Q: “Copy items to the Photos library” checkbox doesn't work

Even when I unselect the “Copy items to the Photos library” checkbox, the Photo Library file gets heavier each time I import files to Photos. The increase is equal to the pictures imported.

When you deselect  “Copy items to the Photos library” , Photos will not import the original image files, but reference them outside the library. But for better performance and sharing with other applications will iPhoto store thumbnails and previews of the edited versions inside the Photos library. So some additional storage will be required.  The previews for sharing are accessible for all applications in the media browser. That is safer than accessing the referenced originals directly.

I understand that Photo Library needs to store some datas/infos...

When you select one of the photos you imported as referenced and go to the File menu - is the option "File > Show Referenced file in Finder" available and not dimmed?  Then the files are imported really as referenced and not copied to the library.

There have been a number of reports of a bug that causes a referenced library to actually use more storage than a managed library

And there are many problems with a referenced library that make it ill advised with both Photos and iPhoto - including being a two step process for importing and deleting photos, the great difficulty of moving the library or replacing defective hardware or upgrading to newer hardware, more complicated backups, preformance issues and with Photos the inability to use referenced photos with iCloud Photo Library

And it has no advantages - so with any disadvantages and no advantages it seems like an easy decision to stay with a managed library - a longer discussion for iphoto but pretty much the same for Photos with the addition of inability to use iCloud Photo library - iPhoto and File Management - the the apparent bug that meakes it use more space on your main hard drive

LN

Even though I have unchecked the copy items to photo library box Photos from my iphone continue to be imported into my photo library. Does anybody know how to fix this situation. Also does anybody know the difference between the Photos & All Photos folders?

Even though I have unchecked the copy items to photo library box Photos from my iphone continue to be imported into my photo library.

Unchecking that preference does not stop importing - it simply does not copy imported items to the Photos library (and maybe it has been changed so for IOS devices the photos are always copies since if they were not then nothing would work

Does anybody know how to fix this situation.

You certainly do not want Photos imported from your phone with out being copied as this would require that your phone be attached to your Mac to use Photos at all

Also does anybody know the difference between the Photos & All Photos folders?

Sure

first neither is a folder

Photos is the basic display of your photos that is always sorted by date/time  broken into Years, collections and moments

All Photos us a system supplied album that is always sorted by the  date the photos were added to Photos

LN

Hi Larry,

Thanks for getting back to me but I still have the same issue....

I realize that unchecking this box does not stop importing but it should stop importing items into the photo library......but this is not the case.

Even though I have unchecked the copy items to photo library box... Photos from my iphone continue to appear in three places: photos, all photos and my photo stream.

Maybe I am just confused as to what is actually the photo library

In the past with iPhoto when I had my iPhone nearby no photos were imported to the photo library… Only to my photo stream.... Which is what I want

yes you ae confused

Photos and all photos are not a place - they are different views of the same photo which is in your library

MyPhotoStream is a bit different My Photo Stream FAQ - Apple Support

LN

So photos and all photos are different views of my photo library… Is this correct?

I still want to prevent photos from being downloaded into them automatically when my iPhone is nearby

Yes

Photos and all photos are not a place - they are different views of the same photo which is in your library

To stop MyPhotoStream from downloading photos turn it off in the Photos preferences

LN

But I still want photos to flow into my photo stream and the check box under preferences for my photo stream says the following:

"Import your recent photos from devices without iCloud photo library, and send new photos to my photo stream album on these devices"

In short if this box is checked I don't think that items are supposed to be imported into my photo library they should only go into my photo stream

"Import your recent photos from devices without iCloud photo library, and send new photos to my photo stream album on these devices"

 

In short if this box is checked I don't think that items are supposed to be imported into my photo library they should only go into my photo stream

Re-read the first three words of the description you posted

THE only purpose of MyPhotoStream is to import photos into your library from devices that are not using iCLoud Photo LIbrary

With Photos it is not possible to only upload photos to MPS - it is on or off and if i tis on every new photos on the Mac is uploaded and every new photo on other devices is imported - if that is your question - we are on the third round of questions and each time yo add new details that were no originally given - we can not see you so you actually have to tell us what you have and what you want or we can only guess

LN

I understand what you're saying but this is not how it used to work on iPhoto. On Iphoto when my photo stream was checked new photos only flowed into my photo stream… They were not imported into my photo library...... So apparently something has changed