iCloud versus iTunes photo syncing?

Question

Level 1

38 points

iCloud versus iTunes photo syncing?

Hello,

I am thinking of using iCloud as back up for my photos but want to make sure of what I am doing before hitting the okay button. Whenever I click the "iCloud Photo Library" button, I get this message:

Photos Synched from iTunes will be Removed. Syncing photos via iTunes is not supported when iCloud Photo Library is turned on. 15,498 photos will be removed.

"Removed". That scares me. Are they just saving I will no longer be able to access my photos via iTunes whenever I plug in my iPhone to my desktop computer? But nothing is actually going to be deleted?

Just checking.

Brian

iPhone 6 Plus, iOS 8.1.3

Posted on Aug 15, 2016 4:13 PM

Reply

Answer 1

LACAllen

Level 8

43,590 points

Aug 16, 2016 1:02 AM in response to brian hardy1

You haven't really provided a lot of detail.

Removed is in reference to the device where you are turning iCloud on. I'll assume it's the phone.

You can't sync photos with both iTunes and iCloud at the same time. One or the other.

The photos in iTunes would have been stored somewhere on the Mac. That it is the original source for the photos correct? They are not being removed from there. So, we have to assume your photos are on the Mac and you are syncing them to the phone using iTunes. They should not be removed from your Mac by enabling iCloud on your phone.

Once you enable iCloud on your phone, currently synced photos will be removed from your phone and you will then sync using iCloud.

Reply

Answer 2

brian hardy1 Author

Level 1

38 points

Aug 16, 2016 8:21 AM in response to LACAllen

Yes, it's just the storage location. That makes sense. I would like one "copy" of all my photos in the cloud just as off-site back up. But I also want another copy here; on one of the two other devices. I paid for the bigger HDs. Might as well use them.

So I am thinking iPad on iCloud and iPhone/MacBook Pro keeping photos on HD. Will this cause me any great grief in the future?

Thanks.

Reply

Answer 3

Aug 16, 2016 8:32 AM in response to brian hardy1

Whether or not you keep a full resolution version of all your photos on your devices/Macs when using iCloud Photo library depends on whether you choose to optimise the library in the Photos preferences/settings. I suggest you keep a full resolution version on at least one Mac and keep a local back up of that as well.

The copies in the cloud may well be useful should your house ever burn down or you lose your library and its back up for whatever reason, but generally speaking you shouldn't treat the copies in the cloud as a back up, since anything you delete in one place is deleted from all libraries including the one in the cloud.

Reply