Best way to backup/sync photos online (50GB+) taken on iPhone

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Level 1

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Best way to backup/sync photos online (50GB+) taken on iPhone

Hi. I’m trying to help a friend keep the huge number of photos they have, I think its around 50GB or so.

Can you help me work out if the points I have below are true? My goal being to be able to safely store/backup images on their iPhone and allow them to then delete images (therefore saving space) on their iPhone. From what I’m seeing, iCloud will ‘sync’ but the other services will ‘backup’?

Service: iCloud

Delete photo from iPhone Photos: Would also delete from iCloud backup if enabled (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254540656)

iPhone Storage: Can only backup/sync as much as the phone can hold, a 64GB phone can't backup/store more than 64GB

Cloud Storage size / pricing: iCloud Storage must be at least equal to photos held on phone: iCloud+ plans and pricing – Apple Support (UK)

Service: Amazon Photos

Delete photo from iPhone Photos: Shouldn’t alter/delete the images that the Amazon Photos app has already backed up

iPhone Storage: As the Amazon app should just show whats stored on Amazon Photos, the photos don’t take up any iPhone storage. Just the photos stored in iPhone Photos app will take space.

Cloud Storage size / pricing: The space on Amazon Photos is unlimited for Amazon Prime customers. Otherwise 5GB free: https://www.amazon.co.uk/b?ie=UTF8&node=12153286031

Service: Google Photos

Delete photo from iPhone Photos: If photo deleted on iphone after backup, photo remains on google photos

iPhone Storage: As the Google Photos app should just show whats stored on Google Photos, the photos don’t take up any iPhone storage. Just the ones stored in iPhone Photos app.

Cloud Storage size / pricing: Needs Google One Storage if over the free 15GB https://one.google.com/about/plans?hl=en_GB

Therefore if iCloud backup is used for Photos it relies on photos remaining on iPhone, but other services will just sync additional photos meaning you can delete photos from iPhone photos app and not affect your ‘backup’ on those services (and also need far less iCloud storage space)?

Posted on Sep 13, 2023 5:05 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

IdrisSeabright

Level 10

159,311 points

Sep 14, 2023 10:35 AM in response to biscuits99

I would recommend that, regardless of what else you do, you also back up your photos to a computer. If your photos are regularly transferred (not synced through iCloud) to your computer, you can delete as you please from the phone.

If you have a Mac, you can use either Photos or Image Capture, both included Apple applications.

See also:

Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac or PC - Apple Support

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Answer 2

markwmsn

Level 6

15,107 points

Sep 14, 2023 10:15 AM in response to biscuits99

As you noted, iCloud Photos is a synchronization service rather than a backup service. It shines when the user has multiple devices (iPhone, Mac, iPad) and wishes to have access to the same photos and videos on all of them. It does a full sync; adding to any device adds to the cloud and then to other connected devices, editing on any device edits in the cloud and then on other connected devices, deleting on any device deletes from the cloud and then from other connected devices (holding a copy in Recently Deleted for 30 days for safety).

Because some devices may not have enough storage to hold a user's full library in full resolution, each device can be set to either Optimize iPhone/iPad/Mac Storage or Download Originals. A device set to Optimize Storage can detect that storage is getting low on that device and discard full-resolution copies of some photos, keeping thumbnails sufficient to allow browsing through the library. (Something similar is done for videos.) In extreme cases, a library can use a quarter of its full size or less on some devices. The full-resolution photos and videos are always kept in iCloud, so you have to have enough iCloud storage to hold everything.

I can't comment on the other services.

As a side comment, a 64GB iPhone cannot hold nearly as much as 64GB or even 50GB of photos in full resolution. Some of the total storage will be taken up by the system, applications, other user data, and crucial free space.

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Best way to backup/sync photos online (50GB+) taken on iPhone

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