Photos in iCloud storage is 540GB but the my Mac Photos Library is 640GB. I use iCloud Photos with ‘Download originals’ set on my Mac. Anyone know why the discrepancy? More importantly, I’m concerned that iCloud Photos doesn’t have all my Mac photos and not sure there’s any way for me to check.
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Discrepancy between Photos Library size on Mac and Photos size in iCloud
- Thread starter acousticbiker
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Of course there's a way to check. Compare the total number of photos and videos in your Mac library with the total number on iCloud.com. Mine match exactly. Your Mac library size is likely larger because that's where you're storing the originals. What's on iCloud is a lower quality, so less space is used.
Ah, ok, I didn’t think of that and see that there are 50+ less photos and one less video in iCloud than on my Mac. Is there a way for me to figure out which are missing in iCloud?
When using iCloud Photos, pictures are saved in full resolution in iCloud so that shouldn’t be the reason for the discrepancy (and it would be weird for it do only decrease photo quality by 15% if it was doing that)
Another possible reason for the discrepancy in numbers and storage differences:
"iCloud Photos uploads photos and videos from your Mac System Library. Photos and videos that you keep outside of your System Library won't upload or update across your devices." (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204570)
My understanding was that if the full resolution original was downloaded to your Mac, that higher res version is no longer stored in iCloud. But that's just my interpretation of the support articles and could be completely wrong.
Other than that, I'm not sure what else to suggest.
Added: just as a reference, my iCloud Photos are 5.8GB and on my Mac it's 6.93GB for my current library. I also use the Download Originals setting.
"iCloud Photos uploads photos and videos from your Mac System Library. Photos and videos that you keep outside of your System Library won't upload or update across your devices." (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204570)
My understanding was that if the full resolution original was downloaded to your Mac, that higher res version is no longer stored in iCloud. But that's just my interpretation of the support articles and could be completely wrong.
Other than that, I'm not sure what else to suggest.
Added: just as a reference, my iCloud Photos are 5.8GB and on my Mac it's 6.93GB for my current library. I also use the Download Originals setting.
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I don't think that can be right. How about the case where you have two Macs and both are set to download full resolution?
You should be comparing iCloud storage with just the originals folder inside the Mac's Photos library.
Mine with Download Originals:
Photos and iCloud both report the same number of photos (2687) and videos (63) - total 2750. Plus 30 recently deleted. That is good!
iCloud storage reports as 19.64 GB. Photos Library (originals folder only) is 21.21 GB. Whole library is 22.93 GB. So compared with iCloud, originals folder is about 8% bigger and the whole library another 8 % bigger.
Whilst both report same number of images/videos, the originals folder (within Photos library) has 2827 photos and 185 videos - total 3012.
Confused? Maybe.
Some possible explanations/thoughts:
1) Partial explanation of size difference: Don't compare iCloud size with the whole Photos Library on the Mac. Only compare with originals folder on the Mac. But that still leaves a significant difference.
2) Possible explanation of different counts: The difference in count of images/videos and count of files could arise from photos have multiple components. They may have both short video and image - reported as one image in Photos and iCloud, but stored as two files on the Mac. Also some of my photos have both JPEG and RAW files.
3) Regarding total size, I conclude that Apple is not counting everything in iCloud.
1) If the counts are same, it is most likely ok.
2) Do a test by downloading a few objects from iCloud (via web interface) and compare with objects in the Photos Library.
3) Make sure you have a good backup of the Photos library.
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Do you have any "referenced" photos in your Mac's library. These are photos processed/included in the library, but residing outside the library somewhere else on your disk. You can see these in Photos by creating a Smart Album with the criterion "Photo is Referenced".
Thanks! That accounts for the discrepancy in count but not storage, as the referenced photos and one video do not account for 100GB.
I’m still trying to figure out whether the amount of hard drive space I’ll need on my new external drive will be 540MB (amount showing in iCloud Photos) or 640MB (amount showing in Mac Photos library). In case it matters, current Mac is Intel with HDD and new Mac will be M1 with external SSD for Photos library
That would be absolutely stupid. It means that if I lose my Mac I will lose all my full-resolution photos forever. I would not be able to connect a new Mac to my iCloud account and recover the entire library.
I really hope this isn't the case, because if it is, it renders the iCloud completely useless.
Edit: Actually, it can't be true, because my iPhone is set to optimized storage, and if I click on a low-resolution photo it will bring the full-resolution version from iCloud. So the full-resolution picture must be in iCloud even though it's also stored locally on my Mac.
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As I said that might be completely wrong, but of course you would be regularly backing up your library as well so wouldn't lose your full res versions forever.
This.
Because on Mac you have edited copies of originals, thumbnails, databases for the photo management functions. Extra stuff that does not make it to iCloud.
Just did it and confirming 640MB. Anyone have advice now on the following question?