mattg80
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Alright, I'm lost of backing up my photos

Ok, Ill admit it, I'm not very savy when it comes to arranging photos on my mac. Im used to being able to arrange them by folders etc on the windows platform. Anyways I have always used iPhoto, and not I have transitioned to the new "photos" app on my macbook pro and that has just confused me even more. Now I have all sorts of jumbled up folders...iphoto events, all photos, etc etc. I don't really care about organizing them anymore as I think its a lost cause. The main thing I want to do is make sure I have a backup. I actually purchased the small data plan for iCloud just to do this. After I had moved everything to the new photos app, I enabled the iCloud sharing and it uploaded all my photos to iCloud. It took about a day and half. Anyways, I have now added about 500 pictures off another computer to my photos album and I can not figure out how to get THOSE on iCloud. I thought it would see the new photos and automatically upload them but its not doing it. This is all on my macbook not an iPhone, tablet etc. Do I need to tell it to update or something? When I go to the iCloud sharing tab, it just asks for an album I want to share. I want to share or backup the whole photos library like I did the first time. I assume it will not upload whats already there but just the new photos.

thanks for any help

Matt

Posted on Oct 14, 2015 2:19 PM

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mattg80

Q: Alright, I'm lost of backing up my photos

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  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Oct 14, 2015 3:14 PM in response to mattg80
    Level 10 (141,223 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 14, 2015 3:14 PM in response to mattg80
    I enabled the iCloud sharing and it uploaded all my photos to iCloud

     

    What iCloud feature did you enable:  iCloud Photo Library, iCloud Drive, My Photo Stream, iCloud Photo Sharing, ..... which? None is a backup of your photos.  Both are only syncing features to sync photos or files between devices signed into the same iCloud account. 

     

    Moments in Photos are the new Events, i.e. groupings of photos sorted by date taken.

     

    When the iPhoto Library was first migrated to Photos there is a folder created in the sidebar titled iPhoto Events and all migrated iPhoto Events (which are now Moments) are represented by an album in that folder. To open the sidebar if it's not already open use the Option+Command+S key combination.

     

    NOTE: It's been reported by several users that if the Event albums are moved out of the iPhoto Library folder in the sidebar they may disappear.  It's not widespread but several users have reported that issue.  Therefore, if you want to assure that you keep those Event albums don't move them outside the iPhoto Events folder.

     

    There's a way to simulate events in Photos.

    When new photos are imported into the Photos library go to the Last Import smart album, select all the photos and use the File ➙ New Album menu option or use the key combination Command+N.  Name it as desired.  It will appear just above the iPhoto Events folder where you can drag it into the iPhoto Events folder

     

    When you click on the iPhoto Events folder you'll get a simulated iPhoto Events window.

    Albums and smart albums can be sorted by Title, by Date with oldest first and by Date with newest first.

    OTsig.png

  • by mattg80,

    mattg80 mattg80 Oct 14, 2015 4:24 PM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 14, 2015 4:24 PM in response to Old Toad

    Thank you for the help. I guess It would be the "iCloud photo sharing" as thats the only one that I noticed while in the photos app. I realize its not a "backup" per say, but if they are all uploaded to the cloud, it serves as one I would think. I actually have a Time Machine backup but I like to be extra cautious. So, what do I need to do to get all my photos "synced" to the cloud. I wish I could tell you what I did the first time, but Im pretty sure I just clicked on the "shared" tabs in photos, and it gave me the option to backup or upload to the cloud. I'm pretty sure I did not pick a folder as its wanting me to do now because I wasn't sure if my old iPhotos were included in the "all photos" album or not. I really wish there was a way for me to just drag every photo I have into a program, and have it sort it by date. Im my photos app I have "all photos" , "faces", "iphoto events" ...is there a way to just put it ALL in one dang folder lol. Thanks again for your help..Im sorry I'm so terrible at this.

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Oct 15, 2015 8:28 AM in response to mattg80
    Level 10 (141,223 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 15, 2015 8:28 AM in response to mattg80

    So your referring to Shared Albums:  iCloud Photo Sharing FAQ - Apple Support

     

    It won't store the full sized image, depending on the size you camera/phone takes.  The max dimension allowed is 2048 pixels so if you have larger images they will be downsized.  The albums are not searchable so finding a particular photos will be difficult.  Just want to you be aware of the shortcomings of using them for backup.