Stop Photos Auto Uploading on macOS 13

If your Mac is automatically uploading images to iCloud, you can easily disable this behavior to save bandwidth, local storage, and cloud space. In macOS 13 (Ventura), automatic image uploads are managed primarily through iCloud Photos synchronization. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to turn off automatic uploads either directly through the Photos app or via macOS System Settings.

Method 1: Turn Off Automatic Uploads in the Photos App

The quickest way to prevent the Photos app from uploading your library to iCloud is directly within the app settings.

  1. Open the Photos app on your Mac.
  2. In the top menu bar, click Photos and select Settings (or press Command + ,).
  3. Click on the iCloud tab at the top of the settings window.
  4. Uncheck the box next to iCloud Photos.
  5. If prompted, choose whether to download a copy of your existing iCloud photos to your Mac or remove them from local storage.

Disabling this setting immediately stops your Mac from uploading new pictures or syncing existing library changes to your iCloud account.

Method 2: Turn Off Photo Syncing via System Settings

You can also manage iCloud synchronization globally through the macOS Ventura System Settings menu.

  1. Click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings.
  2. Click on your Apple ID (your name) at the top of the sidebar.
  3. Select iCloud from the right-hand panel.
  4. Under the "Apps Using iCloud" section, click on Photos.
  5. Toggle off the switch next to Sync this Mac.
  6. Confirm your choice if prompted by macOS.

Pausing Uploads Temporarily

If you only want to stop uploads temporarily without fully disabling iCloud Photos:

  1. Open the Photos app.
  2. Select Library in the sidebar.
  3. Scroll to the very bottom of your photo grid.
  4. Click Pause next to the sync status message.

This will halt all uploading and downloading activity until you manually click Resume or until the next day.