Stop iPad from downloading photos

Salutations Robert Chatfield, 

It sounds like when adding the photos to your Mac, they are being added to iCloud as opposed to your Mac’s local storage only. 

What you can do is disable iCloud Photos from your iPad. This way no photos will upload to iCloud or download from iCloud. You’ll do that in Settings > your name > iCloud > Photos. You’ll be asked if you want to download a copy of the photos to your iPad. If you choose no it will delete the Photos from your iPad but not from iCloud. 

If you prefer, you can choose where you import your photos to on your Mac when doing the import. As you’re going through the process, next to "Import to," you can choose an existing album or create a new one.Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your Mac or PC

Thanks. 

Thanks for clearing that up for us Robert Chatfield.

Let's look at this step, going through Finder and turning off syncing photos. We'll place the link with full details, and the steps for this below.

Sync your photos manually using the Finder - Apple Support

Stop syncing all photos

1. Open a Finder window and connect your device to your computer using a USB cable.

2. Unlock your device.

3. Your device appears in the sidebar of the Finder window. Click the device to select it.

4. If prompted, trust your device.

5. Click the Photos tab below your device's information.

6. Deselect "Sync Photos" then click "Remove photos."

7. Click Apply.

This should be able to remove the photos for you, and stop syncing them. If you still have photos on your iPad, then please reach out to Apple Support by going to Get Support.

Take care!

If you have syncing (iCloud) is turned on, then all of your devices will have all the files you add to one.

Personally, I do not allow any syncing. There are cons to that, but I prefer my devices to be separate entities.

Don't know if this will work, but try going to your iCloud settings on your Mac and untick Photos. You can still manualy transfer (air drop) them, but they won't be on iCloud or iPad

Thanks for getting back to us with that information, Robert Chatfield. It’s appreciated.

We want to be sure that you’re importing the photos from your iPad to your Mac correctly. Are you using the steps as shown in this section? Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your Mac or PC - Apple Support

If you are, we’d like for you to reach out to Apple Support to look into this issue further with you: Get Support

All the best.