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moving Photo Library from Mac to iCloud

Can anyone advice on how to move my entire Photo library (so the actual PhotosLibrary file) to my iCloud and use that as the main library for all my devices? (and thereby allowing me to delete the file from my iMac).


thanks,


F

iMac 27″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Jan 1, 2022 5:04 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 2, 2022 1:39 AM

That is not possible.


Photos cannot store it's library on any sort of network or cloud storage. If you want the library off your mac, the only compatible way is with a locally connected external volume, directly connected (thunderbolt or USB) and formatted APFS, or MacOS extended. Also the volume cannot also be used for time machine.

See

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201517


The only other way to use iCloud is to turn on "optimise mac storage". This will then store full size originals only in iCloud, and reduced the size of your library by 80 to 90%. The problem with this is then how you manage backups, since you don't have local copies of the files on your mac.


4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 2, 2022 1:39 AM in response to Fusto33

That is not possible.


Photos cannot store it's library on any sort of network or cloud storage. If you want the library off your mac, the only compatible way is with a locally connected external volume, directly connected (thunderbolt or USB) and formatted APFS, or MacOS extended. Also the volume cannot also be used for time machine.

See

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201517


The only other way to use iCloud is to turn on "optimise mac storage". This will then store full size originals only in iCloud, and reduced the size of your library by 80 to 90%. The problem with this is then how you manage backups, since you don't have local copies of the files on your mac.


moving Photo Library from Mac to iCloud

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