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Multiple Devices on iCloud photos - adding a new device

I have both my iPad and iPhone uploading to the same iCloud account with the top box checked in System Preferences. (Automatically upload and safely store all your photos.....)

My home iMac Only has the Shared Albums checked, bottom box

Question is, if I check the top box iCloud Photos, will it combine or over-ride what is already there?


Just Nervous... thanks

Posted on Aug 21, 2021 6:49 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 22, 2021 4:13 AM

When you enable iCloud Photos on an additional device, the Photos Library on this new device will be merged into the existing iCloud Photos Library -all photos and videos, all albums and folders. Photos will be checking for duplicates and try to solve conflicts between duplicates. You may still see some duplicates, if a photo or video has been edited differently on the devices, or the titles, captions, keywords are different. Albums may vanish temporarily during the merging, but should reappear later. But you should not lose any photos or videos. But I would make a current backup of your Mac before enabling iCloud Photos. I would also save a copy of your Photos Library on a separate drive, so you can revert to the current state, if something should go wrong.


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4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 22, 2021 4:13 AM in response to Foodster1

When you enable iCloud Photos on an additional device, the Photos Library on this new device will be merged into the existing iCloud Photos Library -all photos and videos, all albums and folders. Photos will be checking for duplicates and try to solve conflicts between duplicates. You may still see some duplicates, if a photo or video has been edited differently on the devices, or the titles, captions, keywords are different. Albums may vanish temporarily during the merging, but should reappear later. But you should not lose any photos or videos. But I would make a current backup of your Mac before enabling iCloud Photos. I would also save a copy of your Photos Library on a separate drive, so you can revert to the current state, if something should go wrong.


Aug 21, 2021 7:15 AM in response to Foodster1

See the article Change preferences in Photos on Mac - Apple Support

When iCloud box is checked in photo preferences of Mac , the photos with full resolution saved in iCloud will sync with iPad / iPhone see the article Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support

When you turn on iCloud Photos, your photos and videos automatically upload to iCloud. They're not duplicated in your iCloud backup,

Aug 21, 2021 9:47 PM in response to Foodster1

Read this article My Photo Stream - Apple Support

The photos from My Photo Stream on your other devices aren't affected. Photos from My Photo Stream stay on the iCloud server for 30 days from the date you upload them to My Photo Stream. If you sign in to iCloud with the same Apple ID and turn on My Photo Stream on another device, the photos automatically download.


The photos that synced From iPhone / iPad to iCloud will also simultaneously synced with Mac when signed in with same Apple ID and password on the same network Use iCloud Photos to store photos in iCloud - Apple Support

Any new photos you add to Photos or take with an iOS device appear on all your devices that have iCloud Photos turned on. Your photos and albums are organised the same way on every device, and if you make edits or remove items, you see the changes on all your devices.

Multiple Devices on iCloud photos - adding a new device

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