Is there a way to use "iCloud Drive Optimize Storage" always?

I find it interesting, that Photos for Mac on High Sierra now has an option to do the opposite - we can collect photos in an album and select the option "Download originals to this Mac". This way we can ensure, that the photos for certain albums will always stay put and we do not need an internet connection to work with the photos in these albums. That is a step in the right direction to give users more control over iCloud.

Perhaps we will indeed see the opposite option as well.

Do you mean is there a way to keep iCloud Drive files on iCloud Drive only and not on the Mac even when there is enough storage to do so? If so, then no, at this time, it is going to dynamically remove only the oldest documents and files to iCloud only when you start running low on Mac Storage.

You can send your idea to allow the user to identify what documents should be on iCloud Drive only (until you download them), and then to allow the user to put them back on iCloud Drive only when you are done working on them by sending Apple feedback directly: Apple - Feedback

I like the way that Amazon allows you to remove books from your device (so that they essentially are put back in the "cloud"), and then just as easily re-download them as you wish. I sometimes will bring a book back down for a matter of minutes to check something and then banish it back to the cloud when I'm done. It seems particularly to be a feature that is needed for the iOS devices. So, instead of only having the option to "delete" them (which deletes them everywhere), it would be great to be able to simply "Remove From Device" only.

Cheers,

GB

Forgot to ask -- do you know if someone selects the "Download Originals to this Mac" for an individual album, does that setting remain in force or will that album be optimized again if space is needed?

FoxFifth wrote:

Forgot to ask -- do you know if someone selects the "Download Originals to this Mac" for an individual album, does that setting remain in force or will that album be optimized again if space is needed?

I cannot test this, because my internal drive is large enough, so I do not have to turn "optimize" on. But even without "optimize", I have to force the Mac to download new photos from iCloud, that I added on other devices. Creating an album with all new imports is much quickerthan to view all new photos enlarged.

léonie wrote:

I cannot test this, because my internal drive is large enough, so I do not have to turn "optimize" on. But even without "optimize", I have to force the Mac to download new photos from iCloud, that I added on other devices. Creating an album with all new imports is much quickerthan to view all new photos enlarged.

I don't have Optimize turned on in Photos in my Mac either -- but I never have to force any downloads. I always automatically (and quickly) get full size versions of photos that were taken on my iPhone (which does have Optimize turned on).

Hey guys, I'm a bit confused. I thought the OP was asking about the Mac Optimize Storage option under iCloud Drive, which will only move documents and other data off of the Mac when storage is getting full. I don't believe he was talking about Optimizing Photos?

GB

I don't have Optimize turned on in Photos in my Mac either -- but I never have to force any downloads. I always automatically (and quickly) get full size versions of photos that were taken on my iPhone (which does have Optimize turned on).

When my Mac is not sleeping, and I am logged in, when I take new iPhone photos they will download immediately. But I noticed, that the Mac in my office may not download all photos immediately, when I import photos to my private Mac at home and a week later look at my iCloud Photo Library on another Mac. The status will say "Updated just now", but hundreds of photos may still need downloading and will only show the thumbnails. So I like to ensure, that the originals have really been downloaded from iCloud. Otherwise my Time Machine backup will not be complete.

gail from maine wrote:

Hey guys, I'm a bit confused. I thought the OP was asking about the Mac Optimize Storage option under iCloud Drive, which will only move documents and other data off of the Mac when storage is getting full. I don't believe he was talking about Optimizing Photos?

GB

You are correct. My original answer responded to that but then we went off topic and started talking more and more about photos. That could well have confused the OP as well.

Sorry, no. There aren't any options for Optimize Storage other than to turn it on or off on each device.

You may want to suggest to Apple that they offer more options via Feedback - iCloud - Apple

More options would be great. I sometimes think Apple tries to simplify things for users by limiting options but I'm not sure that is working.

Oh, good. Thanks FoxFifth - I thought I was losing it 😐....😝

GB