iCloud Photo Library to iCloud Drive

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Level 1

8 points

iCloud Photo Library to iCloud Drive

I got a new phone with a lower storage assuming iCloud could compensate the difference, but quickly I got the message of low storage, before deleting from my device I checked options, and find out that Icloud Photo mirrors the photos on my phone, so if I delete from my phone they will also be deleted from iCloud. I already tried optimizing the space but is still not enough storage, I have 200GB on iCloud and 64Gb on my phone.

I started to download photos from my iCloud to a physical hard drive but it's a pain... is there any way to migrate them from Photos to iCloud Drive? they are both part of iCloud and I hope to find and easy way to move them so I can keep all.

Thank you.

iPhone 11 Pro, iOS 13

Posted on Oct 28, 2019 9:43 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

FoxFifth

Level 10

472,227 points

Oct 28, 2019 11:06 AM in response to MelLnz

I don't know of an easy way and don't recommend doing that anyway as iCloud Drive is not designed for cloud-only storage of photos. I am aware that some have been using it for that but there is a risk involved. There are 3rd party options that are designed for that.

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Answer 2

tygb

Level 9

64,748 points

Oct 28, 2019 11:33 AM in response to MelLnz

In Mac photo application , select few photos https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/photos/pht40b0be510/4.0/mac/10.14

and export them .

Export photos

Shift-Command-E

A folder will be directly created in iCloud Drive having the number of photos you selected .

Some users like to save photos in the iCloud Drive , but this will increase the storage of iCloud Drive as you might have some documents , files .. also when desktops and documents box and iCloud is turned as on https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/mac-help/mchle5a61431/10.14/mac/10.14

So what you inquired keeping all photos in iCloud Drive is not recommended , for that you need to set up iCloud photo library https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT204264

And its preferences https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/photos/pht5156cc968/4.0/mac/10.14

and you wish the photos to be transferred to the connected external hard drive see these https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/photos/pht6d60d10f/mac

In finder > Go > home > your user name > pictures either drag and drop PhotosLibrary.photoslibrary or masters folder to an external hard drive .

Note : masters folder is in Mac OS mojave and the name is changed to originals in Mac OS catalina 10.15

If your Mac and an iPhone are signed in with same Apple ID and password , and you create a folder in iCloud Drive

And right click on the column the photos can be imported from iPhone to Mac ( it is greyed because right not the device are not synced , just to explain ) and this will also increase the space in Mac , but you have not clarified in your post that devices are syncing .

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Answer 3

MelLnz Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 28, 2019 10:43 AM in response to FoxFifth

It’s not that I don’t want to, is that it doesn’t free all the space I need, I had around 80Gb on Photo Library, on a 64Gb storage phone. And I kept greeting the message that I don’t have enough storage even tho the Optimise option was on.

I’m not looking to move to 3rd parties, just asking if there is any “easy” way to move them from library to Drive. I can do it manually downloading the files and then upload them again to drive, it just seems an unnecessary step been both on the same iCloud account.

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Answer 4

FoxFifth

Level 10

472,227 points

Oct 28, 2019 10:16 AM in response to MelLnz

If the Optimize iPhone Storage option in iCloud Photos isn't what you want, you may want to explore 3rd party options such as Google Photos or Dropbox.

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iCloud Photo Library to iCloud Drive

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