iCloud Does iCloud sync original files to a Mac?

[Ketsjap]

I used to use my Mac as backup-device for photos and videos made on my iPhone. Every X months I’d connect the iPhone to the Mac via USB-cable, to copy everything to the photos app.

Recently I’m using iCloud (optimise iPhone storage enabled) to upload everything to the cloud. When I open the photos app on my Mac, the pictures are there as well.

Here’s the question: are these iCloud photos & videos automatically downloaded to my Mac? Are they physically on the HD drive of my Mac, in the photoslibrary folder, the same way it used to be when connecting my iPhone using a USB-cable?

Does this make connecting the iPhone via USB to the Mac (to backup to HD) unnessecary?

 

[chrfr]

I used to use my Mac as backup-device for photos and videos made on my iPhone. Every X months I’d connect the iPhone to the Mac via USB-cable, to copy everything to the photos app.

Recently I’m using iCloud (optimise iPhone storage enabled) to upload everything to the cloud. When I open the photos app on my Mac, the pictures are there as well.

Here’s the question: are these iCloud photos & videos automatically downloaded to my Mac? Are they physically on the HD drive of my Mac, in the photoslibrary folder, the same way it used to be when connecting my iPhone using a USB-cable?

Does this make connecting the iPhone via USB to the Mac (to backup to HD) unnessecary?

If you have “optimize storage” turned off for the Photos app on your Mac, then yes, the photos are actually on the Mac and you don’t need to physically connect your phone to transfer photos anymore.