Steven R Jackson
Level 1 (105 points)

Q: How comprehensive is iCloud Photo Library?

Over the last few weeks, I have been manually uploading photos to iCloud via the iCloud.com web interface.

 

Yesterday, I opened the new Photos app for the first time and my iCloud Photo Library was downloaded to my computer, as expected.

 

I plan to add titles, descriptions, keywords and faces over the coming weeks.

 

I would like to know how much of this information will be stored in iCloud. If I buy a new computer, say in a year's time, can I just open Photos and have *everything* download from iCloud? Would I lose faces, for example? Titles? Descriptions?

 

I know the above is not "best practice" and of course I will be backing-up my Photos Library via Time Machine, but I am curious to know whether Photos can rebuild a new Library, without losing anything, just from what's stored in iCloud.

 

Cheers,

 

Steve.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014), OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Apr 10, 2015 4:38 AM

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Steven R Jackson

Q: How comprehensive is iCloud Photo Library?

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  • by léonie,Helpful

    léonie léonie Apr 10, 2015 5:16 AM in response to Steven R Jackson
    Level 10 (108,148 points)
    iCloud
    Apr 10, 2015 5:16 AM in response to Steven R Jackson

    Steve,

    have a look at this document:  Use Photos and iCloud Photo Library on multiple Mac computers - Apple Support

     

    It tells you, what will sync via iCloud to other Macs:

    It seems, you are out of luck with Faces, but all else will sync to iCloud.

     

    To sync faces names, add them also as keywords.

    These items are available only on the Mac where you created them:

    • Books, cards, and calendars
    • Slideshows
    • Keyword shortcuts
    • Unused keywords
    • Last imported album (this album contains photos you most recently imported on a specific Mac)
    • Faces tiles and Faces data

    Your photos or videos must be stored inside the Photos library to be accessible through iCloud Photo Library.

    Léonie