Hey folks! I'm trying to wrap my head around how iCloud+ would work when it comes to storing photos across my devices. I currently have a Macbook, an iPhone, and an iPad, and I'm thinking about upgrading to 2 TB of iCloud storage. Here are my main questions:
1. If I get 2 TB on iCloud, will it free up space on my Macbook? I've heard that iCloud isn't like an external hard drive where you combine storage; I'm curious how this actually plays out with my photos.
2. How exactly do my photos sync across my devices? Is it like a live sync where the storage of my devices counts against that 2 TB cap, or do they get stored separately?
3. And what if I'm not connected to the internet? Can I still access certain files? Am I able to choose which files I want downloaded locally?
I have roughly 1.19 TB of photos taking up space on my Macbook right now, and I'm concerned about how this will affect the storage on my other devices. Also, if I have different albums or features like Favorites or Hidden photos, will they sync correctly without overwriting anything? Thanks for your insights!
2 Answers
BBB's explanation was spot on! Your iCloud acts as the main storage, and on your devices, you can decide how much is stored locally. Unfortunately, you can't pick specific files to keep offline; iCloud will prioritize certain photos, typically based on your favorites. If you have a lot of photos on your Mac, you might want to disable optimization to keep your critical files local.
Just be mindful that iCloud is great but not a substitute for proper backups. I recommend having local backups too. And about sharing with family, if you’re on a family plan, it usually means that their storage will count against your limits!
Think of iCloud storage as the main hub where your data lives. Once you enable iCloud Photos on your Mac, you can choose to optimize storage. When that's on, your Mac will only keep lower resolution images, freeing up space while keeping the full-resolution files in iCloud. When you need to view a photo, it'll download it automatically. Plus, any changes you make get synced back to iCloud.
As for your photos across devices, they'll all be synced and only exist once in iCloud, so it won't add up to 3 TB. This means you won’t use up more than the total you have with iCloud.
For files, yes, you can keep certain files stored locally and available offline; it syncs changes when you reconnect to the internet. And if you choose to disable iCloud Photos on a device, you can keep a local copy or remove it from that device entirely.
Thanks! Sounds like iCloud+ could really help me save space on my Macbook. I just want to make sure my family’s data doesn’t mess with my storage limits.
I’m relieved to hear that iCloud will solve my storage issues for now. You raised a great point about backups though. I’ll have to weigh my options carefully.