Does iCloud drive use up hard drive storage space?

I wasn't referring to it being about money for myself. I don't care what it costs. I care about how it works. I have absolutely no trouble figuring out which documents I want since I have a very carefully developed naming convention for all my files, as well as a carefully planned filing and backup system.... a system that has developed over the years based largely on Apple's brilliant operating system. But iCloud's design makes it impossible to maintain the control that professionals want with their files, and the shortcomings of the system are what waste my precious time, as well as my precious hard drive space. The expectation that anyone who's computer savvy would have is that iCloud would function basically as a separate online server...like an external hard drive... accessible from any of my other devices. One does not expect the local hard drive to fill up with unexpected files. Keeping local copies of those files is unforeseen behavior and documentation of that fact is not clear. Once I spent quite a bit of my precious time figuring out what was happening, it was obvious that Apple has geared iCloud toward users who don't understand computers. That's fine. It's well-designed for those people. My issue is that it doesn't offer the functionality I want and expected as a more savvy user, while also causing problems with drive space that were hard to isolate at first. I'd never have bothered with it if documentation and marketing made it clear who the target marketing is. I'm a long-term Apple user, having unpacked one of the first Mac LIsas 33 years ago and it's only in recent years that the design of their operating system has shifted toward a simplistic customer base, removing professional controls that I've always relied on. I'll pay what something is worth if it does what I expect.

My issue is that it doesn't offer the functionality I want and expected as a more savvy user, while also causing problems with drive space that were hard to isolate at first.

Then choose a product that does. I will add that once understood, it does exactly as promised. it is simply not off-device storage. Never claims to be.

It seems so simple.

I'd never have bothered with it if documentation and marketing made it clear who the target marketing is.

How exactly would that be worded?

With your long history with Apple, you should understand they have consistently made changes and design choices they feel need to be made. They have never felt the need to compete in every 'space" So with cloud storage, they have made the design choices they have made and are leaving the "move stuff from my Apple device to the cloud" space for others.

As in Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive and the like. Any of these seem better suited to your needs.

Ok, point well taken. You're right, I am grousing too much and I apologize for any offense. My issue may be more appropriate in another forum since it concerns limiting features without making it clear what is happening. I will make use of the link to official feedback to Apple. Forums are difficult to keep on topic and I am generally more careful. Whether or not you're an official moderator of this forum, I do hope that your aggressive tone is only because you were understandably annoyed, and that my apology will make you feel better. That type of aggression is as disruptive in a forum as off-topic posts.

I appreciate that I found a clear answer to my problem in these forums and will be more careful to stay on topic.

I have no standing here. I am a volunteer like most of us. Feel free to ignore me.

Any aggression you hear in my reply is unintentional I assure you. i am simply stating facts.

This community serves a single purpose really. To ask, and have answered, how-to technical questions.

Debating Apple's policies and decisions is actually against the terms of usage here. And in practice, pointless, as once any constructive criticism is noted, nothing more will be offered here in the form of an answer by Apple. They don't close loops here and report back.

They ask that feedback be sent another way. Their yard, their rules.

They provide a way for that feedback, which you have pointed out.

The various iCloud features, including iCloud Drive, are a thorny issue here on the communities, as a great number of users blow past the actual details of how it works and jump to the incorrect conclusion that it's "Apple's version of Dropbox"

Assumptions are made, data is lost and rants follow.

I have no standing here. I am a volunteer like most of us. Feel free to ignore me.

No, I appreciate the guidance. Off topic posts and inappropriate rants are something that I dislike about online discussions and am embarrassed that I was guilty of it. I'm replying with this comment hoping that it will emphasize the point for anyone else reading this thread. :-)

This is a relevant thread to join in with as I need a straight answer, which I didn't get when asking Apple support.

I need to enable more space on my MBP and noticed about 24GB being used in the Masters folder on Photos Library.

I do not store photos (except about 200MB) on this laptop so I was confused.

I used OmniDisk Sweeper as directed which showed the usage in the Masters Folder (accessed via Pictures/Photo Library/Package Contents.

Once accessing this folder the many many folders inside consisted of photos (at full res) which were stored on my IPad and other MBP so why are they on this laptop? My assumption is that because I enabled iCloud to backup photos and sync across all devices, somehow the masters have wound up on this limited storage MBP.

I did not check the box to download originals to this MBP (although initially the default was set that way) - so I don't understand why so much storage as been taken up by this images which originated on other devices.

I found this thread and indeed it seems that iCloud does take up hard drive space, which wasn't made clear at all, but is 24GB reasonable?

I will now have to disable iCloud off this laptop however having done that the 'Masters' file is still there in Photos folders. I would like to know if I can delete that also.

I Like the idea of being able to access across all devices but I think the term 'storage' is misleading to most of us assuming we can fee up space when in fact accessing photos and movies uploaded from multiple devices will take up space, the very reason I wanted to have this in the first place was to free up space.

IT is also hard to remember where the originals were uploaded from so essential to back up. It works as a synching tool and easy access but so frustrating the storage it takes up.

AS directed many times in support forums I used OmniDisk Sweeper to find out where the space is being used on my hard drive In an effort to source the issue,

as mentioned above, if I go to : Finder : Pictures : Photos Library : Package Cintents = shows folders including a 24GB folder called Masters.

trying to work out how space on my MBP is being consumed via suggestions received leads me to this folder on my MBP and I am 'assuming' that Masters has something to do with iCloud sync as I certainly don't have that many photos stored locally.

I haven't tinkered with anything other than to ask why so much space is being taken up on my MBP when I don't have photos stored directly on it.

I would think by now that Apple are able to explain the iCloud storage on your hard drive when one syncs across all devices. My other MBP which is also syncing with iCloud has the same Masters in its Photos library with the same 24GB Masters folder. I am trying to work the problem out and understand it so that I can use my MBP to its full potential.

Have spent many hours on it, including chatting to a support person online who didn't know what the Masters folder was. Have been shown by OmniDisk Sweeper where the usage and disk space is being taken up,

I am not techy or computer savvy by any means but getting an answer as to why this laptop has decreased significantly in storage space since syncing with iCloud seems difficult.

AS directed many times in support forums I used OmniDisk Sweeper to find out where the space is being used on my hard drive In an effort to source the issue,

I doubt you were directed by anyone here to use that app.

If you don't wish to answer my question about the location of your photo library, so be it.

Good luck.

I am struggling to understand you.

I have described in both comments I posted where the Photos Library with this large storage I refer to is located.

It is not an iCloud Drive Library - it is accessed on my MBP in Finder via Pictures and it is Photos Library - where it holds a Masters folder as described.

I was continually directed to OmniDisk Sweeper on these forums and I don't appreciate your comment if you weren't in the conversation. We come here for help and follow advice and now are doubted that we were given that advice?

You may not have been in the forum posts but more than a couple here gave me that direction along with getting a Transcend card for additional storage. I do value the advice given here as I am keen to have my laptop be useful for my purposes.

I simply would like to know if I delete iCloud off my laptop can I then delete the Masters folder as it holds photos related to iCloud sync, which if I delete, are no longer relevant.

Otherwise it sits on my laptop consuming a lot of space badly needed.

Maybe somebody else who understands what I am saying can advise.

So true. Although I think it's more that Apple employees aren't very good at giving all those finer points of information to customers and they aren't all overly knowledgeable about every product and service. I just purchase 2TB of iCloud storage after one of my external drives became corrupted and I lost 125GB of photos (that thankfully 95% were already backed up elsewhere), so the Apple support folks recommend iCloud and failed to mention that little tidbit about it also using up Mac hard drive space, even though I had explained the reason why I was using the external drive (i.e. needed more memory). I've been tired of having to be tethered to an external hard drive when I use the files (kinda takes away from the convenience of a laptop), so thought what the heck, I'll put all my pictures and videos "in the Cloud" to use without the tethering and supposedly more robust than an external drive as far as external hard drives can die on you. I was even going to put my iTunes library on it since again, I have to be tethered to an external hard drive while using it. I had decided against paying for the extra storage space when I bought the MBP since I thought it would be easy with our network drive, Cloud storage and the external hard drives. But then the network drive died, Time Capsule (as a location for external storage) is a disappointment, Cloud storage isn't what it's cracked up to be and external HD's are a pain. Live and learn. I will now be cutting down that iCloud storage to waaaay less. If anyone knows of a secure Cloud storage service that performs exactly like an external hard drive, without using up Mac internal memory, please let me know! I still prefer the Mac over our previous PC, but the storage issue seems to be a larger issue that Apple needs to address better, perhaps by cutting the price on what it charges for extra memory on the laptops to begin with.

If anyone knows of a secure Cloud storage service that performs exactly like an external hard drive, without using up Mac internal memory, please let me know!

Almost every service available (with the exception of iCloud), Box, Dropbox, Onedrive etc. iCloud is a synchronization service, not storage.

If anyone knows of a secure Cloud storage service that performs exactly like an external hard drive, without using up Mac internal memory, please let me know!

Yes, iCloud can do this, simply don't enable iCloud Drive and access your documents via iCloud.com➔ iCloud Drive

I think if you go to System Preferences > iCloud > Photos and click on Options, you will find iCloud Photo Library. That's probably the one you want. It supposedly puts your full-resolution photos on their servers and only drops a lower res version to you, unless you want the full res version.

I thought that by paying for 2TB of storage in iCloud I could upload files form my Mac to save disk space, but now my disk is full - I thought using the code would free up drive space! There's something wrong here....... Seems like a waste of money, better to invest in a bigger Time Capsule

Apple needs to reconsider its marketing and branding. Taken from the Apple site:

"iCloud securely stores your photos, videos, documents, music, apps and more — and keeps them updated across all your devices. So you always have access to what you want, wherever you want it."

STORES.

Perhaps it needs to read "iCloud synchronizes and backs up your data" because almost everyone I know assumes it is a storage option. Of course I don't think so any more but they should release a video or link which is more succinct about what it does, where it gets the content from and how to manage it.