How does actually "iCloud Photos Download Originals to this Mac" work in macOS Photos?

[comatory]

I am storing my Photos library on external USB drive. I plug this drive from time to time to my desktop mac so it can redownload all photos I've taken with my phone to the drive. I just like having a local copy as well.

However I'm confused what does "Download Originals to this Mac" option in settings mean? Does it store the photos in my library that is stored on external drive? Or does it somehow store it on my internal drive as well?

 

[Nigel Goodman]

All photos download to your Mac using the Photos app are stored in the Photos Library - wherever you have that located. The "default" location for the Photos library in in ~/Pictures

 

[comatory]

All photos download to your Mac using the Photos app are stored in the Photos Library - wherever you have that located. The "default" location for the Photos library in in ~/Pictures

OK so if I opened photos with Opt+Click, selected library on my external drive that means the originals are downloaded to library on my external disk right?

 

[chabig]

OK so if I opened photos with Opt+Click, selected library on my external drive that means the originals are downloaded to library on my external disk right?

Yes

 

[fpb]

hi, I have created my Photos library on an external drive just like you have @comatory, however, I think there are some cache image files on the internal drive. Have you found there is still a large amount of storage in the 'Photos' section in System Information -> Manage Store?

 

[TinHead88]

iCloud Photos only works with the system library. You can make any library the system library in the Photos preferences. If you have located your main library on an external drive you just need to make sure it's been designated as your system library and the iCloud library will be synced with that.