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Got a new Mac, iCloud downloaded all my photos to my new MacBook and used up all the drive. I want them off the MacBook but stay in iCloud.

I got a new MacBook I have not had a Mac in awhile. When I set it up, it downloaded all my photos from the iCloud account to the laptop more or less using up my whole drive. I want them off the MacBook but to remain in the cloud.


MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Posted on Jul 11, 2020 9:41 AM

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Posted on Jul 11, 2020 10:01 AM

Welcome to the Apple Community.


With iCloud photos enabled, if you delete photos on your Mac, you will delete them in the cloud too and on every other device. The purpose of iCloud is to synchronise all your devices, so that everything is the same everywhere.


If you are short of space on your Mac, enable iCloud photos optimisation to dynamically reduce the space the photos use on your Mac.


Photos ➔ Preferences ➔ iCloud ➔ Optimise Mac Storage

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Question marked as Best reply

Jul 11, 2020 10:01 AM in response to buddyatn

Welcome to the Apple Community.


With iCloud photos enabled, if you delete photos on your Mac, you will delete them in the cloud too and on every other device. The purpose of iCloud is to synchronise all your devices, so that everything is the same everywhere.


If you are short of space on your Mac, enable iCloud photos optimisation to dynamically reduce the space the photos use on your Mac.


Photos ➔ Preferences ➔ iCloud ➔ Optimise Mac Storage

Got a new Mac, iCloud downloaded all my photos to my new MacBook and used up all the drive. I want them off the MacBook but stay in iCloud.

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