download from icloud to photos is HOW HARD?

Hi All

Hardware: MPB 2011: 8 Gb i7 2.2Ghz OSx Sierra

hope somebody can help me out with this one, I have an ipad and MBP. I want to download pics from icloud to MBP (photos I think).
Process:
sign in to icloud via safari (why?)
select photos
click on download (yes?)

Files are downloaded to my "downloads folder on MBP.
Q: how do I choose where to download them to?

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Open photos
file>import
choose "downloads" as source, yes?
select all photos (files) that I want, yes?

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Something called preview pops up every few seconds with latest image selected copied or what ever... confused at this point!
Q do I have to do something with this preview image to actually get it into "photos"?
I have a long line of preview pics now clogging my dock and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with them.... more confused!
All the forum posts I've read seem to differ on the instructions for doing this task and none of them seem to fit my config, poss as a result of Sierra being so new??

Q's is there an easy way to accomplish the task of saving from my icloud pics to my MBP, if so can you link me to it?
Is this a deliberate policy of Apple to encourage users to buy more space? (crappy service if so!)
Can anyone recommend a good add on preferably for free to manage this task?

I may have gone about this in a totally unmac way but I simply could not find a better way so any would be most appreciated.

Finally, once I've downloaded the ones I want, I can delete the ones in icloud to create some more space, yes? (hopefully).

Thanks

You don't need to use Safari to download Photos from iCloud, you only need to be signed in to iCloud in; System Preferences > iCloud. Open iCloud Preferences, and check how the settings are set for Photos. You should only need to select Photo Stream and your new photos should also sync with your MBP.


Also, to change where Safari saves downloaded files go into Safari > Preferences > General. Look towards the bottom for "File download location", change to suit your preference.

No, you do not need to do anything with Preview app. You can Quit it.

thanks for the reply, I can see my photos in "Photos" but that's not quite what I wanted. I wanted to download all of them to my MBP to save space on my icloud. What ive had to do is literally download every one of them to a new folder (thanks for the pointer). Q Which "genius" at Apple decided it was a good idea to preview every so called safe image? I have 000's of images to download and each one arrives with a preview, WHY? I'd turn it off but I cant stay on Safari long enough before the next preview takes over. Absolute bloody brilliance...

If your photos are in Photos, why not just export them from there? NO need to download them again, if that's what you are doing. If they are, in fact, all in Photos, then you can delete them from the cloud after you've exported them to your MBP from Photos. You are making it too hard. It's not.