@adam@windbag.org
Now that the new Mac Mini is here, I'm tackling removing a bunch of RAW files from my iCloud Photos Library.
Currently purging about 10,000 jpg+raw pairs from 2017 before I reimport the jpegs with xmp sidecar files.
The delete process has been running for 2+ hours. Apple really could have made this automatic.
After 5 hours of deleting the jpeg+raw pairs, we begin the importing the jpegs.
Apple, this would have saved you so much server activity if I could just remove RAW files.
After this I have about 17k more raw files to remove from my library. (I'm leaving raws for any photo I've liked/edited in the past.)
After a pause for a windstorm and power outage I'm back.
My last attempt failed.
1. Delete photos from library, then from Recently Deleted.
2. Wait for the change to propagate to all other devices.
3. Eat dinner.
4. Import a thousand jpegs as a test.
5. Discover that when the photos are synced from iCloud on my laptop, they come back as jpeg+raw pairs.
This suggests that Apple doesn't really honor the delete event immediately in the cloud.
Overnight all of my reimported photos showed up with pairs. It looks like the issue is that iCloud retains your raw files, even after you explicitly delete them, for 30 days. If during that time you re-import any photos it detects as a paired photo, it reconstitutes the pairing.
writes of his experience: https://probably.co.uk/posts/icloud-raw-photos-impossible-delete/
This is either hyper-conscientious or infantilizing behavior.
Mark Phillips | Product Marketing, Management and Strategy
It is impossible to delete RAW files from iCloud PhotosWant to separate your RAWs from your JPEGS in iCloud Photos? Good luck.
I can now confirm that this is the strategy that works. I waited 35 days, just in case, and uploaded the jpegs with xmp sidecar files, and the jpeg+raw pairs are finally gone from my iCloud Photo Library.
The idea that it takes a month to remove your files from Apple's servers and that delete just means "hide these from me" is... disquieting.
