HT204264: iCloud Photo Library

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jgowrie
Level 1 (10 points)

Q: can I delete iPhoto library after uploading images to iCloud photo

Apple's integration of iCloud storage has always seemed a bit confusing to me.  The FAQs I have read for using iCloud Photo don't explain how/if I can delete my iPhoto library after all my photo's have uploaded to iCloud.  I've signed up for 200GB of space and I would like to reclaim the 35GB of HD space taken up by my photos which are now backed up to an external HD and available via iCloud Photo. 

Posted on May 5, 2015 6:40 AM

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jgowrie

Q: can I delete iPhoto library after uploading images to iCloud photo

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  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie May 5, 2015 7:16 AM in response to jgowrie
    Level 10 (108,916 points)
    iCloud
    May 5, 2015 7:16 AM in response to jgowrie
    The FAQs I have read for using iCloud Photo don't explain how/if I can delete my iPhoto library after all my photo's have uploaded to iCloud.

    How did you upload to iCloud Photo Library?

     

    iPhoto cannot use iCloud Photo Library, only the new Photos for Mac app can do that.  Do you have an iPhoto Library and a Photo Library?  Please explain.

     

    The usual way to save space on  Mac by using iCloud Photo Library is to enable the Preference setting "Photos > Preferences > iCloud > Optimize Mac Storage".  Then the originals will be stored in iCloud and only smaller, optimized previews on your Mac. But you will be able to browse your photos, if you are offline.

     

     

    If you have both an iPhoto Library and a Photos library, the combined libraries are sharing the original image files and do not need much additional space, see:  Photos saves disk space by sharing images with your iPhoto or Aperture libraries - Apple Support

    So deleting either of these libraries will not free much space.

  • by jgowrie,

    jgowrie jgowrie May 8, 2015 5:15 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (10 points)
    May 8, 2015 5:15 AM in response to léonie

    léonie,

     

    When I updated to newest version of Yosemite and started up PHOTOS for the first time is when I chose to have PHOTOS upload all my images to iCloud Photo.. So, if I understand this correctly that should mean ALL of my photos that were accessed previously through iPhoto have been duplicated and moved to iCloud... correct?   On my Macbook I found an iPHOTO Library file which has .migratedphotolibrary appended as the extension.. it is 45+ GB!  This is larger than my old iPhoto library file was.   I am confused and thought this was supposed to save me space, not take up more space.

     

    Within the new PHOTOS application, I did select the option to store optimized versions of my photos on my Macbook

     

    If there is anything else I can post that will help let me know.. if this is too hard to figure out this way, maybe I will have to make an appt with Apple and have them sort it out?

     

    Thanks!

    John