iCloud allows us to store data from our Mac or iOS devices on Apple's servers, enabling seamless synchronization across multiple devices while helping free up local storage. However, some Mac users report that after enabling iCloud Photos, they notice that while all their photos and videos have been uploaded to iCloud, iCloud Photos still consumes a significant amount of Mac storage. As a result, their Mac runs low on space.
So, how can you free up iCloud Photos storage on your Mac without deleting photos from iCloud? If you're experiencing this issue, here is the solution to help you resolve it.
1. Check Your iCloud Photos Settings
Open the Photos app and go to Photos -> Settings -> iCloud. You’ll find two options for managing iCloud Photos on your Mac:
• Download Originals to this Mac – This option stores full-resolution photos and videos on your Mac, meaning it does not save local storage space.
• Optimize Mac Storage – This option saves storage by keeping only lower-resolution thumbnails on your Mac while downloading full-resolution files only when needed.
If you have Download Originals to this Mac selected, your Mac will store all iCloud Photos locally, which is why it's using a lot of space. However, even with Optimize Mac Storage enabled, some downloaded photos and videos may not be automatically removed, still occupying Mac storage.
2. Backup and Remove the System Photo Library
To free up iCloud Photos storage on your Mac without deleting them from iCloud, you need to remove the existing system photo library and create a new one.
Step 1: Backup Your Photo Library
Before proceeding, it's important to back up all photos to avoid losing any original files that may not have been uploaded to iCloud. For an organized backup with photo library metadata, consider using Photo Exifer, a third-party tool that can export photos along with their metadata by year, month, or album, preserving the structure of your photo library.
How to Back Up Using Photo Exifer:
1. Download and install Photo Exifer on your Mac.
2. Open Photo Exifer and click the Photo Library tab to load all photos and videos from the Photos app. Click Quick Action -> Export Original Photos with Photo Library Metadata -> Export Original Photos with All Photo Library Metadata. Save the exported photos to an external hard drive.
Step 2: Remove the System Photo Library
1. Open Finder and navigate to ~/Pictures.
2. Locate and delete the Photos Library.photoslibrary file. Empty the Trash to completely remove the library from your Mac.
3. Create a New Photo Library and Sync iCloud Photos
1. Quit the Photos app. Hold down the Option (⌥) key and open the Photos app. In the "Choose Library" window, click Create New… to create a new blank photo library.
2. Go to Photos -> Settings -> General and click Use as System Photo Library.
3. Go to Photos -> Settings -> iCloud, then enable iCloud Photos and select Optimize Mac Storage to sync your iCloud Photos efficiently.
Once these steps are completed, your Mac will no longer store unnecessary original photos, effectively freeing up storage while keeping all your photos safe in iCloud.
About Fireebok Studio
Our article content is to provide solutions to solve the technical issue when we are using iPhone, macOS, WhatsApp and more. If you are interested in the content, you can subscribe to us. And We also develop some high quality applications to provide fully integrated solutions to handle more complex problems. They are free trials and you can access download center to download them at any time.
| Popular Articles & Tips You May Like | ||||
 |
 |
 |
||
| Five ways to recover lost iPhone data | How to reduce WhatsApp storage on iPhone | How to Clean up Your iOS and Boost Your Device's Performance | ||