I have my Photos library backed up in iCloud. I just bought a new Macbook Pro. Realized while setting it up that the default was to download the original files to my Macbook. How to I delete the original files from my Macbook and just keep the thumbnails of what I have stored in iCloud?
MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch,Early 2015), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)
Open Photos.app, go to Preferences, and iCloud. Pick "Optimize Mac Storage."
Thank you David. I switched to optimize as soon as I realized the default. What I don't understand is when it stores an original on your device and when it moves it back to the cloud and keeps a thumbnail.
What if I want to edit a series of originals that are in my cloud and I know I'll be outside of wifi? Can I download the originals? When I'm done can I move the edited originals up to the cloud and then keep the thumbnails?
I use iTunes match and it is clear which songs are stored in the cloud and which are stored (i.e. taking up more storage space) on the computer. I'm looking for an understanding like this when using Photos.
Hope that makes sense.
You have 2 choices
1. Full size photos on Mac and in iCloud
2. Optimized photos on Mac and full size on iCloud
That is definitely frustrating that you cannot select certain photos to be full size and move them back and forth to the cloud. For example, if I'm traveling and want to work on some photos on a plane (i.e. no wifi) is there a way to do that assuming I've chosen "optimized" option?
Not that I know of.
Maybe, try this
On the phone. pick a picture and select share, send it to yourself by email, that seems to send the full res version.
Brendan, I see what you want. I would be interested, if only to satisfy my curiosity, to know the answer for that as well. I have not been able to find it anywhere on Apple. I am afraid that the way you want it to work--which is what I, and anyone, should expect it to work--is not in the product.
You have 2 choices
1. Full size photos on Mac and in iCloud
2. Optimized photos on Mac and full size on iCloud
There is no third option unless you count: 3. Full size photos on Mac and none in the cloud.
Brendan Frank wrote:
I have my Photos library backed up in iCloud. I just bought a new Macbook Pro. Realized while setting it up that the default was to download the original files to my Macbook. How to I delete the original files from my Macbook and just keep the thumbnails of what I have stored in iCloud?
See apple support pages below - you can have multiple PHOTO libraries - only the one designated as the System Library is shared with your other devices through the cloud so pictures you don't want in the ICLOUD should be kept in their own on-system PHOTO library. (The stars whose cloud was hacked - were victims of a phishing scam). Apple recommends you keep your own backup of your data etc.
Read terms and conditions for the ICLOUD --
photo getting started
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204655
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204410
Move original photos off of my Mac
