faithfulmg
Level 1 (4 points)
Mac OS X

Q: MacBook backing up pictures to iPhone6

I have a friend I am helping with her iPhone 6, she also has a MacBook Pro, which she just updated to El Capitan, at my encouragement. Not all of her pictures are backing up to Photos, I haven't had enough time to pull them all off. Additionally, since the update, her computer has started storing photos on her phone. She used to have about 3500 pictures, now there is over 6000.

 

What do I need to do to help? I was trying to assist with the smaller problem of her pictures not going into Photos and now, she can't take pictures because her computer is storing them on her phone. Has anyone run into this problem? What should I check first, problems with the phone, computer, Photos, iCloud, iTunes...

 

Thanks!

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.2)

Posted on Jun 16, 2016 5:09 PM

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faithfulmg

Q: MacBook backing up pictures to iPhone6

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  • by srbwanderer,

    srbwanderer srbwanderer Jun 17, 2016 8:57 AM in response to faithfulmg
    Community Specialists
    Jun 17, 2016 8:57 AM in response to faithfulmg

    Hello faithfulmg,


    Thank you for being part of the Apple Community!

     

    It is my understanding some of your friend's photos are not importing to her MacBook Pro, and her iPhone is now full due to pictures from her computer downloading to it.  I use my iPhone for taking pictures all the time, so I know how important it is to have storage room available.

     

    Check out this resource for some great troubleshooting steps if you aren't able to transfer pictures from an iPhone to a computer:

     

    If you can't import photos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your computer

     

    As for the pictures downloading to the phone, it sounds like iCloud Photo Library is enabled. iCloud Photo Library allows you to see all your photos on all your Apple devices.  You can check to see if it is on by going to Settings > iCloud > Photos on the iPhone.  One of the nice features of iCloud Photo Library is being able to store a low-resolution copy of the photo on the iPhone so the photos do not take up too much space.  Here is information on how this feature works:

     

    Can I use iCloud Photo Library to save space on my device?

    iCloud Photo Library automatically keeps all your photos and videos in the original, high-resolution version. Follow these steps to choose how you store your photos and videos on your device:

    • On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, tap Settings > iCloud > Photos or Settings > Photos & Camera, then select a storage setting.
    • On your Mac, click Photos > Preferences > iCloud, then select a storage setting. 

    If you turn on Optimize [device] Storage, iCloud Photo Library will automatically manage the size of your library on your device, so you can make the most of your device's storage and access more photos than ever. All of your original, full-resolution photos and videos are stored in iCloud while device-size versions are kept on your device. You can download the original photos and videos over Wi-Fi or cellular when you need them. 

    If you turn on Download Originals, iCloud Photo Library will keep your original, full-resolution photos and videos in iCloud and on your device. Download Originals is the default setting for iOS devices with the free 5 GB storage plan and for all Mac devices.

     

    By selecting Optimize Storage, only low-resolution copies will be stored on the iPhone itself.  This should help free up space and allow more pictures to be taken.

     

    Additional information can be found here:  iCloud Photo Library FAQ

     

    Have a great day!