iCloud Photo Library and Photos for Mac

I would like to be sure that the photos that are downloaded to my Macbook Pro from my camera to Photos for Mac are backed up to iCloud Photos? I've followed all instructions on going to system preferences>icloud>tick the box etc etc but the photos don't show up when I log in to icloud online.

Please help!!

Jack

A warm welcome to Mac-Forums, Jack. Good to have you along.

I am going to give the settings etc. I understand that you have tried these, but this is the correct way to set things up:

Firstly, you say "camera" rather than iPhone so I assume that you have a "real" camera and that you download pictures from the camera to your MacBook Pro (MBP) by cable to a USB port or equivalent.

Please tell me if this wrong because if you have an iPhone, the settings would be different.

On your MBP, open the Photos app. Then Click on the Photos icon in the top menu bar and select Preferences.

In preferences, choose iCloud. The box that you need to check is "iCloud Photos Library", like this:



You will probably want to click the Download photos..... as in the screenshot.

That's it. For this to work, of course, you need to be signed into your iCloud account on the MBP and have photos checked for syncing.

To check this, go into System Preferences > iCloud and check all the things you want to sync. Along from photos is "options". Click on that and make sure that iCloud Photo Library is checked. It should be if you followed the above. If not, check it.

This is the correct way.

Please report back.

Ian

Added note: I sure hope the OP has a normal backup as well and I sure wouldn't rely on iCloud as the only backup!!!




- Patrick
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Hi IWT and thank you for taking the time to reply. Correct in the assumption it is an external camera. Alas I have followed the above and still not backed up - I am stumped!

Anything else I can try?

Hi again. I’m sorry you are having so much trouble.

My first question, and I absolutely mean no offence, but how do you know they aren’t backed up?

I ask this because if you have a lot of pictures and they are of fairly high resolution, then the backup process could take a long time - and by long time, I mean days or longer.

To expedite the backup, keep your MacBook Pro plugged into power supply and ensure you have the best, ie , strongest Wi Fi you can get.

Furthermore, keep the Photos app open in the background.

Roughly how fast is your WiFi and approximately how many pictures are we talking about here?

Don’t give up. We’ll get there.

Ian

Roughly how fast is your WiFi and approximately how many pictures are we talking about here?

Click to expand...

Using http://www.speedtest.net could at least help the OP show what his speed potential is.

Just a suggestion…





- Patrick
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Hi Ian,

Thanks for your help. As would luck, or lack thereof, would have it, we were burgled a few nights OK, Macbook Pro taken, so if the photos weren't backed up, they're certainly gone now! I have checked on iCloud and only photos from my iPhone are under photos. However, there is about 6GB of 'backup' that I am not able to access - could this be what I was trying to backup? How do i access 'backup'?

Thanks

Jack

Backup, is your device backup. The only way to access it, is to restore the backup, onto your device.

However, there is about 6GB of 'backup' that I am not able to access - could this be what I was trying to backup? How do i access 'backup'?

Click to expand...

Is this something that imazing.app or maybe iExplorer.app could do???

https://imazing.com
https://macroplant.com/iexplorer




- Patrick
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@ ferrarr, sorry for this, but how do I restore backup? I can still view it on iCloud - can I restore to my other (work) PC?

jackoregan said:

@ ferrarr, sorry for this, but how do I restore backup? I can still view it on iCloud - can I restore to my other (work) PC?

Click to expand...

Do you have a copy of the latest iTunes for Windows on your PC? If so, you can use iTunes to restore the backup from iCloud.

Hi Ferrarr, iTunes is fine. My crisis is the above queries on photos from my SLR camera that I downloaded to Photos for mac and had believed had been backed up on iCloud. I'm hoping that this is what is 'backup' but I'm not able to retrieve the backup - is this possible? Any help or advice would really be appreciated.
Jack

The "backup" stored in iCloud, is for your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad. If you want to restore your backup, it will erase your device and restore the backup onto that.

Any help or advice would really be appreciated

Click to expand...

Do any of these help?:

How do I access my backed up files on iCloud?
If you use iCloud Backup, you won't find a list of your backups on iCloud.com. Here's how to find your iCloud backups on your iOS device, Mac, or PC. On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:
Using iOS 11, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backup.Sep 20, 2017

Click to expand...

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204215

or
How to Access iCloud Backup on iPhone, Mac, and PC
https://www.easeus.com/ios-tips/access-icloud-backup-on-iphone.html




- Patrick
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Thanks Patrick. Unfortunately no, the storage is just what is contained on the iPhone it seems that no matter what settings I had on the Mac Book, the photos were not saved to iCloud. Won't be replying on it again.
Thanks for your help.

Thanks Patrick. Unfortunately no, the storage is just what is contained on the iPhone

Click to expand...

Sorry to read about iCloud not working as expected but it seems to be how it works for many and not exactly reliable.

I sure wouldn't rely only on it for any sort of backup, but then again I don't really use it for such anyway, but do use it for some "family sharing".

And a local hard drive(s) work well for us for normal backups.





- Patrick
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