error code 0x800701AA

Question

I have reinstalled icloud for windows after having the initial problem, photos won't download upon being placed in a separate folder on computer or even after open icloud photos and clicking on photo to download it in icloud photos (get the message only able to view when online) and I get a frozen download progress box with the error code 0x800701AA

I have windows 11 and it is past its life cycle , version 22H2. can this be part of the problem.

I have always been able to access icloud photos through microsoft, and either drag or copy and paste them into a folder where they would automatically download.

My only solution, the long way around, has been to sign into icloud.com through chrome, and do a download of photos in my icloud account, and then extract photos from the zip folder and place them in my storage folder.

Help

Fran

Answer 1

Dear Fran,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A.

I understand how frustrating this situation must be, especially when a workflow you've relied on for a long time suddenly stops working. Going through the web browser to download photos is indeed a tedious workaround.

The error code 0x800701AA and the symptoms you're describing (frozen download, "only able to view when online") are very specific. They almost always point to an issue with Windows' "Cloud Files API," which is the system that services like iCloud, OneDrive, and Dropbox use to show you online-only files (placeholders) in File Explorer. When you try to open or copy one of these files, this API is supposed to tell the cloud service (iCloud) to download the full file. Your error indicates that this process is failing.

Your outdated version of Windows 11 is very likely the primary cause of this problem.

• Windows 11, version 22H2 (for Home and Pro editions) reached its "end of service" date on October 8, 2024.
• Apple regularly updates the iCloud for Windows app. It's highly probable that a recent iCloud update now relies on components or APIs that were introduced or fixed in newer versions of Windows 11 (like 23H2 or later). Your outdated system doesn't have these components, causing the communication between iCloud and Windows to break down.

Reinstalling iCloud won't fix this because the underlying problem is with the operating system itself.

You could try following these steps below to solve this issue:

1. Update Windows 11:
   • Click the Start Menu and go to Settings.
   • In the left-hand menu, click on Windows Update.
   • Click the Check for updates button.
   • Your system should find a major feature update to a newer version of Windows 11 (like 23H2 or 24H2). The process may take some time to download and install. Your computer will need to restart, possibly multiple times.
   • After the update is complete, go back to Windows Update and keep checking for updates until it says "You're up to date."
2. Repair or reset the iCloud app:
   • Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
   • Go to Apps > Installed apps.
   • Scroll down to find iCloud. Click the three dots (...) next to it and choose Advanced options.
   • First, try the Repair button. Wait for it to finish and then test if the issue is resolved.
   • If Repair doesn't work, go back to the same screen and try the Reset button.

As the last resort, if none of above works, you could also try Reinstall Windows with the installation media - Microsoft Support

Disclaimer: At this point, we have exhausted all troubleshooting and I recommend that we try to perform a clean install to get your computer back into a working condition. Please ensure that you backup any important data, including Documents, Pictures, Videos and more. 

---

To assist others who might have similar questions and to help us improve our support system, we kindly encourage you to "Accept the answer" if it successfully addressed your concern. Accepting an answer lets other users know that this solution worked for you, and it also helps us track the effectiveness of our support efforts.

Best regards, 

Bryan Vu | Microsoft Q&A Support Specialist

Answer 2

Thank u for the answer. I suspected as much. My 22h2 does not update me to 23h

I am considering a computer service we use to install 24h to I move to the next update at the end of a life cycle for that version of W 11. (Of course I will try on my own first)

Again

thank you

Fran