iCloud Photo Library (beta) - how does it work?

I Just updated to 8.1. Went to turn on iCloud Photo Library and received a warning that all photos and videos synced to my device through iTunes will be deleted from my device. ALL my photos and videos are synced to my device through iTunes, all 8000+! So if I do that, then all items will be deleted from my iPad and nothing will be synced to iCloud. Then, how do I get all my photos and videos from my laptop to icloud so that they will sync with all my devices? I am running the release version of Yosemite. I don't have any betas.

You get to your photos on iCloud by going to beta.icloud.com and logging on. Once there select the Photos app. I did not see anyplace on the web app that allowed me to upload to iCloud, only download. Before you do anything you really need to do a full backup of your ipad and a backup of all your photos. I moved almost all my photos off the iPhone before the update to 8.1 and turning on the new photo's iCloud library function. Doing this didn't remove any of my existing phone still on the iPhone. But I wouldn't trust it. I really think the new "beta iCloud Library" function is something to say away from until it's fully functional. For example like others have noted the images stored in iCloud are not actual size originals. So you can't really depend on it as a backup, at least I can't. I always want and use the full sized originals.

Hi Paul,

Thank you for your reply. Prior to reading your post I restored the iPhone backup. All the photos are now on my iPhone. iTunes Photos, again read sync photos from Aperture. Now I can breathe in and breath out.

As you suggested I went to beta.icloud.com click the Photos icon, there are not any photos there.

Thanks for the info. When I go to beta.icloud.come there is no Photos app. I looked in the iCloud folder too and still no Photos app. I guess they just haven't pushed this out to everyone's account yet. So for now, if you have existing photos, the iCloud Photo Library is really not A good idea.

Installed iOS 8.1 this morning, enabled the iCloud Photo Album (beta) option, and my whole Photostream has been wiped off my iPad. A warning would have been nice!! I download all photos to iPhoto on my Mac, so no great drama, but how does this affect people who use an iPhone without a computer?

The Photos app now seems to work on icloud.com (not only beta.icloud.com) and it seems that the photo resolution bug was fixed. I was able to download my full res photos from icloud.com website...although, I wouldn't trust it 100% - it managed to corrupt one video

I've checked "Optimize iPhone storage" and my photos are uploaded to icloud.com, but they are not deleted from my phone...still occupying a lot of space. Any idea if this is a problem with my phone only, or it's a general issue?

I just got done doing more testing (day two of 8.1 release) and I was able to use iCloud.com too for Photo Library. But I still have the same issues with iCloud downloading in a reduced image resolution. I also tested with another account and PC setup and it did the same. Also tested with both options on the iPhone for storage of photos. Don't know if there is any difference with using a Mac, all our PCs are Windows 7 and 8. It is nice you don't have to go to the beta iCloud site any longer. I don't think I will try to use the service any longer given the issues. Maybe when it comes out of beta.

Has anyone figured out how to upload 18000+ pictures into iCloud ?? I increased my storage to 200gig so I could add all my pics and vids. Any help would be appreciated!!

I don't think you can, there are no options in the Photo app via icloud.com to upload photos. If you really have 18,000 photos to upload you may want to try ThisLife.com, I have 23,000 uploaded there.

You could move your photos to your iPhone (make sure they are saved into Camera Roll. Then the photos will be uploaded to iCloud, but this would take forever. I did this in testing with a few photos and it worked fine but was slow.

Good luck.

How about this?

1) Download all the photos to a Computer

2) Copy them in batches on a SD-Card

3) Import the photos from SD-Card onto an iPad -> iCloud

Will the resolution of the images deteriorate?

Same issue here. Could it be that Apple messed up and put the optimized version on iCloud?!

I am wondering the same thing. I enabled it days ago, but my photos still take up the 3.3gb of space they did before I enabled the optimization.

At this point, I am thinking going forward the originals will be uploaded and small versions will be left on the phone, but existing images will not be optimized. Which *****.

And yes, I think the workaround would be to copy to computer, then back to the phone. But that is crap!

According to Apple’s FAQ page for iCloud photos it says there should be an “upload” pick to add photos to the cloud. Can’t find it anywhere!! I want to get my 18000+ photos into the cloud since I have 200 gig waiting to be used and money is wasting!!

Not sure if this question has been covered but i have enabled iCloud Photo Library, selected to use optimised storage (to only store photos in cloud). Ive noticed that in storage settings it still reports local storage is being taken up by photos, is this usage i am seeing purely from these thumbnails i read earlier in this thread? Also what would happen if you select iCloud Photo Library, Optimised storage and then enable Photo Stream. Wouldn't enabling photo stream mean that if you take a photo while not connected to wifi the photo would wait in your local storage till you connect to wifi, then when your connected it would upload to your iCloud Photo Library and also then upload to photo stream and sync locally to all your devices as a physical copy?