What happens if I turn off iCloud photos on my computer?

If you turn off iCloud Photos on your computer, here's what happens:

• Photos Stop Syncing: Any new photos or videos added to your Photos app on that computer won't automatically upload to iCloud. Likewise, any photos or videos taken on your other devices (like your iPhone or iPad) won't automatically download to that computer.
• Photos Remain on iCloud: The photos and videos you already uploaded to iCloud remain in your iCloud storage and can still be accessed from other devices with iCloud Photos enabled.
• Option to Keep Local Copies: Depending on your settings, you may be asked if you want to keep local copies of the photos on your computer. If you select “Yes,” existing photos will remain on your computer; if you choose “No,” those photos may be removed, depending on your device's settings.
• Access to iCloud Photos Online: You can still access your photos by logging into iCloud.com and downloading them from there, or by re-enabling iCloud Photos at a later time.
• Free Up Storage: Turning off iCloud Photos can free up storage if your computer is set to keep only optimized versions of photos, as this will stop syncing them to your device.

Read also: How to check how much hard drive space does a computer have?

Should I turn off iCloud photos?

Whether you should turn off iCloud Photos on your computer depends on your needs, preferences, and storage situation. Here are some scenarios where it might be a good choice — or where you might want to keep it on:

Reasons to Turn Off iCloud Photos

• Limited Computer Storage: If your computer is running out of space, and iCloud Photos is set to download originals, turning it off could help free up storage. However, ensure you've backed up any photos stored locally that you don't want to lose. Extending reading: How much storage does a computer need?
• Privacy Concerns: If you're concerned about keeping your photos stored in the cloud and prefer local storage, turning off iCloud Photos on your computer keeps your photos off the cloud (while still letting you back them up manually).
• Low iCloud Storage: If your iCloud storage is full or close to it and you don't want to upgrade, disabling iCloud Photos on one or more devices could help manage storage, especially if you still have backup options like an external drive.
• Occasional Usage: If you rarely use your computer for managing photos or prefer to use your phone or tablet, turning off iCloud Photos could reduce redundancy without affecting your main photo management.

Reasons to Keep iCloud Photos On

• Automatic Backup: If you rely on iCloud Photos as a backup method and don't have another backup solution, keeping it on ensures your photos are protected in case something happens to your device.
• Cross-Device Access: If you enjoy having seamless access to all your photos across devices, iCloud Photos makes it convenient to view, edit, and organize photos on your computer and other Apple devices.
• Easy Sharing and Organization: iCloud Photos keeps all your albums, edits, and metadata synchronized, which is helpful if you organize photos on your computer and want those changes to reflect on other devices.

If storage or privacy concerns are the main reasons you're considering it, you might also look into settings like “Optimize Mac Storage” (which keeps only thumbnails of photos) or an external hard drive solution to balance storage needs while keeping the benefits of iCloud Photos.