iCloud I Need help with iCloud photo library

[pspman71]

I’ve never used iCloud Photos before, so I’m a bit nervous. Currently, I have an iPhone 12 Pro Max with 256 GB of storage on iOS 18.1, an iPad Pro 11 m4 with 512 GB of storage on iPad os 18.1, and a 2017 iMac with 1 TB of storage on macOS Ventura 13.7.1.





I’ve already uploaded my phone’s photo library to iCloud (my iPhone’s library was 106.76 GB, and my free space was 68.35 GB. After uploading, my library size was 8.36 GB, and I freed up 152.45 GB). On my iPad, I have a photo library of 91.46 GB, and my free space is 345.64 GB. After iCloud syncing, the size of my photo library is still unknown. and same with my Mac is unknown(see images below)





On my iMac, I have a photo library of 500 GB. If I enable iCloud on my Mac, how much free space would I have? Additionally, will it build up space on my iPhone and iPad, and how much?

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my iPhone storage before iCloud photo library
View attachment 2448458
my iPhone storage after iCloud photo library
View attachment 2448459

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my iPad Pro storage before iCloud photo library
View attachment 2448461
my iPad Pro storage after iCloud photo library TBD

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my iMac storage before iCloud photo library
View attachment 2448463
my iMac storage after iCloud photo library TBD

 

[gerdemb]

When you enable iCloud Photos on your device, it will upload all existing photos to iCloud and make them accessible on other devices, ensuring consistency across devices. Each iCloud-enabled device will use approximately the same amount of space as your entire iCloud Photo Library. To save space locally, you can use the "Optimize Storage" option, which keeps smaller versions of your photos on your device while the full-resolution versions stay in iCloud. This helps free up local storage space without losing access to the full-resolution photos when needed.

It's a little unclear from your post, but it sounds like your entire photo library is about 200GB. You would need 200GB of space on each device to sync the entire library if 'Optimize Storage' is not enabled. If there are any duplicate photos between the two devices, they will be automatically added to a duplicates folder managed by iCloud, so you can delete them easily and save more space.

Good luck!

 

[pspman71]

When you enable iCloud Photos on your device, it will upload all existing photos to iCloud and make them accessible on other devices, ensuring consistency across devices. Each iCloud-enabled device will use approximately the same amount of space as your entire iCloud Photo Library. To save space locally, you can use the "Optimize Storage" option, which keeps smaller versions of your photos on your device while the full-resolution versions stay in iCloud. This helps free up local storage space without losing access to the full-resolution photos when needed.

It's a little unclear from your post, but it sounds like your entire photo library is about 200GB. You would need 200GB of space on each device to sync the entire library if 'Optimize Storage' is not enabled. If there are any duplicate photos between the two devices, they will be automatically added to a duplicates folder managed by iCloud, so you can delete them easily and save more space.

Good luck!

Optimize Storage is on for my iPad and iPhone but worried about turning on iCloud photo library on my Mac what im see I have 500gb in my Macs phot library then if I enabled iCloud photo I know that 500gb will go to the cloud but im saying will that eat up space on my phone?

 

[gerdemb]

Optimize Storage is on for my iPad and iPhone but worried about turning on iCloud photo library on my Mac what im see I have 500gb in my Macs phot library then if I enabled iCloud photo I know that 500gb will go to the cloud but im saying will that eat up space on my phone?

If you're using optimize storage on your phone, I think you'll be fine. For reference, I have a 1.6TB iCloud photo library that I sync with my 256MB phone with no problems

 

[pspman71]

oh ok. I have more questions
1. how much space so you have left
2. can I backup my iCloud library?
3. I know it stores the full res photo on iCloud but does it keep some full res photos on your device?
4. what's optmizing storage mean?like what's it doing in the background?
5. can I backup my iCloud library if I want to?

 

[splifingate]

oh ok. I have more questions
1. how much space so you have left
2. can I backup my iCloud library?

Is iCloud activated on your iMac?

Photos are stored in /Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary

You can copy that locally, and to anything to which you are connected (external USB, TB enclosure, NAS, Cloud, etc.)

3. I know it stores the full res photo on iCloud but does it keep some full res photos on your device?

4. what's optmizing storage mean?like what's it doing in the background?

Think of "Optimize Storage" as a collection of iconic placeholders; each of which reference the actual photos, respectively.

Kinda like Finder, or File Manager . . . pictorial icons which hold a place for (and reference) the originals.

Truly, what you see in all your Photos apps is not the actual photo, but a low-memory reference that allows you to connect to the full document/photo (if you so choose).

If you choose "Optimize", you'll need to be connected to teh Interwebs if you want to get the full data; if you allow "Originals", the connection between the icon and the data is on-device (and takes less time to realize).

5. can I backup my iCloud library if I want to?

See above

 

[pspman71]

Is iCloud activated on your iMac?

not yet as im hesitant to becouse I only have 162 gigs free of 1.03TB on my iMac but...(explanation below about the ssd)

Photos are stored in /Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary

I know but if I enable iCloud Photos the photo library size on my iMac will shrink from 526.98Gb to a lower space right?

You can copy that locally, and to anything to which you are connected (external USB, TB enclosure, NAS, Cloud, etc.)

thats why just today I bought a Samsung - T7 2TB External USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD from Best Buy to clone my iMac to I wanted more storage just incase iCloud needs it for Optimization or if I chose to and Evan if I turn iCloud Photo Library on the Mac still needs space right?

Think of "Optimize Storage" as a collection of iconic placeholders; each of which reference the actual photos, respectively.

Kinda like Finder, or File Manager . . . pictorial icons which hold a place for (and reference) the originals.

Truly, what you see in all your Photos apps is not the actual photo, but a low-memory reference that allows you to connect to the full document/photo (if you so choose).

If you choose "Optimize", you'll need to be connected to teh Interwebs if you want to get the full data; if you allow "Originals", the connection between the icon and the data is on-device (and takes less time to realize).

ok

and a off topic subject, now with the Samsung - T7 2TB External USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD I got and I have questions

1. Is it better to clone my iMac disk with disk utility or do a clean install then restore files from time machine?

2. if I clone my iMac disk with disk utility when I boot from the ssd will if I have junk left over from cloning can I remove it?

3. if I do a do a clean install is it better to restore my data with Time Machine or Migration Assistant

4. how much faster is a fusion drive in my current Mac vs the Samsung - T7 2TB External USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD?(I'm curious)

 

[splifingate]

not yet as im hesitant to becouse I only have 162 gigs free of 1.03TB on my iMac but...(explanation below about the ssd)

And you said that you currently have 500GB of Photos on your iMac?

I know but if I enable iCloud Photos the photo library size on my iMac will shrink from 526.98Gb to a lower space right?

Not necessarily; your Photos Library will always flex in size, depending on contents, and to where you sync it.

As yet, I am still unsure just how many photos you have, and just how much space they consume.

You are sending-out a lot of information all at one time, and that makes it really difficult for an outside person to get a complete grasp on the situation 🤷‍♂️

thats why just today I bought a Samsung - T7 2TB External USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD from Best Buy to clone my iMac to I wanted more storage just incase iCloud needs it for Optimization or if I chose to and Evan if I turn iCloud Photo Library on the Mac still needs space right?

Right now @pspman71 I want you to just step-back, take some deep breaths, and rest easy...

Know that your Photos aren't going away...

Know that there is not a stopwatch forcing you to reach a finish line...

Know that everything will be OK

SO....

It seems like you have enough space on your iMac to sync all your photos from Cloud.

I have 2TB of storage in my M2 Studio, lots of programs/data stored, and I also let my full Photos Library get sync'ed from the cloud to my HD . . .

My Photos Library is 355GB, and I still have well over a TB worth of internal empty space.

Also, you should have enough space on your M4 iPP to sync all your complete photos from iCloud.

It's entirely possible to store your Photos Library on an external device, as long as you "make sure that your storage device is turned on and available before opening Photos":

Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support

To save storage space on your Mac, you can move your Photos library to a different storage device.

support.apple.com

It may also be possible to get your complete Photos Library off of your iPP and onto the T7 . . . I own/use the exact same iPP as you do, and I have been interested in seeing what I can do with the USB-C port

At this point, try your best not to let your concerns override your capabilities

You got this!

 

[pspman71]

And you said that you currently have 500GB of Photos on your iMac?

yes thats correct

Not necessarily; your Photos Library will always flex in size, depending on contents, and to where you sync it.

As yet, I am still unsure just how many photos you have, and just how much space they consume.

You are sending-out a lot of information all at one time, and that makes it really difficult for an outside person to get a complete grasp on the situation 🤷‍♂️

ok im sorry and for reference I have 35,914 videos and 4,833 videos

Right now @pspman71 I want you to just step-back, take some deep breaths, and rest easy...

Know that your Photos aren't going away...

Know that there is not a stopwatch forcing you to reach a finish line...

Know that everything will be OK

ok

It seems like you have enough space on your iMac to sync all your photos from Cloud.

again"thats why just today I bought a Samsung - T7 2TB External USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD from Best Buy to clone my iMac to I wanted more storage just incase iCloud needs it for Optimization or if I chose to and Evan if I turn iCloud Photo Library on the Mac"

I have 2TB of storage in my M2 Studio, lots of programs/data stored, and I also let my full Photos Library get sync'ed from the cloud to my HD . . .

and thats why I got the Samsung - T7 2TB External USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD

At this point, try your best not to let your concerns override your capabilities

lol I always overthink things

 

[splifingate]

lol I always overthink things

You're doing just fine @pspman71

Desmond Tutu is purported to have once said:

"There is only one way to eat an elephant . . . one bite at a time"

We don't yet know where you feel most comfortable . . I am more a Desktop kinda guy, and file management is--to me--best suited to Desktop usage.

I like being able to drill-down into the details, and act specifically upon precise sets of data.

If you Enable iCloud Photos (and select Download Originals) on your iMac, you will find a lot of your previous questions answered.

Specifically, you will begin to experientially determine just where your storage needs need further addressing.

The thing to remember about iCloud is that the Service is both a Data-Storage and a Data-Mirror all wrapped into one. iCloud is not a backup strategy.

With iCloud Photos, nothing is lost unless you specifically choose to delete something. Even then, there is a 30-day previously-deleted archival buffer you can use to back-out of any mis-takes you may feel you have made.

Weird-doo-doo (total Informational Collapse, ecological destruction, biological anarchy, et al.) aside, I can safely say (having used the Service for over a decade) that the data you sync with iCloud persists.

Since you (and I are in agreement about the) need to make full backups, let's give it a go

You have nothing to lose by trying!