HT204264: iCloud Photo Library

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Q: Avoid iCloud photo transfer over devices

I have 2 iPhones connected to the same iCloud account. How can I avoid that photos are synced between the phones but still allow to backup on iCloud?

iPhone 6s Plus, iOS 9.2.1

Posted on Jan 24, 2016 2:48 PM

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Q: Avoid iCloud photo transfer over devices

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  • by zinacef,

    zinacef zinacef Jan 24, 2016 2:51 PM in response to A L E X
    Level 4 (3,944 points)
    Applications
    Jan 24, 2016 2:51 PM in response to A L E X

    Turn off 'iCloud Photo Library' & 'Upload to My Photo Stream' on one of the phones.

  • by A L E X,

    A L E X A L E X Jan 24, 2016 2:57 PM in response to zinacef
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 24, 2016 2:57 PM in response to zinacef

    Now both phones have "iCloud Photo library" turned off, after that the photos were getting copied across them.

     

    how do you suggest to setup  phone #1 and #2  iCloud settings?

     

    thanks

  • by zinacef,

    zinacef zinacef Jan 24, 2016 2:59 PM in response to A L E X
    Level 4 (3,944 points)
    Applications
    Jan 24, 2016 2:59 PM in response to A L E X

    On the phone that you don't want the photos on, leave the settings off on that phone.

  • by A L E X,

    A L E X A L E X Jan 24, 2016 3:07 PM in response to A L E X
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 24, 2016 3:07 PM in response to A L E X

    ...

  • by A L E X,

    A L E X A L E X Jan 24, 2016 3:06 PM in response to zinacef
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 24, 2016 3:06 PM in response to zinacef

    Ok, got that. but how to i get to back them up on iCloud still?

     

    I mean, iCloud is a great feature to get you photos on one unique library online, but its pointless (at least for me) to get the photos copied also on my other phone.

     

    isn't there a function that allows you to back up the photos and NOT transfer them automatically over your other devices?

  • by ManSinha,

    ManSinha ManSinha Jan 24, 2016 3:08 PM in response to A L E X
    Level 6 (10,250 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 24, 2016 3:08 PM in response to A L E X

    Create another Apple ID for the second phone - you will still have iCloud backup and the pictures will remain separate

  • by A L E X,

    A L E X A L E X Jan 24, 2016 3:10 PM in response to ManSinha
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 24, 2016 3:10 PM in response to ManSinha

    but in this way i won't have a unique combined iCloud library online.

     

    it should be a simple option to be able to select NOT TO sync your photos across your devices. Apparently its missing....

  • by ManSinha,

    ManSinha ManSinha Jan 24, 2016 3:16 PM in response to A L E X
    Level 6 (10,250 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 24, 2016 3:16 PM in response to A L E X

    The iCloud Photo library is meant to allow sharing across your devices -

     

    You can try this - sign up for a OneDrive account - you get 15 GB of free space - and an app which you can download on both phones

    That way you can upload pictures to a single library but not have them synced across devices (onedrive.live.com)

  • by A L E X,

    A L E X A L E X Jan 24, 2016 3:22 PM in response to ManSinha
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 24, 2016 3:22 PM in response to ManSinha

    Thank you. Although I find it ironic to get the solution to my problem using a Microsoft service.

     

    That was my fear after I saw the syncing start over the phones. Now I have two phone with 30GB of mixed photos instead of one with 10GB   and one with 20GB.  Not very convenient.

  • by LACAllen,Helpful

    LACAllen LACAllen Jan 25, 2016 3:18 AM in response to A L E X
    Level 5 (4,869 points)
    iCloud
    Jan 25, 2016 3:18 AM in response to A L E X

    The "problem" (and that isn't really the right term) is that iCloud Photo Library is not the service you need. Not a flaw in it's design, but a misuse (unknowingly of course) of what it actually does.

     

    iCloud is a syncing and sharing service, not an archival storage service. Very different things.

     

    The suggestion for the Microsoft option is a good one, as it is an archival service for any of your content.

  • by zinacef,

    zinacef zinacef Jan 24, 2016 7:21 PM in response to LACAllen
    Level 4 (3,944 points)
    Applications
    Jan 24, 2016 7:21 PM in response to LACAllen

    I'd also like to interject and possibly suggest another third-party application I am very fond of using and that is Google Photos.