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 checked all of my settings. Everything is set as it should be. I feel like I have originals downloaded or something.

My question is, can I make the photos optimized again myself so it's immediate or do I have to wait for my computer to do it?

No. You have no control over how, when or how much. It is completely automatic.

"The edits you have done are not applied to a photo until you "export" it."

I use a separate program for this and nothing through Apple, these photos I can delete if I do not want to save them after they are edited. Sometimes I have to duplicate them which is why my space can fluctuate a lot.

Then what does Photos offer you?

"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."

 

I did not realize I couldn't use iCloud to "store" these photos.  simply trying to use it more efficiently for what I use this computer for. I keep certain photos on my computer and not on my external for easy access. I don't need access to the full resolution photos very often so having them elsewhere is easy.

 

Thanks for the info.

You can use iCloud for storage. However, you can't simply "move" the photos to iCloud and off your Mac.

It its a syncing service. Designed to keep your photo library synced between your Apple devices. Each photo available on each device on demand.

It does not sound like iCloud is for you. Or that you fully understand what it does.

Check this >>> iCloud Photo Library - Apple Support