How to do it
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Open Photos in your iCloud settings
Go to Settings, tap your name, then tap iCloud. Under Saved to iCloud, tap Photos.
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Turn on Sync Immediately
Tap Sync Immediately, then choose For Today. It needs iOS 27 or later.
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Turn it off when you’re done
To turn off syncing sooner, tap Off. Otherwise Sync Immediately turns off automatically after one day.
What does it prioritize?
iCloud Photos prioritizes syncing items that are added to your library after Sync Immediately is turned on (Apple). It’s available in version 27 or later of iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS (Apple).
Does it use more battery or data?
Apple says Sync Immediately may affect battery and cellular usage. If you allow Photos to use cellular data, this could lead to higher data usage (Apple).
Can I pause uploads instead?
Apple also describes a separate Pause option. In iOS 26 or later, open the Photos app, tap Collections, tap the profile button, then tap Pause. You can pause for one day. Depending on your library status, pause might not be available (Apple).
How long do uploads take?
It depends on the size of your collection and your internet speed, and larger collections take more time (Apple).
Does uploading free up my iPhone?
Apple’s page on iCloud Photos lists on-device space as a separate setting, Optimize Storage. See what Optimize iPhone Storage does.