patrickkidd
Level 1 (5 points)
Notebooks

Q: How to delete downloaded copies of photos when using iCloud Photo Library?

Hi there!

 

I have iCloud Photo Library enabled and want to clean up space by deleting downloaded copies of my photos. I have "Optimize Storage" enabled, but don't want to wait until my drive gets full and want to clear up space manually.

 

How can I do this?

 

Thank you!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, iOS 7.0.3

Posted on Oct 15, 2016 10:30 PM

by léonie,Solvedanswer
léonie léonie
Level 10 (108,884 points)
iCloud
A:

How can I do this?

You can't. The storage management is fully automatic and there is no option to purge the downloaded copies.

 

A brute force method is to make a backup of your Photos Library on an external drive and to delete the complete Photos Library from the internal drive. Then start over with an empty library and let it download from iCloud. Initially all photos will be only optimized.  The drawback would be, that you would have to name all persons again, because the people album is not synced to iCloud. Your projects (books, calendars) will be missing as well.

Posted on Oct 18, 2016 9:30 AM

Close
patrickkidd

Q: How to delete downloaded copies of photos when using iCloud Photo Library?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by léonie,Solvedanswer

    léonie léonie Oct 18, 2016 9:30 AM in response to patrickkidd
    Level 10 (108,884 points)
    iCloud
    Oct 18, 2016 9:30 AM in response to patrickkidd

    How can I do this?

    You can't. The storage management is fully automatic and there is no option to purge the downloaded copies.

     

    A brute force method is to make a backup of your Photos Library on an external drive and to delete the complete Photos Library from the internal drive. Then start over with an empty library and let it download from iCloud. Initially all photos will be only optimized.  The drawback would be, that you would have to name all persons again, because the people album is not synced to iCloud. Your projects (books, calendars) will be missing as well.