SteveHarvey

Q: Deleting photos from one Mac only

Hi,

 

I'm currently using the latest Photos app on El Capitan. I have my Photo library sync'd using iCloud on both my Laptop and iMac.

 

I'm trying to free up space on my iMac so would like to completely remove the photos I have on it (I had the 'copy items to the Photos library' setting checked so my photos library database is nearly 80GB!

 

My question is, how would I correctly go about removing the photo library from my iMac, without deleting any photos from the Cloud and my Laptop, where I'd like to keep everything. At a later point, I may decide to re-download them to the iMac, but I need the space at the moment.

 

Thanks a lot!

Posted on Mar 28, 2016 7:55 AM

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Q: Deleting photos from one Mac only

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  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Mar 28, 2016 9:02 AM in response to SteveHarvey
    Level 10 (85,054 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 28, 2016 9:02 AM in response to SteveHarvey

    If you use iCloud Photo Library you can not - the entire (and only)  purpose of ICPL is to sync all changes made on any system to all others - for devices with limited storage you can use optimized photos in it and they will fit to available space

     

    You can turn ICPL off on any device - depending on your setting that might lose the originals of some or all photos - without knowing ICPL settings on each system we have no idea

     

    iCloud Photo Library FAQ - Apple Support

     

    Get help with your iCloud Photo Library - Apple Support

     

    How do I turn off iCloud Photo Library on just one device?

    You can turn off iCloud Photo Library on a single device when you follow these steps:

    • On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > iCloud > Photos and turn off iCloud Photo Library.
    • On your Mac, go to System Preferences > iCloud > Options next to Photos, then deselect iCloud Photo Library.
    • On your Apple TV (4th generation), go to Settings > Accounts > iCloud and under Photos press Select to turn off iCloud Photo Library.

    If you have Optimize Storage turned on, you might not have all of your original photos and videos on your device. To download the original photos and videos on your iOS device, go to Settings > iCloud > Photos and select Download and Keep Originals. On your Mac, open Photos, choose Photos > Preferences, then select Download Originals to this Mac. Then you can turn iCloud Photo Library off. You can also select the photos and videos that you want to download from iCloud.com.

     

     

    LN

  • by SteveHarvey,

    SteveHarvey SteveHarvey Mar 28, 2016 10:36 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 28, 2016 10:36 AM in response to LarryHN

    Thanks for the reply. I might have misunderstood, but I'm not entirely sure this answers my specific question?

     

    I don't want to keep iCloud photos on the iMac device and fit available space. I want to remove ALL the photos from that machine. I don't want that to delete the photos elsewhere though. Can I not just delete the entire database on that one machine and not affect the other? I don't want optimised photos on the iMac, I don't want any photos left on it.

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Mar 28, 2016 11:25 AM in response to SteveHarvey
    Level 10 (85,054 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 28, 2016 11:25 AM in response to SteveHarvey

    the answer is above

     

    if you turn ICPL off and trash the Photos library o that machine then you will not have any photos on it - including any originals that might exist only there - we hae no way of knowing what you hae or how you have set things up

     

     

    LN

  • by SteveHarvey,

    SteveHarvey SteveHarvey Mar 28, 2016 11:33 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 28, 2016 11:33 AM in response to LarryHN

    OK thanks. When I look at the libraries of both machines, they have exactly the same number of photos and videos synced to each. How is it possible to have originals only on one machine and are the photos that are in the Cloud not duplicates of originals?

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Mar 28, 2016 1:30 PM in response to SteveHarvey
    Level 10 (85,054 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 28, 2016 1:30 PM in response to SteveHarvey

    The originals are always on iCLoud.com as described in the first link I posted (did you read it?)

     

    Any or all systems using ICPL can choose to download originals to that system or to use optimized photos on it - the setting on one system has no effect on the other systems

     

    Hopefully that along with the two links I supplied help - I really do not understand your latest question

     

    LN

  • by SteveHarvey,

    SteveHarvey SteveHarvey Mar 28, 2016 2:13 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 28, 2016 2:13 PM in response to LarryHN

    Thanks Larry, I did read your links. I only got confused as my original question was basically about how I delete photos from a device, without removing them from another device. Your first message said if I was using iCloud I couldn't do that. That response confused me. Just for the sake of clarify, here's what I'm trying to do:

    • I have two devices, both appear to have identical synced versions of my photos (they both state the same number of images/videos in the Photos app).
    • Both are kept in sync using iCloud.
    • I'd like to remove the photos from device 1 completely
    • I'd like to keep the photos on device 2, plus the Cloud.

     

    Is that possible and if so, how?

     

    Thanks again, I do appreciate your time/input.

  • by LarryHN,Helpful

    LarryHN LarryHN Mar 28, 2016 3:16 PM in response to SteveHarvey
    Level 10 (85,054 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 28, 2016 3:16 PM in response to SteveHarvey

    And back to the top of the Loop - when you use ICPL any photos you delete from (or edit or add to)  any device using Photos will be deleted (or edited or added to) from all devices - if you quit using ICPL on a device then nothing you do on that device will affect other devices and nothing that is done on the other devices will affect that device - Use ICPL and every thing is kept in sync - stop using it and nothing is synced

     

    When you stop using ICPL you may or may not have every photos everyplace depending on your settings and if all syncs are complete and we have no way to kinow what yur exact, current status is - only you know that

     

    again (third time)

    if you turn ICPL off and trash the Photos library on that machine then you will not have any photos on it - including any originals that might exist only there - we have no way of knowing what you have or how you have set things up

     

    So again if you turn ICPL off on device 1 and trash the library device 1 will have no photos on it in the Photos Application - Device 2 and iCloud.com will not be affected in and way

     

    LN

  • by SteveHarvey,

    SteveHarvey SteveHarvey Mar 28, 2016 3:16 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 28, 2016 3:16 PM in response to LarryHN

    OK thanks. I'm sorry that you've had to repeat yourself but your last response was the one that gave the clearest answer to my question. Thank you for your patience.

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Mar 28, 2016 3:23 PM in response to SteveHarvey
    Level 10 (85,054 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Mar 28, 2016 3:23 PM in response to SteveHarvey

    you are welcome

     

    LN