---
id: icloud.how-do-i-reduce-the-space-icloud-photos-uses-on-my-mac
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-reduce-the-space-icloud-photos-uses-on-my-mac
category: "iCloud & iCloud Photos"
subcategory: "iCloud Photos and the Photos library"
question: "How do I reduce the space iCloud Photos uses on my Mac?"
alt_questions:
  - "Photos library taking too much space Mac"
  - "Shrink Photos library with iCloud Photos"
  - "iCloud Photos optimize Mac storage"
  - "Free space from Photos on Mac"
  - "Make Photos keep originals in iCloud"
  - "My Photos library is huge"
short_answer: "In Photos → Settings → iCloud, choose Optimize Mac Storage. Photos keeps full-resolution originals in iCloud and smaller versions on your Mac, freeing space gradually as it's needed."
tags: ["icloud photos", "photos library", "optimize mac storage"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/optimize-mac-storage-vs-download-originals-in-photos", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/can-storage-studio-move-my-photos-library"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# How do I reduce the space iCloud Photos uses on my Mac?

Turn on **Optimize Mac Storage** in Photos. Open **Photos → Settings → iCloud** and choose **Optimize Mac Storage** instead of **Download Originals to this Mac**. Photos then keeps full-resolution originals in iCloud and smaller versions on your Mac, downloading an original when you need it.

How much space comes back depends on your library and your free space — macOS frees it gradually as space is needed.

Storage Studio doesn't touch your Photos library directly: it's managed by Photos and iCloud, and changing it from outside can confuse both. Storage Studio's job here is everything around it — showing what else is using space and moving other big folders to your fast drive. See [moving the Photos library](https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/can-storage-studio-move-my-photos-library).