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User profile for user: jannymark
jannymark Author
User level: Level 1
28 points

icloud photos - desktop library no longer syncing

I had a n issue which meant that I had to turn off iCloud on my desktop Mac. At the time I selecetd to keep local copies of items, including my photos. All fixed and iCloud is back on and 'photos' is ticked in the main iCloud preferences.

In my desktop Photos preferences the iCloud photos is turned off. I guess as a byproduct of turning off iCloud in fixing the earlier issue. If I try to tick it says that syncing the library may exceed the iCloud storage capacity. If I proceed with my existing plan I get the error message attached - this has been the case over the last week or so.

Not wanting to lose the later images in my iCloud photo library, I am not sure how to proceed.


Help please.


Mac mini 2018 or later

Posted on Feb 21, 2022 5:11 AM

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User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
195,151 points

Posted on Feb 28, 2022 6:26 AM

jannymark wrote: " If I try to tick it says that syncing the library may exceed the iCloud storage capacity. "



That will happen, if you disable iCloud Photos and your library is larger than the free storage in iCloud.

iCloud will estimate the storage required to upload your Photos Library based on the worst case assumption that all photos currently in iCloud are different from the photos in your library that you are trying to upload again.


In that case you have two options:

  1. Sign up for more iCloud storage - only temporarily to allow you to upload the library again
  2. Or save your current Photos Library on an external volume, then create a new, empty Photos Library on your Mac, make this library your System Photos Library, then enable iCloud Photos for this new library. An empty library will not need to be uploaded and not need extra storage. just wait for yourPhotos to download back to your Mac from iCloud.

Option 2 will be the faster method and less expensive method, as you do not need tossing up for more storage and no new upload into iCloud Photos will be required.


I would never disable iCloud Photos just for trouble shooting, unless it is absolutely necessary. It is very expensive to upload a large Photos Library again and merge it into the existing library. And you may not be allowed to turn iCloud Photos on again, if you have not twice as much cloud storage than the library size.


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User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
195,151 points

Feb 28, 2022 6:26 AM in response to jannymark

jannymark wrote: " If I try to tick it says that syncing the library may exceed the iCloud storage capacity. "



That will happen, if you disable iCloud Photos and your library is larger than the free storage in iCloud.

iCloud will estimate the storage required to upload your Photos Library based on the worst case assumption that all photos currently in iCloud are different from the photos in your library that you are trying to upload again.


In that case you have two options:

  1. Sign up for more iCloud storage - only temporarily to allow you to upload the library again
  2. Or save your current Photos Library on an external volume, then create a new, empty Photos Library on your Mac, make this library your System Photos Library, then enable iCloud Photos for this new library. An empty library will not need to be uploaded and not need extra storage. just wait for yourPhotos to download back to your Mac from iCloud.

Option 2 will be the faster method and less expensive method, as you do not need tossing up for more storage and no new upload into iCloud Photos will be required.


I would never disable iCloud Photos just for trouble shooting, unless it is absolutely necessary. It is very expensive to upload a large Photos Library again and merge it into the existing library. And you may not be allowed to turn iCloud Photos on again, if you have not twice as much cloud storage than the library size.


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User profile for user: 1ssmith
1ssmith
User level: Community Specialist

Feb 22, 2022 8:47 AM in response to jannymark

Hi jannymark,


Thank you for posting in the Apple Support Communities. It sounds like you are unable to turn on iCloud Photos without being prompted to upgrade your iCloud Storage Plan, correct? If so, we would love to help see if we can get the issue resolved for you. This normally means the iCloud storage you currently have isn't enough add the photos. Let's go ahead and follow the steps we've linked for you below to purchase additional storage.


Upgrade to iCloud+


Please let us know how it goes. We're always happy to help.


Cheers!

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User profile for user: jannymark
jannymark Author
User level: Level 1
28 points

Feb 24, 2022 4:03 AM in response to 1ssmith

Thank you for your reply.

I shouldn't need to upgrade as Photos on my Mac USED TO sync, so all the images on my Mac are ALREADY on iCloud. However, new images taken on my iPhone still syncs with iCloud but do not appear in my Photos app and images imported to the MacOS Photos app no longer appear on iCloud.

I just need the Photos library on my Mac to start syncing again without losing the images added to either platform since the iCloud issue.

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icloud photos - desktop library no longer syncing

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