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User profile for user: bryantklee
bryantklee Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

What exactly does "download and keep originals" do on Icloud Photo Library?

Having a tough time understanding exactly what this function does.


I recently put up about 20 gigs of photos from my macbook to my icloud account through icloud.com. I have not taken any photos or videos with my ipad or iphone but I have icloud photo library and "download and keep originals" checked on my devices. It seems that my ipad has been downloading these photos and about 20 gigs is being used on the ipad's hard drive and about 4 gigs on my iphone.


My understanding was that "download and keep originals" would store the original photo or video that you take on that device, on your device and upload a copy onto the cloud. For example, if you take a photo with your ipad, it will upload a version onto the cloud and keep another in your ipad. Both my ipad and iphone did not have any photos or videos, nor did I take any, but my devices ballooned to these numbers once I turned these settings on. Also, if my devices are downloading them off the cloud, does anyone have an explanation for the discrepancy in space being used in the devices?


Also, can anyone recommend what settings I need in order to access the photos in my icloud account without my device actually downloading them? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Posted on Oct 6, 2015 3:46 PM

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User profile for user: FoxFifth
FoxFifth
User level: Level 10
468,507 points

Posted on Oct 6, 2015 5:33 PM

iCloud Photo Library stores full-resolution photos from all of your devices in iCloud. It also downloads a copy of all of those photos to all of your devices where you have iCloud Photo Library turned on.


If you have a device set to "Download and keep originals" it will attempt to download the full size original photo to that device; if you have it set to the other option (Optimize storage) and your device is low on space it will automatically replace full-resolution photos with optimized versions as necessary (in my experience if the photo originated on another device it may download an optimized version to a device even if it isn't low on space).


There is no option to have a photo in iCloud and not have some version (either full size or optimized) on every device where you have iCloud Photo Library turned on.

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User profile for user: FoxFifth
FoxFifth
User level: Level 10
468,507 points

Oct 6, 2015 5:33 PM in response to bryantklee

iCloud Photo Library stores full-resolution photos from all of your devices in iCloud. It also downloads a copy of all of those photos to all of your devices where you have iCloud Photo Library turned on.


If you have a device set to "Download and keep originals" it will attempt to download the full size original photo to that device; if you have it set to the other option (Optimize storage) and your device is low on space it will automatically replace full-resolution photos with optimized versions as necessary (in my experience if the photo originated on another device it may download an optimized version to a device even if it isn't low on space).


There is no option to have a photo in iCloud and not have some version (either full size or optimized) on every device where you have iCloud Photo Library turned on.

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What exactly does "download and keep originals" do on Icloud Photo Library?

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