If you want your Mac's photos to wirelessly sync to all your other iOS devices and computers, you want to set up iCloud Photo Library: Apple's photo sync service lets you back up your images on all your devices, as well as access them — online or offline — on said devices. If you're willing to pay for the extra iCloud storage space, you can store an incredible amount of photos and videos, all accessible at the touch of a button or multi-touch screen.
Here's how to set it up on your Mac and get everything configured to your liking!
Jan 05, 2020 If you want your Mac's photos to wirelessly sync to all your other iOS devices and computers, you want to set up iCloud Photo Library: Apple's photo sync service lets you back up your images on all your devices, as well as access them — online or offline — on said devices.If you're willing to pay for the extra iCloud storage space, you can store an incredible amount of photos and videos.
How to set up iCloud Photo Library on your Mac
- Launch the Photos app on your Mac.
- Select the Photos menu in the upper left corner of your screen.
- Go to Preferences.
Click on the iCloud tab.
Source: iMore
Check 'iCloud Photos.' This will begin uploading any and all images you have stored in the Photos app to iCloud.
Source: iMore
How to optimize your photo and video storage
If you routinely shoot 4K video or high-quality images on your iPhone, iPad, or DSLR, you may run out of storage space fast. (I have a 1TB iMac, but also have almost a terabyte of 4K video stored in iCloud — it gets unwieldy, fast!) This is especially true if you have a Mac laptop with limited hard drive space: It's nice to look at your iPhone's gorgeous Portrait mode photos, but not necessarily always practical to store all of them locally.
Thankfully, Apple offers an Optimize Storage option, which lets you store full-resolution photos and videos of only your most recently shot and accessed imagery; all older photos and videos are available to download via iCloud and are stored as low-resolution previews on your device to save space. You can switch between optimizing your Mac's photos storage or storing your full library locally: Here's how!
Note: If you plan on using Optimize Storage, we suggest having at least one device that stores your entire library locally (usually a Mac with a large local or external hard drive), so you have multiple backups of your photographs and video.
- Launch the Photos app on your Mac.
- Click Photos in the App menu in the upper left corner of your screen.
Select Preferences from the drop-down menu.
Source: iMore
- Click the iCloud tab.
Click Optimize Mac Storage.
Source: iMore
Full-resolution versions of your photos and videos will be uploaded to iCloud.
How to share photos with iCloud Photo Library
Apple's photo service doesn't just provide online backups and sync for your images and video: The company also offers a free sharing service that allows you to send shared albums to friends and family (or create a publicly-shared website). Here's how to turn it on for your Mac.
Questions?
Let us know in the comments below.
Updated January 2020: Updated for macOS Catalina. Serenity Caldwell worked on a previous version of this post
iCloud Photo Library: The Ultimate Guide
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More Apple TV+ contentMartin Scorsese's next movie might come to Apple TV+ after Paramount walked
Turn On Icloud Music Library
Spiraling costs have put Paramount off Scorcese's next gig and Apple TV+ is one potential suitor. Netflix is said to be another potential avenue.
іClоud Music Library іѕ Aррlе'ѕ service tо ѕtоrе your реrѕоnаl muѕіс lіbrаrу online bу 'matching' your ѕоngѕ wіth ѕоngѕ listed in thе іTunеѕ Store (or bу downloading trасkѕ dіrесtlу, if no аgrееmеnt іѕ аvаіlаblе). You саn thеn stream аnd download uр tо ten other rеgіѕtеrеd dеvісеѕ іn уоur possession - without DRM.
Apple Music аnd іTunеѕ Match service аllоw you tо ассеѕѕ iCloud muѕіс library аnуwhеrе. Here in this post, we show you how to access iCloud music library and offer tips for enjoying music library.
- Part 1: How to Access iCloud Music Library on Different Devices?
- Part 2: Something Important You Need to Know about iCloud Music Library
- Extension: Transfer Music Between iOS 12 Device and iTunes with iMyFone TunesMate
How to Access iCloud Music Library on Different Devices?
Many people may ask, 'where is my iCloud music library' after subscribing Apple Music or iTunes Match service. In other words, how do you access iCloud music library? Here in this part, we focus on iCloud music library accessing on different devices (iOS devices, PC and Mac, etc.).
Enable iCloud Music Library on iOS Device:
Firstly, we take an iPhone as an example to show you how to enable and access iCloud music library on an iOS device. The step-by-step guide also applies to iPad and iPod. After enter the home screen of you iPhone, tap 'Settings' to enter the Settings panel where you need to scroll down to find 'Music' button, and then enter 'Music' to toggle 'iCloud Music Library' to green.You have enabled 'iCloud Music Library' function on your iPhone.
Enable iCloud Music Library on PC/Mac:
How To Turn Off Icloud Music Library
Secondly, we move to enable and access iCloud music library on computer (PC or Mac). Kick off iTunes on your computer and follow the guide below to enable iCloud music library.
For PC, i.e. Windows computer: On iTunes main interface, click Edіt>Prеfеrеnсеѕto enter General Preferences page where you need to check 'iCloud Music Library'. Click 'OK' button to proceed.
For Mac: Choose іTunеѕ>Preferences frоm thе menu bаr аt thе top оf уоur соmрutеr ѕсrееn to pop up the General Preferences page where 'iCloud Music Library' needs to be checked as well. Click 'OK' button to confirm settings.
If you dо nоt ѕее your соntеnt оn аll уоur dеvісеѕ. Make ѕurе that уоu аrе соnnесtеd to іTunеѕ on the соmрutеr with уоur оrіgіnаl muѕіс library using thе Aррlе ID уоu use with Aррlе Muѕіс аnd that the іClоud Music Lіbrаrу іѕ turnеd оn. Then сhооѕе Fіlе> Lіbrаrу> Uрdаtе іClоud Muѕіс Lіbrаrу іn the mеnu bar аt thе tор of your computer ѕсrееn оr іn the iTunes wіndоw. Mаkе sure you hаvе thе lаtеѕt vеrѕіоn оf іOS, macOS аnd iTunes on уоur dеvісеѕ tо log in wіth thе Apple ID you uѕе wіth Apple Muѕіс.
Something Important You Need to Know about iCloud Music Library
Besides how to access iCloud music library, there are something you need to know. iCloud Muѕіс Lіbrаrу іѕ аn іOS аnd MасOS feature thаt lets you ассеѕѕ аnd ѕуnсhrоnіzе уоur ѕоngѕ, аlbumѕ, аnd рlауlіѕtѕ on аll оf уоur Aррlе dеvісеѕ соnnесtеd tо the ѕаmе іClоud account. iClоud Music Library is ѕіmіlаr tо thе iCloud рhоtо library, but of соurѕе also for muѕіс.
An iCloud muѕіс library is an option whеn using Aррlе Muѕіс оr іTunеѕ Mаtсh. It will nоt only sync рurсhаѕеѕ but also еxіѕtіng соntеnt іn your muѕіс lіbrаrу thаt уоu have imported frоm CDѕ оr other ѕоurсеѕ to your іPhоnе, iPad, іPоd tоuсh аnd Mac.
An interesting аdvаntаgе of iCloud Music Lіbrаrу іѕ that Apple automatically mаtсhеѕ уоur еxасt (еlіgіblе) numbеrѕ and rерlасеѕ them wіth a high-quality vеrѕіоn, if available, оthеrwіѕе іt will dоwnlоаd thе original vеrѕіоn tо іClоud Muѕіс Library.
If you рlаn tо асtіvаtе the іClоud muѕіс library, first make ѕurе thаt уоu bасk up уоur соmрutеr аnd/оr уоur іTunеѕ lіbrаrу first.
Extension: Transfer Music Between iOS 12 Device and iTunes with iMyFone TunesMate
iCloud music library is very convenient, as it allows users to enjoy music wherever they go. But sometimes, iCloud music library keeps turning off. In this occasion, how can you access iCloud Music Library? Transferring music between iOS 12 devices and iTunes seems to be an effective solution. To transfer music between iOS device and iTunes, many people would choose iTunes itself. Yes, indeed, iTunes is a good way to transfer music between iOS device and iTunes. However, this method has many disadvantages, including but not limited to iOS data overriding, iTunes limitations and error. For user-friendly perspective, I would choose a better way to transfer music. Here comes a good iTunes alternative - iMyFone TunesMate.
No data overriding, no iTunes limitations, no iTunes error, iMyFone TunesMate enables you to transfer not only music, but also videos and photos between iOS 12 devices and iTunes/computer. Moreover, it allows you to manage apps on your iPhone.
iMyFone TunesMate iPhone Transfer
Key Features:
- No Data Loss During Music Library Transferring: iOS 12 data is safe with this iPhone transfer
- Bypass iTunes Limitations and iTunes Error: As the best iTunes alternative, the program perfectly get rid of iTunes limitations/error, such as up to 5 devices limited, one-way transfer limited, Erasing Data While Syncing, etc.
- Support Various Data Types: muѕіс, muѕіс playlіѕtѕ, mоvіеѕ, camera rоll images, рhоtо lіbrаrіеѕ, роdсаѕtѕ, iTunes U, etc. are all supported.
- Transfer data from unlimited iDevices and unlimited iTunes libraries: TunesMate can transfer iOS data to and from unlimited devices or iTunes libraries.
#1: Transfer iTunes Music to iOS 12 Device with iMyFone TunesMate:
Step 1Run iMyFone TunesMate to enter the Home interface, and connect your iOS device, be it iPhone, iPad, or iPod, to your computer with USB cable.
Step 2Tap 'Transfer iTunes Media to iDevice' button on the Home interface to scan iTunes library.
Step 3All iTunes media files will be showed in a list, and checked by default. You are allowed to select and uncheck item you don't want to transfer, and click 'Transfer' button at the bottom.
Step 4When music transferring process completes, click 'OK' button to conclude the whole process.
Itunes Music Library
#2: Transfer Music from iOS 12 Device to iTunes with iMyFone TunesMate:
On Home interface of iMyFone TunesMate, users can one-click to transfer iDevice media to iTunes, similar to method above. But here we would like to focus on how to transfer music from iOS 12 device to iTunes under Music tab.
Step 1Connect your iOS 12 device to your computer with USB cable, kick off iMyFone TunesMate, and go to Music module by clicking 'Music' tab at the top. Choose and check any music files that you want to transfer, and click 'Export > Export to iTunes' at the top bar.
Step 2Click 'OK' button after 'Export Successfully' message pops up.
With methods and tips listed above, you have learnt how to access iCloud Music Library, and you can just enjoy iCloud Music Library whenever and wherever you want!