Brendan Frank
Level 1 (69 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Move original photos off of my Mac

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)

Posted on Apr 26, 2015 2:33 PM

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Brendan Frank

Q: Move original photos off of my Mac

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  • Helpful answers

  • by David Collantes,

    David Collantes David Collantes Apr 26, 2015 2:38 PM in response to Brendan Frank
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Apr 26, 2015 2:38 PM in response to Brendan Frank

    Open Photos.app, go to Preferences, and iCloud. Pick "Optimize Mac Storage."

  • by Brendan Frank,

    Brendan Frank Brendan Frank Apr 26, 2015 2:54 PM in response to David Collantes
    Level 1 (69 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 26, 2015 2:54 PM in response to David Collantes

    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.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 26, 2015 2:58 PM in response to Brendan Frank
    Level 9 (50,786 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 26, 2015 2:58 PM in response to Brendan Frank

    You have 2 choices

     

    1. Full size photos on Mac and in iCloud

    2. Optimized photos on Mac and full size on iCloud

  • by Brendan Frank,

    Brendan Frank Brendan Frank Apr 26, 2015 3:02 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (69 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 26, 2015 3:02 PM in response to Csound1

    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?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 26, 2015 3:09 PM in response to Brendan Frank
    Level 9 (50,786 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 26, 2015 3:09 PM in response to Brendan Frank

    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.

  • by David Collantes,

    David Collantes David Collantes Apr 28, 2015 4:12 AM in response to Brendan Frank
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Apr 28, 2015 4:12 AM in response to Brendan Frank

    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.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 28, 2015 6:28 AM in response to David Collantes
    Level 9 (50,786 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 28, 2015 6:28 AM in response to David Collantes

    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.

  • by notcloudy,

    notcloudy notcloudy Apr 28, 2015 6:39 AM in response to Brendan Frank
    Level 4 (1,195 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 28, 2015 6:39 AM in response to Brendan Frank

    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

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204264

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204414