Want to reduce the number of photos stored in iCloud.
Would like to move most of them to the Photos app System Library on my Mac Pro leaving only in iCloud those I wish to view on my iPhone & iPad.
Once transferred to my Mac, would like to delete them from iCloud without affecting those downloaded?
Is there a reference document that outlines the steps to take?
Thanks!
Mac Pro, macOS 12.6
My aim is to only keep 'special' photos on my iPhone & iPad but keep my entire collection of photos (now more than 25,000) in my System Photos Library which is on an external SSD connected to the MacPro.
If that is your stated goal, you would be best off syncing the albums you wish to your devices and not worrying about photostream or iCloud.
If I leave the iCloud Photos box unchecked (as above on my Mac Pro) and tick the My Photostream box, each of the pics taken on my iPhone appear in the My Photo Stream Album under the Photos list in the left sidebar on the Mac Pro.
Correct, but only up to the last 30 days of photos will appearing your photo stream.
I understand that deleting them from my iPhone results in their being deleted from the My Photostream album on the Mac Pro in 30 days.
Correct. And from iCloud if enabled.
Would moving photos out of the Photos --> My Photostream Album on my Mac Pro into a separate Album under the Albums list not prevent their being deleted as they would them be contained in my System Library which is not saved in iCloud?
Yes as you would move those images to your library.
You may find this helpful: My Photo Stream - Apple Support
Thank you for your patience as I work through this.
If I leave the iCloud Photos box unchecked (as above on my Mac Pro) and tick the My Photostream box, each of the pics taken on my iPhone appear in the My Photo Stream Album under the Photos list in the left sidebar on the Mac Pro.
I understand that deleting them from my iPhone results in their being deleted from the My Photostream album on the Mac Pro in 30 days.
Would moving photos out of the Photos --> My Photostream Album on my Mac Pro into a separate Album under the Albums list not prevent their being deleted as they would them be contained in my System Library which is not saved in iCloud?
My aim is to only keep 'special' photos on my iPhone & iPad but keep my entire collection of photos (now more than 25,000) in my System Photos Library which is on an external SSD connected to the MacPro.
Thanks again for any assistance.
Open Photos
Enable iCloud syncing to download all of your photos from iCloud onto the Mac: Photos > Settings > icloud
Once synced, turn off iCloud Photos on the Mac so that items you delete from iCloud do not delete from the Mac.
Appreciate your helping out.
I must be missing something in our discussion.
I use the above settings on my Mac & pics I have taken with my iPhone appear on my Mac Pro, my iPad & my iPhone....and they remain much longer than 30 days..some are 5 years old.
If I move one (using Photos on my Mac Pro) to an Album & then delete it from Photostream, it remains present in the album...been doing this for years.
They will remain on the device used to capture the image. If you use photo stream, only the last 30 days will show on other devices. The original picture remains on the device that took the photo. You can transfer photos to a different device too. This is a manual process and your devices will not remain in sync. If you use iCloud Photos, everything remains in sync.
if you intend to keep only a select group of photos on any device, then manual is the way to go. As you can control what appears on each.
Thorough response...thank you!
One last inquiry (I hope)....
You write:
If that is your stated goal, you would be best off syncing the albums you wish to your devices and not worrying about photostream or iCloud.
How does one sync albums to an iPad & iPhone without using Photostream/iCloud?
If you don't sync using iCloud, you can sync manually using the finder. Sync your photos manually using the Finder - Apple Support
What if I only sync thru Photo Stream?
Thank you.
If I download specific photos from iCloud Library to my Photos app on the Mac Pro & move them in to an album, would they then be deleted from Photos if I deleted them from iCloud?
Yes. If you sync with iCloud all photos sync to all devices. And any changes are reflected on all devices. It's all or nothing.
Then only the last 30 days of photos will show on your device
Download iCloud photos to Mac photos app
