. With Advanced Data Protection on, enable web access and approve the session from a trusted Apple device. This is browser library access, rather than Ente’s PIN-paired receiver.

Let someone browse one photo, a selection or an album. Device authentication is required to leave Guest View.

Assistive Access on iPhone can show selected Shared Albums, after device-level setup. Guided Access can lock the phone to Photos or restrict touch areas.