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User profile for user: Ratz227
Ratz227 Author
User level: Level 1
37 points

iCloud photos

I am running IOS12 and High Sierra 10.13.6 on my iMac. I have iCloud Photos enabled on my iMac. I would like to enable iCloud storage on my iPhone so that the photos are available everywhere, but do not want them removed from my phone. I am not doing this to save the storage space on my phone, just for convenience, so the the photos are available.


On the Mac there is the option to keep the originals on the Mac, but I do not see any such option on the iPhone. What happens when I am not connected to WiFi, photos that I want to show are now sucking up data usage? Or worse yet, what if I am in a no service area. Would I then have NO photo's, or would I have low quality images in their place?

Posted on Oct 2, 2018 11:39 AM

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8 replies
User profile for user: CarlAVII
CarlAVII
User level: Community Specialist

Oct 3, 2018 12:43 PM in response to Ratz227

Hello Ratz227,

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities! I understand that you have some questions about using iCloud Photos to sync photos across devices. I would be happy to help provide clarification.

Here's a resource that could help:

Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support

Once iCloud Photos has been enabled on the iPhone, you will then see the option to Optimize iPhone Storage or Download and Keep Originals as shown in this section:

User uploaded file

Save space on your device

iCloud Photos keeps all of your photos and videos in their original, high-resolution version. You can save space on your device when you turn on Optimize Storage.

On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:

  1. Tap Settings > [your name] > iCloud.
  2. Tap Photos.
  3. Choose Optimize [device] Storage.

On your Mac:

  1. Open the Photos app and click Photos in the menu bar.
  2. Click Preferences.
  3. Go to the iCloud tab and choose a storage setting.

If you choose to Optimize iPhone Storage, a low-resolution copy of the photo would be stored on your iPhone while the high-resolution version is uploaded to iCloud. You would need access to Wi-Fi or cellular data in order to upload photos to iCloud, however you'll be able to view the copy of the photos on your device without a network connection.

Cheers!
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User profile for user: jeremy_v
jeremy_v
User level: Community Specialist

Oct 3, 2018 4:51 PM in response to Ratz227

Hi Ratz227,

For more information about what that message means, check out the following support article:

Keep your photos safely stored and up to date on all of your devices - Apple Support

Turn on iCloud Photos

  • On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos, then turn on iCloud Photos.
  • On your Mac, go to System Preferences > iCloud > Options next to Photos, then select iCloud Photos.
  • On your Apple TV, go to Settings > Accounts > iCloud > iCloud Photos.
  • On your Windows PC, download iCloud for Windows then set up iCloud Photos.

If you have photos synced to your iOS device from iTunes and then turn on iCloud Photos, you'll see "Photos and Videos Synced from iTunes will be Removed." The original versions of the photos and videos will stay on your computer and the copies are removed from your iOS device. When you turn on iCloud Photos on your Mac or PC, your original versions will upload to iCloud and you can access them on all of your devices.


If the photos that were originally synced from iTunes are still located on your iMac, they can be synced to the iPhone using iCloud Photos instead once removed. While the iPhone will initially need to be connected to Wi-Fi to sync the photos from the iMac via iCloud Photos, you won't need to be connected to the internet to view them after that. Let us know if you have additional questions from here.

Take care.
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User profile for user: raina_b22
raina_b22
User level: Community Specialist

Oct 4, 2018 8:29 AM in response to Ratz227

Hi Ratz227,

Turning iCloud Photos on would removed the photos that were synced via iTunes from your iPhone. Since iCloud Photos is enabled on your iMac, a copy of those photos would be synced to your iPhone via Wi-Fi. This process can take some time depending on the number of photos as well as the speed of your Wi-Fi. Once the photos on the iMac have synced to the iPhone, they will continue to remain available to view and edit on the iPhone, even when you are not connected to data.

You would need a cellular data or Wi-Fi connection for things like uploading photos from the iPhone to iCloud to keep photos and edits up to date across your devices.

Cheers!
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User profile for user: Ratz227
Ratz227 Author
User level: Level 1
37 points

Oct 3, 2018 4:59 PM in response to jeremy_v

Thanks, we are getting closer. I am just afraid to make a move and loose access to my photos. I had no idea how many until now, 4,708 - Wow.

iCloud photos on my iMac is already selected, and the photo's are now on iCloud. Great.

But still somewhat concerned over about the statements made on selecting iCloud Photo on my iPhone.

You mention that:

"photos that were originally synced from iTunes are still located on your iMac, they can be synced to the iPhone using iCloud Photos instead once removed."

I know that the photos will be available thru iCloud, but what I am wanting to avoid is to being able to access those photos when I have no service. Happens more often than one might think. That is why the original concern that the photos would be physically removed from my phone.

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iCloud photos

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