iTunes sees all my iCloud photo Library photos on iPhone

A copy of iCloud Photo Library (beta) photos is stored on your phone. If you want to minimize the space required on your phone for that copy, see the quote below from iCloud Photo Library beta FAQ - Apple Support

How does iCloud Photo Library save space on my device?

If you turn on Optimize [device] Storage, iCloud Photo Library will automatically manage the size of your library on your iOS device, so you can make the most of your device's storage and access more photos than ever. iCloud Photo Library stores the original, high-resolution photos and videos in iCloud and can keep lightweight, device-optimized versions on each of your devices. As long as you have enough storage, recent photos and videos that you access the most will stay on your device at full resolution.

To turn on Optimize [device] Storage on your device, tap Settings > iCloud > Photos or Settings > Photos & Camera, then select Optimize [device] Storage. You need an Internet connection to access an original photo or video that’s stored only in iCloud.

I don't know for a fact (and cannot test it myself as iCloud Photo Library is still in beta and I do not trust it with my photos) but I would expect that iTunes would still see all of the photos as being on the device because they are in fact on the device. The setting I linked to above leaves a copy on the device but will attempt to keep that copy at less than full resolution in order to minimize the space requirement.

There is no option to use iCloud Photo Library in a way that does not store a copy of the photo on the device. If you want or need to do that you would need to use a 3rd party solution such as Flickr or Dropbox.

Maybe you can tell us what problem with syncing you are running into. Are you getting an error when you try to sync?

Using iCloud Photo Library with the Optimize option turned on will allow you to have as many photos as possible on your device, but iCloud will manage those photos so if you need more room for other things, the number of photos on your device will be decreased automatically.

Cheers,

GB

gail from maine wrote:

... the number of photos on your device will be decreased automatically.

Cheers,

GB

I have wondered about that but have not been able to find anything that says that. Have you found something or experienced it yourself? (Not questioning but wanting to know for future responses). Thanks

Well, like you, I'm not trusting my photos with the beta version, but this is why I believe that the photos are decreased as needed (much like iTunes Match):

If you turn on Optimize [device] Storage, iCloud Photo Library will automatically manage the size of your library on your iOS device, so you can make the most of your device's storage and access more photos than ever.

It doesn't seem like the iCloud Photo Library concept would work at all if it didn't manage what was on the device. If I had all the photos I have in iPhoto on my device, even in an "optimized" version, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to have anything else on it.

What are your thoughts?

Cheers,

GB

OK, so on your device, how much storage do you have available: Settings>General>Usage>Storage>Available.

I think FoxFifth could be onto something with the idea that iTunes is showing the entire Photo Library even though it may not all be on your actual device.

Cheers,

GB

gail -- I don't know (obviously). I see how you are reading the part you quoted and that is a reasonable interpretation. On the other hand my interpretation of manage size was what it stated right after that regarding keeping device optimized versions with no mention of completely eliminating a copy from the device. Two contradictory thoughts I have had: 1) If it completely eliminates a copy from the device how could the user ever access it from the device and 2) if there are too many to fit even at a reduced size, something has to give.

In iTunes, check your Photos Profile tab and make sure that "Sync Photos" is not turned on.

Cheers,

GB

This is another guess. I just noticed in your original screenshot (of iTunes) that you are at 8.1.2 and it is asking you to upgrade to 8.2 -- is it possible that the 8.2 update has downloaded to your phone over the air and is taking up the space that is unaccounted for on your second screenshot? Gail may be able to help more on that.

Good one FoxFifth!

I think that the update is exactly the problem. When the sync is initiated, it is trying to update the software, and that is probably putting the OPs available memory over the max.

Orange_Fox: Go to your Photos app on your device and see if there are any photos in Recently Deleted that you can permanently delete. Also, go to Settings>General>Date & Time, and change your Date to 9/1/2014, then go back to the Recently Deleted album and click on it (even though it will now say "0"). See if you have any additional deleted photos that show up, and delete those as well. Change your Date back and see if your Available Storage has increased enough to allow you to sync.

Cheers,

GB