gabarrios
Level 1 (8 points)
Photos for Mac

Q: Photos Stored on Devices

I have a general question on iCloud photo library.  I am using several iMacs  (latest version of El Capitan) and several iOS devices (latest versions of iOS 9).  I store my photos on my main iMac and use iCloud photo library (iPL).  I recently have encountered a problem with duplicates in my main library (another issue I am troubleshooting) and shut off iPL on my iOS devices and secondary iMacs.  After doing this I noticed that these devices where still storing some of my photos on them.  I assumed that once I turned off iPL the photos would just be gone.  Am I missing something?

Posted on Sep 15, 2016 1:13 PM

by léonie,Apple recommended
léonie léonie
Level 10 (107,629 points)
iCloud
A:

After doing this I noticed that these devices where still storing some of my photos on them.  I assumed that once I turned off iPL the photos would just be gone.

iCloud Photo Library is a syncing service. It is making the Photos Libraries on all devices identical and downloads all photos from iCloud to all synced devices.

If you use "Optimize Mac Storage", not all photos will download in the full resolution, but in a smaller, optimized size.  When you disable iCloud Photo Library on a device, the optimized versions will be removed, but any photo downloaded recently  in the full size will remain.

Posted on Sep 15, 2016 1:19 PM

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gabarrios

Q: Photos Stored on Devices

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  • Helpful answers

  • by léonie,Apple recommended

    léonie léonie Sep 15, 2016 1:19 PM in response to gabarrios
    Level 10 (107,629 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 15, 2016 1:19 PM in response to gabarrios

    After doing this I noticed that these devices where still storing some of my photos on them.  I assumed that once I turned off iPL the photos would just be gone.

    iCloud Photo Library is a syncing service. It is making the Photos Libraries on all devices identical and downloads all photos from iCloud to all synced devices.

    If you use "Optimize Mac Storage", not all photos will download in the full resolution, but in a smaller, optimized size.  When you disable iCloud Photo Library on a device, the optimized versions will be removed, but any photo downloaded recently  in the full size will remain.

  • by gabarrios,

    gabarrios gabarrios Sep 16, 2016 6:24 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 16, 2016 6:24 AM in response to léonie

    Thanks for the reply.  The photos that are remaining on the ios devices and the secondary imacs are not the same ones.  That means each device is picking different photos to store at the original resolution and, by extension, keeping them on the device after I shut off iPL.   Do I have that right?

     

    Also, if I turn on iPL on again, I assume it will resync and not duplicate the photos that remained on the devices.  IS that correct?

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Sep 16, 2016 6:48 AM in response to gabarrios
    Level 10 (84,857 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 16, 2016 6:48 AM in response to gabarrios

    yes

     

    LN

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Sep 16, 2016 6:53 AM in response to gabarrios
    Level 10 (107,629 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 16, 2016 6:53 AM in response to gabarrios

    gabarrios wrote:

     

    Thanks for the reply.  The photos that are remaining on the ios devices and the secondary imacs are not the same ones.  That means each device is picking different photos to store at the original resolution and, by extension, keeping them on the device after I shut off iPL.   Do I have that right?

     

    Yes, for any photos that have not been reduced by "Optimize Mac Storage".

     

    Also, if I turn on iPL on again, I assume it will resync and not duplicate the photos that remained on the devices.  IS that correct?

    Yes, it will merge the photos currently on your device in the iCloud Photo Library and check for duplicates. Identical files will not be kept twice in iCloud Photo Library.