iPhone XR How to keep Photo library synced & stored on iCloud, without using phone storage?

[cb911]

I had to do a factory restore recently (trying to fix carrier issues), when I had a fresh install on the phone and had logged into iCloud I noticed all my photos showing in the phone Photos library but no storage space was used. I would have been happy to keep it like that, but I needed my app data back so I had to restore a backup which of course transferred all the photos back to the phone.

Is there any way I can now keep my apps/app data, keep the Photos/iCloud Photo Library linked without using phone storage?

I was doing a bit of reading and some websites suggested that if you log in to a different iCloud account, delete the photos on the phone then log back into your own iCloud account it will sync photos without transferring them to the phone - would this actually work?

 

[Shirasaki]

First, it is impossible to offset all storage spaces used on your iPhone for iCloud Photo Library even with “optimised storage” open. Thumbnails must be downloaded and stored locally, which is heavily dependent on how many photos you have. Mine can be 8GB even if no photos are stored locally.

I have no idea nor know why that switching account login works. All I know is you prolly have to use iCloud backup for storage offset to work.

Actually now that I’m thinking about it, that switch account process re-downloads iCloud account data, including thumbnails of your photo library, without actual images. That’s probably why it works.

 

[cb911]

Hhmmm... so when I had a fresh iOS install and logged into iCloud and could see my old Photo library albums etc. on the phone, it wasn't showing any used storage space simply because it there wasn't yet time for it to download everything? Thumbnails etc.? There is no way it would stay that way using no phone storage, especially with 120+GB on iCloud?

Actually just checking storage on the phone now - it's saying 50.7GB of 256GB used, the bar graph shows that as mostly photos but then it reloads to show only a small sliver as photo storage. Optimise Phone Storage is on so I guess that's answered my question! May have just taken a little bit after I restored the backup to catch up with itself. 👍

 

[akash.nu]

Hhmmm... so when I had a fresh iOS install and logged into iCloud and could see my old Photo library albums etc. on the phone, it wasn't showing any used storage space simply because it there wasn't yet time for it to download everything? Thumbnails etc.? There is no way it would stay that way using no phone storage, especially with 120+GB on iCloud?

Actually just checking storage on the phone now - it's saying 50.7GB of 256GB used, the bar graph shows that as mostly photos but then it reloads to show only a small sliver as photo storage. Optimise Phone Storage is on so I guess that's answered my question! May have just taken a little bit after I restored the backup to catch up with itself.

You got it.