iCloud syncing and Photos Library compatability

Question

iCloud syncing and Photos Library compatability

Hi,

I have a Photos Library (MacOS 15.0.1) which is too big to store on my MacBook Pro. I would love to take advantage of the iCloud syncing. I have an older iMac (from 2017, limited to MacOS 13.7), which i was thinking i could use as a hub for storing the photos on (the photos located on a connected external drive). My thought was that it would always be on, and therefore always syncing (which would be a plus).

The problem is that the iMac cannot update to an OS where it would be compatible with the newer Photos Library. Could i somehow make the Photos Library compatible, so i would be able to sync across devices through the iMac with the older MacOS (without taking space on my MacBook and e.g. iPhone)? And would it even work if i could make the library compatible (to e.g. browse the library on the MacBook, even though it is stored on the external drive connected to the older iMac)?

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.0

Posted on Oct 17, 2024 10:07 AM

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Answer 1

steve626

Level 6

11,111 points

Oct 17, 2024 8:03 PM in response to IHaveAQuestion222

You don't need to have the Photos Library be compatible on the older iMac.

For the iPhone and MacBook Pro you can select a Photos Setting option to store full-sized images in iCloud but only smaller versions locally on those two devices. You need to check that your iCloud plan has adequate storage to contain the entire full-sized images for the entire Library before selecting this option.

Meanwhile on the older iMac, set up its Photos Library and in its Settings specify that full-sized complete images are stored. It will sync to iCloud Photos and you will have the complete full-sized images on that older iMac.

You will then (after all devices have finished syncing) be able to browse all the photo images on the MacBook Pro. What you will see there are smaller sized versions of the files but they will look fine on the screen. You can download full-sized files for any image files that you choose on that MacBook Pro, but you can default to keeping only smaller versions (thumbnails) there. All the devices will continue to sync all the images in the Photos Library.

The key here is that all your full-sized image files for the Photos Library are always stored in iCloud. But any (or all) of your devices can be specified to store local smaller sized versions of any or all of the images, to save space. Full sized versions of any of the image files are always available with one click as long as you have an internet connection.

If you want to access any full-sized images when you are offline, e.g. on a plane, you need to download those to your laptop or phone so you can access them when offline. When you want to conserve space again, you can specify to keep only small-sized images on your devices; the full size images are always available in the iCloud Photos Library.

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