How to Efficiently Delete Photos from iMac and Keep Them in iCloud

Managing photos on your iMac and ensuring they are backed up in iCloud can be a straightforward process. Here's a detailed guide on how to delete photos from your iMac and keep a copy in the cloud, along with tips for optimizing storage space.

Ensuring iCloud Photos is Enabled

To start, it's essential to ensure that iCloud Photos is enabled on your iMac. This step is crucial for ensuring that your photos are automatically synced and stored in the cloud.

Launch the Photos app on your iMac. Go to Photos Preferences or use the keyboard shortcut Command , which opens the Photos settings. Select the iCloud tab and ensure that the option iCloud Photos is checked.

This ensures that your photos are uploaded to iCloud, making them accessible from any device that supports iCloud.

Checking iCloud Storage

Before proceeding with photo deletion, it's important to check if you have enough space in iCloud to accommodate your photos.

Go to the Apple Menu and select System Preferences. Click on Apple ID and then choose Manage Your iCloud Storage.

Review the storage usage to ensure that you have sufficient space or consider upgrading your storage plan if necessary.

Optimizing Storage

To free up space on your iMac while keeping your photos accessible in the cloud, use the Optimize Mac Storage feature.

Return to the Photos Preferences and select the iCloud tab. Select the option Optimize Mac Storage.

This feature enables your Mac to keep smaller versions of your photos while storing the full-resolution versions in iCloud.

Deleting Photos from iMac

Once your photos are synced to iCloud, you can proceed to delete them from your iMac:

Launch the Photos app. Select the photos or albums you wish to delete. Right-click and choose Delete Photos, or press Command Delete. Confirm the deletion process.

After deleting, you can verify the removal in iCloud by logging into iCloud or using the Photos app on another Apple device.

Important Note

Deleting photos from your Mac only moves them to the iCloud Trash, which is much like the Finder's trash in macOS. They remain accessible via iCloud, so specific steps are required to permanently delete them from iCloud.

By following these steps, you can efficiently manage your photos, freeing up space on your iMac while ensuring they are safely stored in the cloud.

Tips for Further Optimization:

Regularly check your iCloud storage to manage usage and avoid exceeding your storage limit. Upgrade your iCloud storage plan if you need more space. Use third-party apps that specialize in optimizing photo storage on iCloud.

For those who prefer a visual guide, visiting the official Apple support site can provide additional step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting tips.

By following these steps, you can effectively manage your photo storage on an iMac and keep your photos accessible in the cloud for easy retrieval from any device.