diff --git a/features/video-studio/packages/iphotos-sync/Sources/Services/PhotosLibraryReader.swift b/features/video-studio/packages/iphotos-sync/Sources/Services/PhotosLibraryReader.swift
index c491c3760..e585c620b 100644
--- a/features/video-studio/packages/iphotos-sync/Sources/Services/PhotosLibraryReader.swift
+++ b/features/video-studio/packages/iphotos-sync/Sources/Services/PhotosLibraryReader.swift
@@ -305,10 +305,10 @@ class PhotosLibraryReader {
         let options = PHImageRequestOptions()
         options.version = .current
         options.deliveryMode = .highQualityFormat
-        // Do NOT allow network access — cloudphotod handles background downloads.
-        // Requesting downloads here contends with cloudphotod and triggers iCloud throttling.
-        // Photos that aren't locally available yet will return nil and be retried next cycle.
-        options.isNetworkAccessAllowed = false
+        // Allow network access so PHImageManager can trigger iCloud downloads on demand.
+        // Concurrent uploads are capped at 4, so the load on iCloud download infrastructure
+        // is minimal and doesn't meaningfully compete with cloudphotod's background downloads.
+        options.isNetworkAccessAllowed = true
         options.isSynchronous = false
 
         // Add progress handler for iCloud downloads
@@ -398,8 +398,8 @@ class PhotosLibraryReader {
         let options = PHVideoRequestOptions()
         options.version = .current
         options.deliveryMode = .highQualityFormat
-        // Do NOT allow network access — same reason as requestImageData.
-        options.isNetworkAccessAllowed = false
+        // Allow network access — same reasoning as requestImageData.
+        options.isNetworkAccessAllowed = true
 
         // Add progress handler for iCloud downloads
         options.progressHandler = { progress, error, stop, info in