I forgot my passcode and my iPhone 7 running iOS 15.8.8 became disabled, so I had to reset it. Afterward, my apps were gone, but my photos were still available. I realized iCloud may have been enabled, but I'm not sure whether iCloud Photos or an iCloud backup restored them. I also have an iPad Air 2 and want to know whether my photos will appear there automatically. How can I check?
1 Answer
It sounds like iCloud Photos was enabled. You can confirm by signing in to iCloud.com and opening Photos. If your entire photo library appears there, those images are being synced with iCloud. On the iPad, sign in with the same Apple Account and check Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos to make sure syncing is turned on. Keep in mind that iCloud Photos syncs photos, while an iCloud backup is what can restore other device data and settings; apps may need to be downloaded again.

My photos from the entire time I’ve owned the phone are visible in iCloud Photos. Does that confirm it was enabled?