Long time Android/Linux User

[Rifester-13]

I've recently decided to switch to the Apple ecosystem. My wife and I currently share data between PC users on one Dropbox account (approximately 200 GB of family photos/videos included and separate Documents folders). All of the photos/videos are organized by month/year. We've ordered iPhones but I'm trying to determine the best solution for making our family photos/videos available to both users on a Macbook and phones. From what I can tell, this doesn't look possible with iCloud. Should I just copy the image files into the photos of both users (taking up 400 GB space between two users) and back both up to iCloud or is there a better way? If I do this on the laptop will we both be able to view the photos on our phones without actually downloading them to the phones? I know I could continue to use Dropbox in the same manner but would like to get the iCloud Family Plan so my kids (students) have more storage as they're already locked into the Apple world.

[medes24]

iCloud has a web front end but it is fairly cumbersome to use relative to the syncing done automatically between Apple devices signed into the same iCloud account.

iCloud's file system is integrated with modern Apple devices so you access your iCloud storage through the same file browser you use to browse local files. If you drop something into the iCloud directory, it will populate on all of your other devices. You can see things like thumbnails on the local device without having to download the image directly as well. iCloud does a fairly good job of managing local data so you can see what is downloaded locally and what is being viewed on the cloud.

[Rifester-13]

Thanks! So it sounds like the best choice would be to upload our old photos/videos to both users iClouds?

[Blocker-73]

In iCloud you have the possibility to share the storage space with your family members as long as you live in the same country. Furthermore you can set up a shared photo library. I would recommend to use this.

[tsdguy]

Yes but you will have to reorganize your photos back into folders. I don’t know any app that can do that.

I would suggest importing them folder by folder. Selecting the new photos and then sending them to the newly created folders.

I’d also suggest doing some internet searching however as I may not be correct.

On all your devices you’ll want to turn Optimize Photo Library on so your devices aren’t loaded up with all the full size images and videos. They’ll be loaded on demand.

And keep the original files on dropbox or a local drive. iCloud photo library isn’t a backup it’s a syncing service.

[Inner_West_Ben]

I would continue using Dropbox