How would you keep multiple iCloud libraries separate (i.e. without them merging)?
MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015), OS X El Capitan (10.11.4)
Multiple iCloud Photo Libraries are not supported.
If you're looking for a workaround, you could set up multiple Apple IDs, but that brings with it a panoply of other issues.
What is it that you're trying to accomplish?
I have bunch of pictures for school that I needed for a while on my phone (so I used iCloud for simplicity's sake) but I don't actively need them anymore and would like to revert back to my normal photo library I had on my computer. However I dont want them to merge nor do I want any of the school pictures to be lost.
My suggestion, if I understand you correctly.
Connect your iPhone via USB cable. On your Mac launch Image Capture from your Applications folder. Import your "unwanted" photos to folder on your desktop, then delete them from the iPhone. At that point you can safely start syncing it with your Photos app.
The pictures are already on my computer--if I merged the two libraries together by switching iCloud libraries and deleted all the school ones would they remain in their old library?
NO. When you turn iCloud Photo Library on, any action (edit, delete) taken on one device is synced to your other devices, including iCloud.
Why not just export them from your Photos Library, keep them in a folder on your Mac, then delete them from Photos, which will also delete them from your iPhone.
BTW, if you have multiple Photos Libraries on your computer, you can't "merge" them. Photos doesn't support merging. You would need a third party app for that.
Ahhh. Okay. So when I export my photos to a folder and then delete the corresponding pictures off my phone, they won't be erased even though iCloud is activated?
If I left the pictures on my phone and changed the designated library on my Macbook (which, to my understanding, switches the icloud library) would all the pictures I left on my phone "join" the new library? I'm more asking out of curiosity (the exporting idea is by far the best). Could you theoretically turn off the icloud photos on your iphone, then delete the pictures, then switch the designated library? Or would Icloud register the changes made and apply those effects to the "old" designated library (the school pics that used to be on my phone) even though the "new" one is default?
Ahhh. Okay. So when I export my photos to a folder and then delete the corresponding pictures off my phone, they won't be erased even though iCloud is activated?
Correct. Nothing outside of your Photos Library is affected.
If I left the pictures on my phone and changed the designated library on my Macbook (which, to my understanding, switches the icloud library) would all the pictures I left on my phone "join" the new library? I'm more asking out of curiosity (the exporting idea is by far the best). Could you theoretically turn off the icloud photos on your iphone, then delete the pictures, then switch the designated library? Or would Icloud register the changes made and apply those effects to the "old" designated library (the school pics that used to be on my phone) even though the "new" one is default?
You can have multiple Photos Libraries on your computer (not advisable), but you can't have multiple iCloud Photo Libraries on iCloud using the same Apple ID. I believe this trumps all your other questions.
You might find this article very informative.
http://www.imore.com/how-use-icloud-photo-library-ultimate-guide
Thanks!!
How would you keep multiple iCloud photo libraries separate (i.e. without them merging)?
