1 Open Loop

Q: iCloud Photo Library, upload option

Finally getting around to giving Photos and iCloud Drive a try.

 

I can't seem to easily (perhaps because I stink at searching?) find information about how the iCloud Photo Library works with iCloud Drive.

 

As I understand it, the default setting (System Preferences > iCloud > Photos > Options) is for Photos to store all my (master) photos up on iCloud Drive. I'm assuming that would allow me access to all my photos from any iDevice. Which seems like a good idea.

 

My question is, what happens if I uncheck this box?

Will any of my iDevices be able to see any of my photos?

Is there some subset (like Albums) that my iDevices will be able to see?

 

If unchecking the box, means no photos will be stored on iCloud Drive, then what's the point of unchecking?

So that you can use Photos to organize your photos, but not utilize the Apple ecosystem?

 

(sorry if this has been asked and answered many times before)

Posted on Sep 16, 2015 2:51 PM

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Q: iCloud Photo Library, upload option

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  • by léonie,Helpful

    léonie léonie Sep 17, 2015 4:32 AM in response to 1 Open Loop
    Level 10 (108,498 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 17, 2015 4:32 AM in response to 1 Open Loop
    I can't seem to easily (perhaps because I stink at searching?) find information about how the iCloud Photo Library works with iCloud Drive.

    iCloud Drive and iCloud Photo Library are separate cloud services. iCloud Photo Library is not stored on iCloud Drive and you will not see the photos there. 

    Youe mobile devices and Macs can access the photos in iCloud Photo Library using the Photos.app. You can access them from any computer using the Photos.app on the iCloud Web interface at www.icloud.com.

     

    Use iCloud Drive for documents and data, and iCloud Photo Library for your photos.  You do not need to enable iCloud Drive to be able to use iCloud Photo Library.

     

    To use iCloud Photo Library enable it in "System Preferences > iCloud > Photos " and in "Photos > Preferences > iCloud".

    Then the Photos.app will upload any photos you import to iCloud Photo Library, if you enable this preference setting.

     

     

    See:  iCloud Drive FAQ

    and: iCloud Photo Library FAQ

  • by LarryHN,Helpful

    LarryHN LarryHN Sep 17, 2015 4:32 AM in response to 1 Open Loop
    Level 10 (85,471 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 17, 2015 4:32 AM in response to 1 Open Loop

    Somehow you are off on a totally wrong track

     

    Finally getting around to giving Photos and iCloud Drive a try.

    There is no connection between Photos and iCloud drive of any sort

     

    I can't seem to easily (perhaps because I stink at searching?) find information about how the iCloud Photo Library works with iCloud Drive.

    That is simple - it does not

    iCloud Drive FAQ - Apple Support

     

     

    As I understand it, the default setting (System Preferences > iCloud > Photos > Options) is for Photos to store all my (master) photos up on iCloud Drive. I'm assuming that would allow me access to all my photos from any iDevice. Which seems like a good idea.

    NO - it is not only not the default it is not even possible - you are taking about iCloud Photo Library and that is not the default setting either but it does do what you describe

     

    https://www.apple.com/icloud/photos/

     

    My question is, what happens if I uncheck this box?

    You will not have access to iCloud Drive from your Mac

     

     

    Will any of my iDevices be able to see any of my photos?

    Unchecking iCloud Drive has not effect on your photos or on iCloud Photo Library

     

    Is there some subset (like Albums) that my iDevices will be able to see?

    No

     

    and with iCloud Photo Library your library is on iCloud and all devices see it and any change  including edit, addition or deletion made on and device is reflected on all devices - you can not do a subset - it is the entire library

     

     

     

    If unchecking the box, means no photos will be stored on iCloud Drive, then what's the point of unchecking?

    So that you can use Photos to organize your photos, but not utilize the Apple ecosystem?

    again it has no effect on your photos - that is a totally different iCloud serivce

     

    LN

  • by 1 Open Loop,

    1 Open Loop 1 Open Loop Sep 17, 2015 4:55 AM in response to léonie
    Level 2 (362 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 17, 2015 4:55 AM in response to léonie

    Well, it's obvious that you (and LarryHN) have confirmed my suspicions. I have little to no knowledge of iCloud Drive and the iCloud Photo Library.

     

    Now that I have more, perhaps I can phrase a better question.

     

    On my Mac in System Preference > iCloud > Photos > Options ...

     

    If I uncheck iCloud Photo Library, the my photos won't automatically upload to the iCloud Photo Library.

     

    Is this an all or nothing choice?

    I either upload all the photos in the Photos App, or non at all?

    If I don't upload all, does that mean that no iDevice will be able to see any photo?

    Or can I tell Photos to do something like only share albums?

    Isn't the opposite of automatically, manually?

     

    Maybe some background info would help. (or this post is getting too long)

     

    About an hour after I gained a rather comprehensive understanding of Aperture, Apple announced it's (slow) end of life. At least it was a really awesome hour. For what I did/do with Aperture, Photos isn't really a replacement. But Photos appears to be the only way to share photos in the Apple ecosystem. So it looks like I will use Photos for what I want to share and keep synced across my too many Apple devices. While I use a non-Apple product to replace Aperture.

     

    So as I try to decide how to use Photos, I'm trying to understand how Photos manages all the media. It sounds like that in order to share/sync, it's an all or nothing deal. Which is disappointing, since in my initial testing I already ran into the "you're out of storage" wall. 5GB isn't really a wall, it's more like small speed bump. I don't mind paying for things I need, unless someone else decides I have to have it.

     

    To end on a positive note. As someone who was only tech support for my family of iPhoto users, it looks like Photos is a better app/system.

     

    Okay I couldn't do it. (end positive) Am I the only one who wonders why they called the App Photos? Really? After all that Master, Version, Project fun stuff, they choose Photos? Who's photos? My photos, or Apples Photos? I have photo issues with my photos in photos. Sure makes for fun posting about photos.

     

    If you've made it this far in my post, thanks.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Sep 17, 2015 5:22 AM in response to 1 Open Loop
    Level 10 (108,498 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 17, 2015 5:22 AM in response to 1 Open Loop

    On my Mac in System Preference > iCloud > Photos > Options ...

     

    If I uncheck iCloud Photo Library, the my photos won't automatically upload to the iCloud Photo Library.

     

    Is this an all or nothing choice?

    Yes, with this option enabled, all photos in the currently open library will upload to iCloud Photo Library, If you disable it, you cannot sync the current library with iCloud Photo Library at all.  And only one library at a time can sync with iCloud Photo Library.

     

    There is one caveat -  if your Photos Library has been migrated from Aperture and contains referenced images, these referenced images cannot upload to iCloud Photo Library. You may want to consolidate referenced files, before you migrate a referenced library to Photos.  Photos does not support referenced libraries as well as Aperture anyway.

     

    If you want to split your library into an iCloud Library and a non-icloud library, do so in Aperture.  Photos cannot split libraries or merge libraries.

     

     

    Is this an all or nothing choice?

    I either upload all the photos in the Photos App, or non at all?

    If I don't upload all, does that mean that no iDevice will be able to see any photo?

    Or can I tell Photos to do something like only share albums?

    Isn't the opposite of automatically, manually?

     

    Maybe some background info would help. (or this post is getting too long)

    It is all photos in the library or none. You cannot sync selectiively.   But you can have multiple libraries - one with the photos you want in iCloud, and on all devices, and another library with all your other photos.

     

    Okay I couldn't do it. (end positive) Am I the only one who wonders why they called the App Photos? Really? After all that Master, Version, Project fun stuff, they choose Photos? Who's photos? My photos, or Apples Photos? I have photo issues with my photos in photos. Sure makes for fun posting about photos.

     

    If you've made it this far in my post, thanks.

    The name "Photos" for the application is not really a smart choice. In addition to the drawbacks you mentioned it makes it nearly impossible to search the web for help on Photos. Too many false targets.  And to make it worse, Apple could not resist the temptation to have a different name for the app in different languages. In German it is called "Fotos", in Norwegian "Bilder", etc. And the Pictures folder has frequently the same name as the Photos.app in different languages, which makes it nearl impossible to search.