HT204570: Get help with your iCloud Photo Library
Learn about Get help with your iCloud Photo Library
Q: I have 50 gb of iCloud and my computer is full because of photo storage issues. How do I get these pictures into my icloud? I have ... more
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Sep 11, 2016 9:33 AMby zinacef,You have to toggle on 'Optimize Mac Storage', see this -- http://www.imore.com/how-save-space-optimized-storage-and-icloud-photo-library
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Sep 11, 2016 1:47 PMby Eric Root,iCloud is a syncing system, not an external storage system. If you delete them from the device/computer they will be deleted from iCloud. For the computer, go to Photos/Preferences/iCloud and select Optimize. That will reduce the space required by about 90% when fully effective.
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Sep 11, 2016 5:12 PMby DaveFan,Before I posted this question I went through all of the information like you listed here to fix this issue. Thank you for your reply my computer is already setup this way.
Edited:
When I go back to my photos to edit them it downloads the original at least that's what I've read from Apple. Those originals are then on my computer. I can't figure out how to get them "optimized" back into the cloud after I have uploaded them to where they are supposed to be. I am aware that icloud is not an external drive. I also have an external drive. I am trying to make my life easier..
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Sep 11, 2016 5:17 PMby zinacef,DaveFan wrote:
I can't figure out how to get them "optimized" back into the cloud after I have uploaded them to where they are supposed to be.
What do you mean you can't figure out how to get them optimized back into iCloud? iCloud uploads the original photos (in their original format).
When you open Photos (from the dock) on the Mac, then go to Photos > Preferences > you'll see 2 choices -- Optimize Mac Storage or Download Originals to Mac. The first choice, you choose to save space on your Mac. If you have enough space on your Mac, then you can choose the second choice.
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Sep 11, 2016 5:30 PMby DaveFan,Okay so one more time, my computer is set up that way. It is set to optimize. If you would like to argue with someone please move along because you aren't helping me. If I am working with a photo and editing it, it downloads to my mac regardless of it being set to optimize. This is because I need the full photo etc to work with. My question as I stated, is once it is downloaded on my computer how can I get it back into the optimized group? Like the photos that are simply snap shots that I do not edit and work with? Do you know the answer to that?
Edited:
As in how do I not delete the picture but keep it optimized in my cloud but not on my hard drive? Do you know an easy way to do this without losing my work?
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Sep 11, 2016 5:29 PMby zinacef,Wasn't try to "argue with" you as you put it, simply trying to help, but obviously not doing a good job of it.
If you wish, continue to wait for someone from the community to assist you in this matter, or take it upon yourself to reach out to Apple Support where you can obtain immediate assistance.
Good luck!
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Sep 12, 2016 5:22 PMby LACAllen,Then I would suggest you have maximized the size of your Photo Library "locally".
The optimize process is dynamic and automatic. It can't be tweaked or tuned to get more space. It sounds like you are maxed.
Even as a test of this theory, you are going to have to remove some photos from your photo library. Get an external USB drive and move say 10 GB of photos from your local HD to this external drive. I'll guess the messages will go away giving you your next steps.
Keep in mind the local versions of your photos ARE NOT full resolution. You can use iCloud to download your full sized files.
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Sep 12, 2016 5:53 PMby DaveFan,Thank you. I know they aren't full resolution in the cloud. I do some photography and that's where my issue is. When I edit them it downloads the full res photo, I was just trying to get the smaller file version left in the cloud and the download off of my macbook pro. Since they are all linked up in the generic "photos" now and no longer separate, I was looking for help on how to do it. I upload to my professional IG account but use the smaller files obviously so I don't want to lose the easy access to them. I have 30gb free in my cloud currently. I have an external drive that I move my large files to.
Maybe I am not phrasing my question correctly. I hope I am making sense here.
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Sep 12, 2016 9:25 PMby LACAllen,HelpfulNo. They ARE full resolution in the cloud.
You have no option to save the optimized files in the cloud. You do have the option to store only optimized files locally.
Optimized = OFF means full sized files locally and in iCloud.
Optimized = ON means smaller files locally, full sized in iCloud.
When you edit a file, iCloud will download the larger file for editing, and then optimize it again later. The edits you have done are not applied to a photo until you "export" it.
It's not really clear what you are trying to do and what the issues are.
If your local system drive is giving you space issue messages, and you can see the bulk of your drive is full with photos, iCloud is not a solution to these issues.
More hard drive space is.
