iCloud photo library

[Norm from deep]

Can I access iCloud Photo Library from iPad 1?

 

[twerppoet]

No.

iCloud Photo Library was introduced with iOS 8.4 (I think) and is not available on older iOS versions. The iPad 1 can only run iOS 5.1.1 (or earlier).

 

[Norm from deep]

If I use iCloud Photo Library from my Mac, will this free up storage on my iPad 1?

 

[twerppoet]

Again. No. For iCloud Photo Library to free up storage on your iPad, it would have to have access to your iPad's Photos app. It doesn't .

The way iCloud Photo Library saves space on iPads is to keep a small full version of most of your photos on your iPad, a full sized version of all of them in iCloud, and only download the full version when needed. (If Optimize iPad Storage is turned on).

Photos on the iPad 1 can not communicate with the iCloud Photo Library, so it can not do any of this. The only way to free up used photo storage on your iPad 1 is to delete photos. You might be able to use one of several online photo storage services/apps to make copies; Flickr, Dropbox, Google Photos, Photobucket. After which you could delete them from Photos.

However, I'm not sure which, if any, of these still offer apps that work on the iPad 1.

 

[Norm from deep]

Just to be sure: if I delete photos from iPad 1, I presume that they won't be deleted from iCloud Photo Library? Also can I leave Photo Stream on?

 

[twerppoet]

If the iPad you are using does not have iCloud Photo Library enabled, then anything you do on that iPad will not have any effect on the iCloud Photo Library.

Your questions are starting to make me feel cautious. In the past people have mistaken what iPad they have, and even what version of iOS. To be absolutely certain, go to Settings > Photos (or on new iPads it should be Settings > Camera & Photos). There should be no option to turn on iCloud Photo Library.

Even if your device does have an option to enable iCloud Photo Library, as long as that feature is not turned on, then nothing done on that device will affect iCloud Photo Library. It is a service you have to turn on.

No reason you can't continue to use Photo Stream; as long as you know what it does, and doesn't. It's kind of redundant if all your devices and Mac are on iCloud Photo Library, but if you still want to see new photos appear on the iPad 1, then you'll need to leave it on, both on that device and any other device you're taking photos with.

The way you are talking, I have to guess you have other iOS devices, or a Mac. I can't think of any other way you would have iCloud Photo Library activated.