Apple Intelligence now features Image Playground, Genmoji, Writing Tools enhancements, seamless support for ChatGPT, and visual intelligence.
Apple Intelligence has also begun language expansion with localized English support for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. Learn more >
Apple Intelligence has also begun language expansion with localized English support for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. Learn more >
You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
I now use iCloud Photos Library on my MacBook and iPhone and iPad. In the past I used iTunes (now Finder) to sync the photos on my MacBook to my iOS devices - therefore my MacBook has a large iPod Photos Cache.
Since I no longer do hard-wired syncing, can I safely delete that iPod Photo Cache to free up GBs of storage on my MacBook?
As Starr.C wrote. You do not need the iPod Photo Cache folder, if you no longer sync with iTunes.
It has been described in this Apple Support Document (HT203156), that seems to have been removed by Apple. I can only find it on the Way Back Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20151222081002/https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203156
If you need to free up space on your hard drive, you can remove the iPod Photo Cache folder. Deleting this folder won't remove the original images from your library, and the folder will be recreated the next time you sync photos with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod.
The location of this folder depends on the syncing options you select in iTunes. In iTunes, if you change the selection in the Sync Photos From menu, a new iPod Photo Cache folder will be created (and the previous folder will remain).
Photos, iPhoto, or Aperture
If you're syncing from a Photos, iPhoto, or Aperture library, use the steps below to find the iPod Photo Cache folder in its default location:
From Finder, choose Go > Home from the menu bar at the top of your computer screen. If you moved your Photos Library, iPhoto Library, or Aperture Library to a different location, go to that location instead.
Open the Pictures folder and locate the Photos Library, iPhoto Library, or Aperture Library file.
Control- or right-click the file, and then choose Show Package Contents from the pop-up menu.
In the window that opens, click on and drag the iPod Photo Cache folder to the Trash.
Don't remove or modify any other file within the library package. Removing or modifying other files might cause data loss.
Close the window.
@ Starr.C: Do you perhaps know a link to an updated version of HT203156? That would be very useful to have.
As Starr.C wrote. You do not need the iPod Photo Cache folder, if you no longer sync with iTunes.
It has been described in this Apple Support Document (HT203156), that seems to have been removed by Apple. I can only find it on the Way Back Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20151222081002/https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203156
If you need to free up space on your hard drive, you can remove the iPod Photo Cache folder. Deleting this folder won't remove the original images from your library, and the folder will be recreated the next time you sync photos with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod.
The location of this folder depends on the syncing options you select in iTunes. In iTunes, if you change the selection in the Sync Photos From menu, a new iPod Photo Cache folder will be created (and the previous folder will remain).
Photos, iPhoto, or Aperture
If you're syncing from a Photos, iPhoto, or Aperture library, use the steps below to find the iPod Photo Cache folder in its default location:
From Finder, choose Go > Home from the menu bar at the top of your computer screen. If you moved your Photos Library, iPhoto Library, or Aperture Library to a different location, go to that location instead.
Open the Pictures folder and locate the Photos Library, iPhoto Library, or Aperture Library file.
Control- or right-click the file, and then choose Show Package Contents from the pop-up menu.
In the window that opens, click on and drag the iPod Photo Cache folder to the Trash.
Don't remove or modify any other file within the library package. Removing or modifying other files might cause data loss.
Close the window.
@ Starr.C: Do you perhaps know a link to an updated version of HT203156? That would be very useful to have.
Hello jrf_usa,
Welcome to the Apple Support Communities. It's understandable to be concerned when removing something from your MacBook for photos. I'll explain.
That is a cache that is stored for syncing purposes. If you have your photos stored somewhere else or in iCloud, you can safely remove it. If you'd like, you can also back up your Mac before removing the folder if you need to return it for any reason: How to back up your Mac
Enjoy your day.
Delete iPod Photo Cache?
