Stop Syncing of photos from iPhone to MacBook.

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Level 1

4 points

Stop Syncing of photos from iPhone to MacBook.

I have a MacBook Pro 2018 and I like to keep my laptop very “light” in terms of what is stored in it. I would like to stop the syncing of my photos between the iPhone and the MacBook. I don't want to turn off my syncing to the iCloud. I want to continue to sync my photos from iPhone to iCloud, just not to the MacBook Photos App. I also would like to keep my Photos app on my MacBook. I just don't want having all the photos that I take with my iPhone to be synced into it. I like to use my Photos app for a very few pictures and some light editing. Thank you.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.7

Posted on Jul 10, 2023 8:44 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Old Toad

Level 10

207,889 points

Jul 10, 2023 9:02 AM in response to vivianeVG

It can't be done. With iCloud Library it's all or nothing. So if you want to keep the MacBook light you'll have to turn off iCloud Library on it. Have you considered activating "Optimize Mac Storage"? That can help keep the MacBook light.

If you do kill iCloud Library on the MacBook and want to get photos from the iPhone to the MB you can use AirDrop.

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Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

195,191 points

Jul 10, 2023 9:52 AM in response to vivianeVG

How are you planning to backup the photos you are having only in iCloud Photos and on your iPhone?

It will be very difficult to get a backup of your iPhone photos, if they are only on your iPhone and in iCloud. The iCloud backup of your iPhone does not include the photos, if iCloud Photos is enabled.

You will have to transfer the photos regularly to a computer to be able to make a backup, for example with Time Machine on a Mac. Otherwise you will have no way to recover photos, that you accidentally delete.

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