Sync deleting photos from Photos and folders

Question

Level 1

8 points

Sync deleting photos from Photos and folders

Hi,

Just bought a new iMac and trying to set up Photos. I have imported a couple of years worth of photos to start with, using my OneDrive folder as where the photos are kept (both in the cloud and on the iMac). Now, there's a bunch of photos on there that I want to delete - but when I delete them from Photos, they don't delete from the hard drive (OneDrive folder) and when i delete them from the OneDrive folder they don't delete from Photos (as i guess they were imported as opposed to it syncing with the folder). Is there any way to sync these so when I delete from one they delete from the other?

Or am I correct when I'm now thinking that I'd have to sort through and delete any unwanted photos in OneDrive prior to importing into Photos? This seems so archaic as I would prefer everything to just upload automatically from my phone (android to OneDrive to Photos) and then view and delete from there?

Thanks!

Gillian

iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)

Posted on Sep 8, 2018 8:21 PM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

216,500 points

Sep 9, 2018 12:02 PM in response to heygillian

Most of us delete the copy outside of the library after we confirm that the photo was successfully imported into the managed library.

I have two systems managing my photos: 1 - an Photos library; 2 - a digital asset management app called MediaPro SE to manage a separate copy of all my original files on an external HD. Redundancy. Takes more work but I'm retired so it keep me off the streets.

Just be sure you have a current backup of all your files whether they are on your internal boot drive or on an external HD. Time Machine is a very good and easy of making sure you have a current backup.

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

216,500 points

Sep 9, 2018 11:37 AM in response to heygillian

If you have a copy of the photo outside of the Photos library you will have to delete it manually whether you have a managed or referenced library or not.

If the only copy of the photo is in the library you don't have to go find it to delete (unless you're running a referenced library).

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Answer 3

Old Toad

Level 10

216,500 points

Sep 9, 2018 11:24 AM in response to heygillian

Deleting Photos from a Photos 3 Library

1 - regardless of where you are in the library, i.e. Moments, Collections, albums, smart albums or projects, select the photo(s) you want to delete and use the key combination of Command+Delete to move the photos to the Recently Deleted smart album.

2 - click on the Recently Deleted smart albums in the sidebar.

NOTE 1: If you're using Photos 1.2 or earlier use the File ➙ Show Recently Deleted menu option.

3 - in the Recently Deleted album you can opt to let the photo automatically delete after the 30 day waiting period is up, delete them immediately or restore them to the library.

NOTE 2: deleting a photo from an album, slideshow, book, etc., with the Delete key only deletes the photo from that item. There is no key combination that will delete a photo from a project and move it directly to the Recently Deleted smart album.

NOTE 3: deleting a photo from a Moment or Collection (the Photos window) or the All Photos window deletes ALL occurences of that photo in the library.

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Answer 4

heygillian Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 9, 2018 10:01 AM in response to Old Toad

Thanks so much for the Reply! May I ask how you manage your photo library? Any tips? We seem to take so many pictures every day, of our kids or whatever, but I don't necessarily want to keep them all - do you first sort through your pics then import them manually? Seems so backwards to me? What am I missing there must be an easier way! Thx!

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Answer 5

Old Toad

Level 10

216,500 points

Sep 9, 2018 10:26 AM in response to heygillian

I put each Moment of Photos in it's own album so I can sort as I want. I then add keywords to the Photos for each person in the photo. I have a keyword for every family member and extended family member. I add those first thing. Even though Faces organizes them together I like to have keywords associated also.

Then you can so what you want. l created smart albums for each year and for each month in that year.

When I have time I retitle the images with this user supplied AppleScript: Batch Change Title to Text w/Padded Sequential No.

You can download a compiled version of the script as an application from this tutorial site: P01 - Applescripts from Photos’ User Tips Compiled as Applications

`Other scripts can be found here: Thematic Index to Photos for Mac Related User Tips:

From there you can group them as you want: by event, by location, by person, etc.

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Answer 6

heygillian Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 9, 2018 11:33 AM in response to Old Toad

Thanks again Old Toad you are being super helpful (and patient!). So once I delete it as you say from within photos I still need to go find it in finder and Move to Trash to delete from the hard drive, is that correct? Thats the only way to delete a photo permanently from the computer? Is there a way to do that with multiple photos? E.g.. I find 10 photos in Photo that I don't want. Delete as above, how do I then find those 10 photos on the hard drive to delete? Sorry if I'm repeating myself I just think this is such a simple task and I can't seem to figure out how it's done! Thanks again 😊

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Answer 7

heygillian Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 9, 2018 11:50 AM in response to Old Toad

Thank you I think you have answered my question. Is this what you Do? I guess I'm just wondering is this how other Apple users do it? Delete in photos then delete from the folder it's kept in on the hard drive? This seems to be the limitation, just wondering how other users deal with This? Thanks!

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