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User profile for user: bferyo
bferyo Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Photos library

I am trying to understand how the Photos library on my Mac and the iCloud Photos Library stay in sync. I recently uploaded my Mac Photos Library to iCloud thinking I could use that as the main Photos Library on my Mac. Apparently that is not the case as you cannot use the Mac Photos app to edit pictures in iCloud. So it appears I still need to have a main library on my Mac and use iCloud just to share, email, etc. from other devices. How do I keep the libraries in sync. For example if I take a picture on my phone will it automatically sync to my main library on my Mac so that I can have all originals on the Mac? How would I view all photos in iCloud Library on my iPhone?


Thanks

MacBook Air (13-inch Mid 2013)

Posted on Sep 6, 2018 8:17 AM

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User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
194,831 points

Posted on Sep 6, 2018 10:15 AM

How do I keep the libraries in sync. For example if I take a picture on my phone will it automatically sync to my main library on my Mac so that I can have all originals on the Mac?

This is full automatic. You enable iCloud Photo Library on your iPhone and in Photos on your Mac. If you have more than one photo library on your Mac, enable iCloud Photo Library while viewing the library that you want to sync with iCloud. Only one library on your Mac can sync with iCloud.

Now iCloud will keep the library in iCloud and the local versions on your iPhone and the Mac identical . Any adjustments you apply to your photos will sync to iCloud and from there to the libraries on your synced devices. Also all photos or videos you import will appear on all devices, but all items you delete from one of the synced photo libraries will also be deleted from the other devices. You work with photos on one device and see the changes on all other devices.


if you have more photos and videos in iCloud Photo Library than will fit onto your iPhone, enable optimize storage in the iCloud settings for Photos. Then the iPhone will not download all photos and videos in the full resolution to save storage.

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User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
194,831 points

Sep 6, 2018 10:15 AM in response to bferyo

How do I keep the libraries in sync. For example if I take a picture on my phone will it automatically sync to my main library on my Mac so that I can have all originals on the Mac?

This is full automatic. You enable iCloud Photo Library on your iPhone and in Photos on your Mac. If you have more than one photo library on your Mac, enable iCloud Photo Library while viewing the library that you want to sync with iCloud. Only one library on your Mac can sync with iCloud.

Now iCloud will keep the library in iCloud and the local versions on your iPhone and the Mac identical . Any adjustments you apply to your photos will sync to iCloud and from there to the libraries on your synced devices. Also all photos or videos you import will appear on all devices, but all items you delete from one of the synced photo libraries will also be deleted from the other devices. You work with photos on one device and see the changes on all other devices.


if you have more photos and videos in iCloud Photo Library than will fit onto your iPhone, enable optimize storage in the iCloud settings for Photos. Then the iPhone will not download all photos and videos in the full resolution to save storage.

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Photos library

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