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.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Importing my pics to make room on my iPhone.

If I import my photos from my iPhone to my Mac, can I then delete photos off my iPhone without having to worry about losing them from my Mac as well?

I need to make more space on my iPhone but I don’t want to lose my pictures. So, after I import them to my

mac, can I safely start to delete them off my iPhone?

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jul 19, 2021 8:53 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 19, 2021 3:07 PM

This is what I would do:


  1. Check to see if photos are optimized for storage on your phone (Settings > Photos > Optimize iPhone storage) If storage wasn't optimized, that will free up space
  2. Ensure that your Mac is downloading originals (Open Photos and go to Photos > Preferences > iCloud and make sure download originals is selected) this ensure that you have your high resolution photos on your Mac.
  3. Back up your Mac. If you hadn't been downloading originals you have a bunch of new data to back up
  4. Toggle off iCloud photos on your iPhone. This will "break" the connection.
  5. You now know that your originals are on your Mac, and that anything you do to your phone will not affect your iCloud photos connection.
  6. Delete one picture (if you need to verify that your Mac doesn't update) and then delete what you no longer wish to have on your phone.


From here you have options. Maybe you still want to enable iCloud photos but with a smaller Library. Either create a new library in photos or delete images from your library. Otherwise you'll eventually have the space issue again


Maybe you just want to sync when you connect to your Mac. That's fine. you just lose the "immediacy" of having photos upload to iCloud. I think Camera Roll is still active so your most recent images may upload anyway (Haven't used it myself in a long time but someone else may be able to chime in)


But, the steps above walk you through your immediate storage issue.

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 19, 2021 3:07 PM in response to oliviafrompalmdale

This is what I would do:


  1. Check to see if photos are optimized for storage on your phone (Settings > Photos > Optimize iPhone storage) If storage wasn't optimized, that will free up space
  2. Ensure that your Mac is downloading originals (Open Photos and go to Photos > Preferences > iCloud and make sure download originals is selected) this ensure that you have your high resolution photos on your Mac.
  3. Back up your Mac. If you hadn't been downloading originals you have a bunch of new data to back up
  4. Toggle off iCloud photos on your iPhone. This will "break" the connection.
  5. You now know that your originals are on your Mac, and that anything you do to your phone will not affect your iCloud photos connection.
  6. Delete one picture (if you need to verify that your Mac doesn't update) and then delete what you no longer wish to have on your phone.


From here you have options. Maybe you still want to enable iCloud photos but with a smaller Library. Either create a new library in photos or delete images from your library. Otherwise you'll eventually have the space issue again


Maybe you just want to sync when you connect to your Mac. That's fine. you just lose the "immediacy" of having photos upload to iCloud. I think Camera Roll is still active so your most recent images may upload anyway (Haven't used it myself in a long time but someone else may be able to chime in)


But, the steps above walk you through your immediate storage issue.

Jul 19, 2021 9:06 AM in response to oliviafrompalmdale

Yes. If you're using iCloud photos and have your photos app connected to iCloud, then you'll need to be careful. Deleting a photo on an iCloud photos enabled phone will delete it everywhere. If you do not use iCloud photos to sync all of your photos, you can simply connect your phone, open the photos app, sync photos, and then delete them from your phone.

Importing my pics to make room on my iPhone.

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.