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iCloud and laptop storage

How do I keep videos on iCloud but NOT on my laptop?

MacBook Pro 13″, OS X 10.10

Posted on Aug 6, 2020 3:42 PM

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Posted on Aug 6, 2020 4:01 PM

iCloud Photos is a syncing service. Photos are stored on the devices and on iCloud. Any photo you delete from a device where iCloud Photos is turned on will also be deleted from iCloud and from any other device connected to iCloud Photos. You can potentially reduce the storage space required on a device by turning on Optimize Storage. See: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204264


Apple does not currently offer cloud-only storage for photos. If that is what you want or need, you may want to explore 3rd party options such as Google Photos or Dropbox.


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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 6, 2020 4:01 PM in response to mallorym2405

iCloud Photos is a syncing service. Photos are stored on the devices and on iCloud. Any photo you delete from a device where iCloud Photos is turned on will also be deleted from iCloud and from any other device connected to iCloud Photos. You can potentially reduce the storage space required on a device by turning on Optimize Storage. See: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204264


Apple does not currently offer cloud-only storage for photos. If that is what you want or need, you may want to explore 3rd party options such as Google Photos or Dropbox.


Aug 7, 2020 8:40 AM in response to mallorym2405

Videos and photos are treated the same.


re:

"(2) store things that you want to occasionally access but not have them use up your local device’s storage capacity. Am I wrong thinking that?"


Yes.

The only option is the Optimize Storage option discussed in Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support

Also, as previously stated:

Apple does not currently offer cloud-only storage for photos. If that is what you want or need, you may want to explore 3rd party options such as Google Photos or Dropbox.

Aug 7, 2020 4:29 AM in response to FoxFifth

Thanks for the reply. These are instructional videos, not just photos. Are those treated the same as a simple photo?

I thought the whole point of iCloud was twofold: (1) store things to be used or seen on multiple devices with changes being saved and (2) store things that you want to occasionally access but not have them use up your local device’s storage capacity.

Am I wrong thinking that?

iCloud and laptop storage

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