{"id":"icloud.does-time-machine-back-up-optimized-icloud-photos","url":"/faq/icloud/does-time-machine-back-up-optimized-icloud-photos","category":{"id":"icloud","title":"iCloud & iCloud Photos"},"subcategory":{"id":"icloud-photos","title":"iCloud Photos and the Photos library"},"question":"Does Time Machine back up photos that are only in iCloud?","alt_questions":["Time Machine iCloud Photos optimized","Back up full resolution photos Time Machine","Are online-only photos in my backup?","Time Machine and Optimize Mac Storage","Local backup of iCloud originals"],"short_answer":"No. Time Machine backs up what's on your Mac, and with Optimize Mac Storage some originals live only in iCloud. Choose Download Originals and let it finish before backing up if you want every original locally.","answer_markdown":"No. Time Machine backs up what's stored on your Mac. With **Optimize Mac Storage** on in Photos, some full-resolution originals live only in iCloud, so a backup of the Mac only contains the smaller versions of those.\n\nIf you want every original in your local backup:\n\n1. Make sure you have the space — free some first if needed, for example by moving other big folders to your fast drive with Storage Studio.\n2. In **Photos → Settings → iCloud**, choose **Download Originals to this Mac** and let it finish.\n3. Let Time Machine run.\n\nThe same idea applies to online-only iCloud Drive files: download what you want backed up locally.","answer_html":"

No. Time Machine backs up what's stored on your Mac. With Optimize Mac Storage on in Photos, some full-resolution originals live only in iCloud, so a backup of the Mac only contains the smaller versions of those.

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If you want every original in your local backup:

\n
  1. Make sure you have the space — free some first if needed, for example by moving other big folders to your fast drive with Storage Studio.
  2. In Photos → Settings → iCloud, choose Download Originals to this Mac and let it finish.
  3. Let Time Machine run.
\n

The same idea applies to online-only iCloud Drive files: download what you want backed up locally.

","answer_text":"No. Time Machine backs up what's stored on your Mac. With Optimize Mac Storage on in Photos, some full-resolution originals live only in iCloud, so a backup of the Mac only contains the smaller versions of those.\n\nIf you want every original in your local backup:\n\n1. Make sure you have the space — free some first if needed, for example by moving other big folders to your fast drive with Storage Studio.\n2. In Photos → Settings → iCloud, choose Download Originals to this Mac and let it finish.\n3. Let Time Machine run.\n\nThe same idea applies to online-only iCloud Drive files: download what you want backed up locally.","tags":["time machine","icloud photos","backup"],"related":[{"id":"icloud.is-icloud-photos-a-backup","question":"Is iCloud Photos a backup of my photos?","url":"/faq/icloud/is-icloud-photos-a-backup"},{"id":"icloud.optimize-mac-storage-vs-download-originals-in-photos","question":"Should I choose Optimize Mac Storage or Download Originals in iCloud Photos?","url":"/faq/icloud/optimize-mac-storage-vs-download-originals-in-photos"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Does Time Machine back up photos that are only in iCloud? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"No. Time Machine backs up what's on your Mac, and with Optimize Mac Storage some originals live only in iCloud. Choose Download Originals and let it finish before backing up if you want every original locally.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"iCloud & iCloud Photos","path":"/faq/icloud/"},{"name":"Does Time Machine back up photos that are only in iCloud?","path":"/faq/icloud/does-time-machine-back-up-optimized-icloud-photos"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/does-time-machine-back-up-optimized-icloud-photos","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Does Time Machine back up photos that are only in iCloud?","alternateName":["Time Machine iCloud Photos optimized","Back up full resolution photos Time Machine","Are online-only photos in my backup?","Time Machine and Optimize Mac Storage","Local backup of iCloud originals"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. Time Machine backs up what's stored on your Mac. With Optimize Mac Storage on in Photos, some full-resolution originals live only in iCloud, so a backup of the Mac only contains the smaller versions of those.\n\nIf you want every original in your local backup:\n\n1. Make sure you have the space — free some first if needed, for example by moving other big folders to your fast drive with Storage Studio.\n2. In Photos → Settings → iCloud, choose Download Originals to this Mac and let it finish.\n3. Let Time Machine run.\n\nThe same idea applies to online-only iCloud Drive files: download what you want backed up locally.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/does-time-machine-back-up-optimized-icloud-photos"}}]},"fragment":"
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iCloud & iCloud Photos · iCloud Photos and the Photos library

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Does Time Machine back up photos that are only in iCloud?

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Short answer: No. Time Machine backs up what's on your Mac, and with Optimize Mac Storage some originals live only in iCloud. Choose Download Originals and let it finish before backing up if you want every original locally.

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No. Time Machine backs up what's stored on your Mac. With Optimize Mac Storage on in Photos, some full-resolution originals live only in iCloud, so a backup of the Mac only contains the smaller versions of those.

\n

If you want every original in your local backup:

\n
  1. Make sure you have the space — free some first if needed, for example by moving other big folders to your fast drive with Storage Studio.
  2. In Photos → Settings → iCloud, choose Download Originals to this Mac and let it finish.
  3. Let Time Machine run.
\n

The same idea applies to online-only iCloud Drive files: download what you want backed up locally.

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Last reviewed

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