iCloud Photos being backed up twice

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Level 1

9 points

iCloud Photos being backed up twice

I have had iCloud Photo Library turned on for years on my iPhone X. On that phone when I go into the settings for that phones iCloud backup it says that the photos are not backed up as they are let of iCloud Photo Library.

However on my new iPhone 11 it’s now trying to back them up twice. They are listed and I can see taking up memory in both the iCloud Photo Library and in the iCloud backup.

I can manually say not to back these up but it was the default so worried about needing to turn something off that I didn’t need to before.

iPhone 11 Pro, iOS 13

Posted on Jan 12, 2020 2:39 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

LACAllen

Level 8

43,500 points

Jan 13, 2020 12:00 AM in response to dave_irl

Regarding how to see this, if you go to Manage Storage -> Backups -> and the backup for the iPhone you are on. You can then select what data to include and not include.

I assure you, your photos are not in the backup.

The listed size of your library is 158GB, but the backup size is 32GB.

If you turn Apps Using iCloud > Photos to off, your backup size will grow to include that 158GB library and the Photos item will drop off the space used.

Your photos are in iCloud, but in the form of an iCloud Photo Library, not as part of an iCloud backup.

If you look at the horizontal "space used" bar, why would the Backup space taken not be as much as the Photos space taken and then more for the items actually being stored in your backup?

If you don't believe me, maybe you'll believe Apple.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207428

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Answer 2

dave_irl Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 12, 2020 11:31 PM in response to LACAllen

On your second point. Agreed and that’s how it was on my previous devices but this time my iCloud backup has gone from 15GB to 200GB+ and I can see photos are included.

Regarding how to see this, if you go to Manage Storage -> Backups -> and the backup for the iPhone you are on. You can then select what data to include and not include.

See attached images showing that Photos are backed up using iCloud Photo Library but are selectable to back up again.

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Answer 3

dave_irl Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 13, 2020 1:32 AM in response to LACAllen

You’ve missed my point. My photos are not in there because I’ve manually deselected backing them up. If I don’t do that they are being duped. That’s my whole point, I don’t have to manually deselect on my other devices. See the screenshot below where photos aren’t available and it expressly says they are backed up elsewhere

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