Setting up new Mac without transferring photos

[ahostmadsen]

Not sure where to ask this, so I'll try here.

I'm setting up a new Mac using Migration assistant (and, no, I don't want to set it up as a "clean" Mac). I want to transfer everything except my iCloud photos library. Rather, I prefer to just download it from iCloud on the new computer. How can I do this? My idea is as follows

1. Disable iClouds photos on the old Mac.
2. Delete the photos library.
3. Use migration assistant.
4. Enable iCloud photos on the new Mac with "download originals."

Would that work? I don't want to risk for example that it deletes all photos in iCloud.

 

[TechSnoop]

Did you get this sorted? The steps you listed are correct. More specifically: Go to Photos > Preferences > iCloud (Or go to System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud) and uncheck iCloud Photos > Say Yes to the alert whether to delete the photos from Mac. The photos will stay in iCloud Photos. The rest is as you have written.

 

[ahostmadsen]

Did you get this sorted? The steps you listed are correct. More specifically: Go to Photos > Preferences > iCloud (Or go to System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud) and uncheck iCloud Photos > Say Yes to the alert whether to delete the photos from Mac. The photos will stay in iCloud Photos. The rest is as you have written.

Yes, the above worked. I upgraded both my computers recently (12" MacBook->MacBook Air, 2019 Intel 16" MBP->M1 Pro 16" MBP) and used this procedure on both without problems (but it still took almost a week to download my full iPhotos album). By the way, I love the M1 MacBooks, such an upgrade from Intel!