Other Best way to store photos?

[nappes]

I pay for 200gb of iCloud storage and 50gb of that is being used by photos. 30gb of my phone storage is also photos.

I’m sure there are some I could delete but realistically I want to keep most of them, and the problem is only going to get worse as the quality of photos continues to improve.

I don’t really need them all on my phone, but ideally my Mac would continue to have everything in Photos.

I’m aware that iCloud sync is all or nothing, which is great but also a complication.

What’s the best way to reduce the amount of space photos take up on my phone and cloud storage, but continue to be able to see the photos on my iMac (and preferably within the Photos app on that machine, included in the Time Machine backups)?

icloud and Flash drive

(1) have your usual account on your Mac with iCloud photos and optimize storage turned on (so the cloud is the master)
(2) have a second account in your Mac (same Apple ID) with iCloud Photos and download originals turned on but move the photos folder to a flash drive. https://support.apple.com/en-nz/HT201517

(2b) I also have google photos backup on this account so my pics go there as well

basically day to day I rely on iCloud Photos but I do (2) every now and then to give me an offline backup should anything go wrong.

 

[Bustycat]

I sync to my computer and OneDrive. It’s always better to have at least one backup for each.

 

[mk313]

Thanks for clarifying. Although, my iPad also has space - over 20gb remaining, so why is it only using 7gb?

I'm not worried about device space, I have over 100gb remaining on my phone. It's more that I don't want to be perpetually upgrading iCloud storage just for photos. Although I've solved that now, I've exported albums to keep offline on my Mac.

Still, it's confusing me that my iCloud storage hasn't reduced as a result - it's freed up 15gb from my Mac, shouldn't it be similarly reflected in iCloud because deleting from Photos on one device removes them from the cloud?

To answer the first question with an educated guess, it probably only loads the photos that it think you will need based on past viewing habits & device usage, etc. While the specifics aren't exactly the same, I've seen similar in the past. In my experience, the iOS experience really slows down the you get under 9 GB of space available. I got an amazing deal on a 64GB phone, but with the way I use mine, it was always bumping Padt that limit & sewing down dramatically. I had to upgrade the phone to solve the issue. Apple probably assumes that you will need some space for downloading movies, songs, etc and since the 7 GB worth of photos that is stored and deemed the 7 GB of photos that were downloaded to your device to be enough based n your history of viewing them on that device.

As tp the second question, iCloud sync can take a long time up update large changes. I find that I need to leave it running overnight, with ALL other apps exited in order for the sync to take place. IT seems like it's designed to run tin ether deep background to not slow other activities down, but large changes can take a LONG time that way. The other possibility is that when you delete photos, I'm pretty sure that they stay there for 30 days in case you want to un-delete them. Your 15 GB savings may not kick in until that time period passes.

 

[adrianlondon]

I export all my photos out to files on my Macbook.

I run two Photos libraries (opt-click Photos to get the pop-up allowing multi-library use) , one the normal iCloud one, and one which uses the files exported to my filesystem.

When you create a second library it automatically sets it up so that it doesn't sync anything to iCloud (only one library is allowed to do that anyway), then just import the main folder containing all your photos (and sub-folders if you exported them all to folders named after your albums) and ensure the option "keep Folders" or whatever it is that shows top-right when importing is ticked.

You can then swap libraries any time you like via opt-click.

It's a very manual process though. Take photos, wait for sync, export photos to a folder named after your album, switch Photos library, and import that folder, then switch back and delete the album. I'm often tempted just to splash out on iCloud storage. Or write an Applescript to do it.

 

[nvmls]

However, when I go to my iPhone, although the same photos are deleted, the same amount of storage is being used. This is also true in iCloud.

Apple locks you with cloud storage, I'd avoid it like the plague.

 

[Webcat86]

Yes it should, but in the meantime it will have placed the files in the ‘Recently Deleted’ Folder.

From the Apple website: “You can recover photos and videos that you delete from your Recently Deleted album for 30 days. If you want to remove content from your Recently Deleted album sooner, tap Select, then select the items you want to remove. Tap Delete > Delete. If you exceed your iCloud storage limit, your device immediately removes any photos and videos you delete and they won't be available for recovery in your Recently Deleted album.”

Nope, I purged that folder after deleting everything because I know it stores them there

 

[Webcat86]

iCloud Photo Library is by far the best way. Can't think of a single legitimate argument against it.
- All original photos are stored in iCloud.
- Each of your devices has access to all of the photos as if they were stored locally.
- Local storage on the device is only used when needed, for recently accessed photos. The rest is just tiny thumbnails.

Any and every other solution is worse in some way. No other solution is entirely native to the Photos app, requires zero management or oversight to ensure things are backed up, and intelligently manages device/cloud storage usage.

I do use iCloud. My issue isn’t using it, it’s that I’m aware photos consume the bulk of my storage and I don’t want to be perpetually upgrading and paying more just for photos.

As tp the second question, iCloud sync can take a long time up update large changes. I find that I need to leave it running overnight, with ALL other apps exited in order for the sync to take place. IT seems like it's designed to run tin ether deep background to not slow other activities down, but large changes can take a LONG time that way. The other possibility is that when you delete photos, I'm pretty sure that they stay there for 30 days in case you want to un-delete them. Your 15 GB savings may not kick in until that time period passes.

I spoke with Apple Chat last night and they explained that it cleared 15gb from the Mac because that had the full res photos, whereas my iPhone is set to optimise storage.

That makes sense, but it still has me scratching my head on how users are supposed to clear space if deleting them doesn’t reduce space. I suppose it must be videos taking the bulk of it but most of them are 20-60 seconds long, I’m not recording movies.

Anyway I decided yesterday to export a lot of photos I don’t need on my phone - I exported the images to Pictures folder, put them into albums, and deleted from Photos.

 

[PauloSera]

I do use iCloud. My issue isn’t using it, it’s that I’m aware photos consume the bulk of my storage and I don’t want to be perpetually upgrading and paying more just for photos.

It's dirt cheap for the value offered. If that's your perspective then good luck.

 

[Webcat86]

It's dirt cheap for the value offered. If that's your perspective then good luck.

I’m not complaining about the price.

 

[RhetTbull]

Quick update: I went through my library on the Mac and deleted over a thousand photos, cleared about 15GB of Photos from there. I also exported a few albums that I want to keep on my computer but don't need in Photos (just exported them and saved in a folder in Pictures)

However, when I go to my iPhone, although the same photos are deleted, the same amount of storage is being used. This is also true in iCloud.

And, my iPad is only using about 7gb for Photos. I have "optimise iPhone turned on" as well.

Any reason for this, or is it just taking a while to update the new number?

My guess is it's taking a while to update. Photos you delete are stored in iCloud for ~6 weeks before being truly deleted. You can delete them permanently from "Recently Deleted" if you want to expedite the purge but this is a one-way operation that cannot be undone.

If you want to export photos from the Mac Photos library and preserve albums, metadata, etc. I'm the author of a free command line tool to do this: osxphotos. It also has the option to export by size (for example, all files over 500MB) -- I use this to export large videos then delete them from the library.

 

[Webcat86]

My guess is it's taking a while to update. Photos you delete are stored in iCloud for ~6 weeks before being truly deleted. You can delete them permanently from "Recently Deleted" if you want to expedite the purge but this is a one-way operation that cannot be undone.

If you want to export photos from the Mac Photos library and preserve albums, metadata, etc. I'm the author of a free command line tool to do this: osxphotos. It also has the option to export by size (for example, all files over 500MB) -- I use this to export large videos then delete them from the library.

I did clear recently deleted immediately.

Exporting videos is a good idea, although I do like to have them on my phone so I probably wouldn’t remove them. I used File>Export option to remove a lot of photos yesterday, so they’re available to view on my Mac through the Finder but are no longer in Photos

 

[adrianlondon]

If you want to export photos from the Mac Photos library and preserve albums, metadata, etc. I'm the author of a free command line tool to do this: osxphotos. It also has the option to export by size (for example, all files over 500MB) -- I use this to export large videos then delete them from the library.

Nice program! I'm not sure I have a use for it, but it works well and I'll probably try and find a use for it

 

[JMStearnsX2]

It would be good to have more than one copy of your photos, they make flash drive that have both a lightning and usb connectors on it.

 

[Webcat86]

It would be good to have more than one copy of your photos, they make flash drive that have both a lightning and usb connectors on it.

If you mean for a backup, the Photos library is included in Time Machine. So as long as your device is backed up, so are your photos.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I suggest getting a small NAS and keeping your photos and other important files you want on the NAS.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Back them all up to flash drive. Cloud storage is the only way to see photos like you are asking though. Eventually you will have to delete or buy more storage.

How can I export all my iPhone pics to an external drive ? I don’t get how to do that

 

[Webcat86]

How can I export all my iPhone pics to an external drive ? I don’t get how to do that

Select all photos then File > export

i think it’s just photos though, not albums

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Select all photos then File > export

i think it’s just photos though, not albums

But it exports to jpg doesn’t it ? Is there no way to export the heic+live vidéo ?

 

[Webcat86]

But it exports to jpg doesn’t it ? Is there no way to export the heic+live vidéo ?

Ah, don’t know about that

 

[adrianlondon]

You can export as HEIC. Don't you have Photos installed to check?

I don't know about live photos as I've never taken one.

 

[Mark Stone]

I’d like to do this but how are you doing it?

I take photos with my iPhone 13, then AirDrop them over to my iPad. Google Photos is installed on and syncing with the iPad, so these new pictures are automatically copied into the Google Photos cloud. On both the iPad and Google Photos, I put the new pictures into their appropriate folders/albums. Then, weekly, I plug my Flash Drive into the iPad and copy the new photos over there. The Flash Drive is kept in a fireproof safe. That creates three redundant BAKs of my pictures: on the iPad itself, on the Flash Drive in the safe, and in the cloud at Google.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

You can export as HEIC. Don't you have Photos installed to check?

I don't know about live photos as I've never taken one.

No I don't have my Mac sadly it's sent for repair

 

[Marsikus]

What’s the best way to reduce the amount of space photos take up on my phone and cloud storage, but continue to be able to see the photos on my iMac (and preferably within the Photos app on that machine, included in the Time Machine backups)?

Do some housekeeping first:
1. Videos - to external storage.
2. PNG screenshots must be converted to HEIC.
3. JPEGs can be converted to HEIC too.

 

[Webcat86]

Do some housekeeping first:
1. Videos - to external storage.
2. PNG screenshots must be converted to HEIC.
3. JPEGs can be converted to HEIC too.

Videos to external is a great idea. How do you convert screenshots to HEIC?

 

[HDFan]

No way I’m losing the photos of my wife and kids!

Then make sure you have a 3-2-1 backup strategy in place. iCloud is not considered a backup service as you lose deleted files after 30 days.

I backup all my iPhone photos to my Synology NAS.

That can be one of the 3 backups.

I backup all my iPhone photos to my Synology NAS. They have a nice easy to use app for this. I go back in my phone and delete the oldest photos, usually the whole year or a few.

Not your typical use case but if I didn't have a NAS I would download all the photos to my computer using Photos or Image Capture and back that up someplace.

One copy needs to be saved on some sort of media, such as a hard disk, and stored off-site such as in a bank safe deposit box.

However, when I go to my iPhone, although the same photos are deleted, the same amount of storage is being used. This is also true in iCloud.

Takes a while. Check all of the posts discussing this issue.

from the Apple website: “You can recover photos and videos that you delete from your Recently Deleted album for 30 days.

That's one reason iCloud isn't a backup service. Doesn't offer snapshots, etc.

Cloud Photo Library is by far the best way. Can't think of a single legitimate argument against it.

Lots of reasons, for example the limited storage available. My library is too large for iCloud. Backups to off-site storage are more difficult, etc.

Any and every other solution is worse in some way.

There are tradeoffs with everything. Keeping pictures in Lightroom, which is by reference, it is very easy to implement a 3-2-1 backup strategy with off-site storage, at the cost of losing device integration.

I’m aware photos consume the bulk of my storage and I don’t want to be perpetually upgrading and paying more just for photos.

There are unlimited cloud backup solutions that are available for a reasonable price such as Backblaze and Crashplan Business. I backup ~62 TB (not all pictures) of data on Backblaze which costs ~$70 a year. Default retention is for a year of snapshots but for a small extra charge you can get forever snapshots.