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Backup photo library vs iCloud Photos

If I enable iCloud Photos, is there any reason to also select the photo library in my iCloud backup? And if I do:

  • do I get the items duplicated?
  • do I get double storage used in iCloud?


Also, which is the best option to go with? The iCloud backup, or iCloud Photos?


Thanks!

iPhone XS, iOS 14

Posted on Oct 28, 2020 9:01 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 28, 2020 10:01 AM

iCloud Photos are stored in iCloud and they count towards your storage.


If you have iCloud Photos turned on then your photos will not be included in an iCloud Backup. In other words, they will not be stored in iCloud twice -- once in iCloud Photos and once in iCloud Backup.


If you do not have iCloud Photos turned on then your photos will be included in iCloud Backup unless you specifically exclude them.


Your photos can use iCloud storage once or not at all, but not twice.

6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 28, 2020 10:01 AM in response to emil_ghe

iCloud Photos are stored in iCloud and they count towards your storage.


If you have iCloud Photos turned on then your photos will not be included in an iCloud Backup. In other words, they will not be stored in iCloud twice -- once in iCloud Photos and once in iCloud Backup.


If you do not have iCloud Photos turned on then your photos will be included in iCloud Backup unless you specifically exclude them.


Your photos can use iCloud storage once or not at all, but not twice.

Oct 28, 2020 9:11 AM in response to emil_ghe

If iCloud Photos is turned on in a device then photos will not be included in an iCloud Backup of that device (no matter what settings you have on or off in iCloud Backup).


Personally I prefer iCloud Photos because the photos sync to iCloud as changes happen where iCloud Backup only runs periodically when your phone is charging. I also prefer iCloud Photos because I can use any computer internet brower and log into iCloud.com and view the photos from there. That allows me to verify that they are there and also to access them if something happens to my phone. I also use iCloud Photos to automatically sync the photos to my Mac (and it can also do that with a Windows PC).

Backup photo library vs iCloud Photos

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