iCloud Using iCloud Storage?

[BuddyRich]

Ive been getting the full Apple One package which includes the 2TB icloud storage. i recently synced all of my photos from my dslrs and filled 500gb... which is fine but my mac only has 256gb ssd so it filled my drive. i do have a 2tb external ssd, wondering if i can move my photos to but i am not sure how to do it.

wondering if there was a guide that explained how to use the icloud drive and photos. i guess its less like a storge drive and more like a sync service.

it didnt sync full res photos nd fill my idevices but only seemed to do it for my mac.

one other thing i didnt quite understand, if i remove the original (my case i pointed it to a directory on my windows server) does it remove it or does it keep a copy in the cloud?

 

[OldRhodie]

I’m finding it difficult to get answers to the same questions so I’m going with trial & error.

It seems iCloud will synchronise with your Mac but download to your iPad and iPhone only when you use a file. I’ve been using MS OneDrive for many years and can’t figure out how iCloud works differently or the same. Sorry I can’t be more definitive.

 

[mlody]

You need to set Photos app to 'Optimize Mac Storage'. With that setting pictures on your mac will be downgraded in quality to fit on the local drive, but the full quality will still remain in the cloud. Everytime you open a picture, a full res copy will be downloaded from cloud.

and yes, you can move Photos library to an external drive

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

If you remove a picture from one of your devices that use iCloud photos, that photo will get removed from all devices that are using icloud photos, including shared albums you share with others.

 

[jamesarm97]

I have a question I hope someone can answer, I have searched all over and know the answer is out there because I came across it once and did it but forgot how and now a friend wants to do the same thing.

Organizer of Family Sharing is sharing their purchased 2TB iCloud plan but it is full. Need to have another family member purchase 2TB and become the "sharing person" of the iCloud storage for the whole family except the organizer, who will then use his own 2TB plan. I just can't find where to change this. I remember some obscure location where you can assign the person that shares the iCloud storage plan but cannot find it again or the document I had that I used once myself.