You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
Hi
I am relatively new to the Apple ecosystem (been an iPad user for years, but recently also bought a Mac mini). I want to see if I can use iCloud to SYNCHRONISE my photo collection from an external HDD. So to be clear, if I delete a photo on my external HDD, its reflected on the iCloud. Is this possible?
thanks in advance and apologies in advance if that is a truly obvious question
Mac mini 2018 or later
You can use the following instructions to move a Photo library to an external drive. If you designate it as the System Photo Library and turn on iCloud Photos, it will sync with iCloud.
See the information in Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support including
6 - If you use iCloud Photo Library, designate this library as the System Photo Library.
and
Make sure that the drive is turned on and available to your Mac before opening Photos. If Photos can't find your drive, it stops using the Photos Library stored there.
Also see: Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support
You can use the following instructions to move a Photo library to an external drive. If you designate it as the System Photo Library and turn on iCloud Photos, it will sync with iCloud.
See the information in Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support including
6 - If you use iCloud Photo Library, designate this library as the System Photo Library.
and
Make sure that the drive is turned on and available to your Mac before opening Photos. If Photos can't find your drive, it stops using the Photos Library stored there.
Also see: Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support
To conclude on this. I think this has finally led to what I wanted:
herc182 wrote:
Hi
I am relatively new to the Apple ecosystem (been an iPad user for years, but recently also bought a Mac mini). I want to see if I can use iCloud to SYNCHRONISE my photo collection from an external HDD. So to be clear, if I delete a photo on my external HDD, its reflected on the iCloud. Is this possible?
thanks in advance and apologies in advance if that is a truly obvious question
No that would only work between Apple devices Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support
Hi
I created a new photo library on my external ssd which is made up of >100 FOLDERS. Within those folders I have many photos. For some reason, setting this external ssd as my photo library isn't showing the photos on my photos app. What am I doing wrong?
I would like that external ssd to ultimately sync to iCloud but in system preferences and the "iCloud" section in side bar doesn't have "options" next to photos.
I will keep this thread live until I solve the problem. Seems I am slowly getting there. I think the sheer volume of photos (>37k) meant that photos (the app) couldn't handle it. I am now doing them in batches via the "import" menu within the photos app. Seems to handle at least 11k at a time....
I also switched off iCloud backup whilst doing this just in case that was also an issue.
After this, I will turn it back on and see if it syncs!
It is worth noting that by "importing" into photos, the file ".photoslibrary" will end up the same size as your collection. So realistically, if you have a big collection, you will likely need to store the aforementioned file on another HDD so as to keep your Mac storage free of it.
thanks. This does suggest that deleting files are reflected on iCloud. The external HDD would be connected to the Mac mini. Coupled with the instruction from foxfifth below, it would seem to work?
Do I need to "import" them?
iCloud synchronising for photo backup
