Retrieving space on iPhone by deleting photographs

[Narked Diver]

Hi,

I have 23 GB of photos stored on my iPhone and I have my iCloud Photo Library set to Optimise iPhone storage

I know if I leave iCloud Photo Library switched on and delete photos they will be deleted from all my devices so what I'm thinking of doing is the following

1) Check that my Photo Library on my Mac Mini is up to date with my iPhone
2) Back up my iPhone to iTunes
3) Assuming that it is then turn off iCloud Photo Library on my iPhone
4) Delete all the photos from my iPhone
5) Turn on iCloud Photo Library on my iPhone

Am I correct in thinking that when I complete step 5) my iPhone will be updated with the thumbnail versions of my complete Photo Library?

Also, assuming that this works can anyone suggest a quick way of selecting all the photos from my iPhone?

Thanks in advance

 

[Shirasaki]

You can take a few random photos, and test this method out safely without risking losing everything.
However, I am afraid what you have done will not be able to save you a lot, as the monent you turn on iCloud Photo Library, all your photos may be deleted.

 

[Lodesman]

I don't use iPhoto but do store my photos on my Mac and ext HDD.

Simply connect your iPhone to the Mac, open Image Capture on the Mac, select "import all" photos to a folder you designate on your Mac and then delete the photos from your iPhone.

Loads of space then on your iPhone.

 

[roastspud]

Why not backup to onedrive or google photos and then try it? That way you will a backup.

 

[Narked Diver]

Why not backup to onedrive or google photos and then try it? That way you will a backup.

I hadn't thought of that - all my photos are on my Mac mini so I could just copy them out of the photos Library into another directory and the import them back into Photos on my Mac mini if any go missing
[doublepost=1502197394][/doublepost]

I don't use iPhoto but do store my photos on my Mac and ext HDD.

Simply connect your iPhone to the Mac, open Image Capture on the Mac, select "import all" photos to a folder you designate on your Mac and then delete the photos from your iPhone.

Loads of space then on your iPhone.

Cheers - that's the mass delete option sorted and I have a way of backing up my photos before I start

 

[Lodesman]

Delighted to have been able to help.

Usually I cannot understand most of what is posted here.

Ho Hum !!

 

[aristobrat]

I have 23 GB of photos stored on my iPhone and I have my iCloud Photo Library set to Optimise iPhone storage

I know if I leave iCloud Photo Library switched on and delete photos they will be deleted from all my devices so what I'm thinking of doing is the following

If you have iCloud Photo Library enabled on your iPhone, and you have "Optimize iPhone Storage" enabled, your iPhone should automatically delete your full sized photos (and replace with a thumbnail) as space is needed on your iPhone.

You shouldn't have to do anything of this manually?

 

[Narked Diver]

If you have iCloud Photo Library enabled on your iPhone, and you have "Optimize iPhone Storage" enabled, your iPhone should automatically delete your full sized photos (and replace with a thumbnail) as space is needed on your iPhone.

You shouldn't have to do anything of this manually?

I believe the optimisation only comes into play when you want to add something - my phone had less than 1gb storage remaining and was constantly giving me 'Storage nearly full' messages

I managed to clear 3gb from a couple of apps to stop the messages but by far the biggest memory hog remaining is is photos

 

[Shirasaki]

If you have iCloud Photo Library enabled on your iPhone, and you have "Optimize iPhone Storage" enabled, your iPhone should automatically delete your full sized photos (and replace with a thumbnail) as space is needed on your iPhone.

You shouldn't have to do anything of this manually?

That thing replaces almost all your current photos with thumbnails the moment it is enabled. I tried it once and it worked that way. Maybe future photos are saved as original resolution until being uploaded.

 

[Narked Diver]

That thing replaces almost all your current photos with thumbnails the moment it is enabled. I tried it once and it worked that way. Maybe future photos are saved as original resolution until being uploaded.

From what I'm seeing all the photos that I've taken since turning on optimisation stay at original resolution indefinitely even after they have been uploaded

Also any photos that you download stay at original resolution as well