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Download a few chosen photos and videos from iCloud to photos on to an iDevice for off line viewing

Is there a way to download a few chosen photos and videos from iCloud to photos on to an iPad or iPhone so you can be sure those few favourite photos are available off line?


I had hoped marking the photos/videos as a 'Favourite' might work but I don't think it does.


If I select the 'Download and Keep Originals' option in settings/photos are my photos & vids still properly uploaded to the iCloud? Will my iPad suddenly become full of 1000's of photos & vids I don't need to store?


Thanks for any help, Simon

iPad Pro, iOS 12

Posted on Jun 12, 2019 3:18 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 12, 2019 4:34 AM

If I select the 'Download and Keep Originals' option in settings/photos are my photos & vids still properly uploaded to the iCloud?

Yes, the originals will remain in iCloud.

Will my iPad suddenly become full of 1000's of photos & vids I don't need to store?

Yes, after a while. Photos will keep any image you download stored locally, and over time, all photos will be stored locally.


You cannot control "Optimize iPhone Storage". It is fully automatic. But usually the photos you have not viewed in a long time will get optimized first. keep viewing your Favorites frequently to ensure they will stay put. And avoid running out of storage. If you keep plenty of storage available and free, there will be no need for "Optimize" to remove more photos.

But even then you cannot be sure, that all images will remain stored locally. I am simply only keeping the favorites in iCloud Photos, so I do not need to enable "Optimize Storage" on any of my devices.


You could save the photos you want to keep available to the Files.app and save them locally, not in iCloud.

But then you will not be able to see them in Photos, only in Files.



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5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 12, 2019 4:34 AM in response to Verdi Baritus

If I select the 'Download and Keep Originals' option in settings/photos are my photos & vids still properly uploaded to the iCloud?

Yes, the originals will remain in iCloud.

Will my iPad suddenly become full of 1000's of photos & vids I don't need to store?

Yes, after a while. Photos will keep any image you download stored locally, and over time, all photos will be stored locally.


You cannot control "Optimize iPhone Storage". It is fully automatic. But usually the photos you have not viewed in a long time will get optimized first. keep viewing your Favorites frequently to ensure they will stay put. And avoid running out of storage. If you keep plenty of storage available and free, there will be no need for "Optimize" to remove more photos.

But even then you cannot be sure, that all images will remain stored locally. I am simply only keeping the favorites in iCloud Photos, so I do not need to enable "Optimize Storage" on any of my devices.


You could save the photos you want to keep available to the Files.app and save them locally, not in iCloud.

But then you will not be able to see them in Photos, only in Files.



Download a few chosen photos and videos from iCloud to photos on to an iDevice for off line viewing

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