Optimise storage - can i delete iPhoto Library?

[TorontoSS]

Hello - I have a late 2013 MBP 13 inch. I have 256gb space with about 120 remaining. I wanted to clear up more storage, partly because I ordered myself an MBA which is coming in a few weeks in 256. I kind of want to prove to myself I'm ok with space.

When I use the optimise storage recommendations, one of them is to delete large files. In this section, the iPhoto library file shows up at 20GB. it notes its migrated photos. Can I delete this? this has been asked, i'm aware, but there's a lot of confusing and conflicting info on it. i note my photos library folder is 10GB. I don't know if this makes a difference.

I make regular time machine backups if that matters.

If I delete the iPhoto library straight from that optimise storage section, will it have any effect on accessing my other photos? I use iCloud drive and photos and assumed all of them are stored on the cloud.

if I set up my new MBA from new, will I have access to these photos given i use iCloud for photos?

thanks in advance for your help.

 

[videosoul]

I wouldn't delete the whole library - that's asking for trouble. Because the library not only may contain master images (or copies of images that are also stored in the library), but also the versions of any images you may have edited (with the ability to revert to the originals with non-destructive editing), metadata, face recognition data, and importantly the links between your computer and the iCloud copies.

If you delete the library, then the Photos app won't know how to re-link to the versions stored in iCloud.

 

[TorontoSS]

Thank you very much for that. So it would be a bad idea to delete the folder. Fine, I agree. Here's another question though - if I delete photos from the Photos app, my storage isn't really going down. Nor does it go down if i delete certain albums from the iPhotos section in the app.

How do you actually delete photos to save some storage space?! thanks!

 

[videosoul]

If you delete photos in the Photos program, be sure first of all that you are actually deleting them, rather than just removing them from an album.

(For example, just hitting "backspace" on your keyboard on a selected photo would remove it from an album, but "command-backspace" would delete it completely).

Even then, they go to a Trash folder. In your list of albums on the left you'll see "Recently Deleted" - click on that, then in the top right of that "album" click "Delete All". This will fully remove them all from your system.

If you have iCloud sync turned on this MIGHT also delete the iCloud versions... But I'm not totally sure, sorry. You could test with a fe photos first.

 

[TorontoSS]

Thank you very much for that.

 

[SkiHound2]

Is the 20gb file an old iPhotos library or a Photos library. Has it been imported into your current Photos library? I NEVER simply delete stuff like this. BUT, if the answer to the above questions are yes, you should be able to move the library to an external drive. You can have multiple libraries in Photos and you can work off of external drives. It's often more convenient to keep your active library in it's default location, especially if you're using iCloud to share with other devices. Do a web search on moving iPhotos and Photos libraries. Also, if you have 120gb remaining on a 256gb drive it seems you're still in pretty decent shape.

 

[26139]

Do you use iCloud storage?

I do, mainly for photo storage and work stuff, which helps keep stuff accessible on my MBA (as long as I have Wifi) while uploading files and full-res photos for safe keeping to cut down on disk space.

I'm working a 2018 MBA 256 with about 60 gigs free.