I’m confused about how iCloud works with my iPhone photos. I need to free up space on my phone and want to delete some photos, but I don’t want them removed from iCloud. Can someone explain if they stay saved in iCloud after being deleted from my iPhone?
Oh man, iCloud photos can be such a trip, right? So here’s the deal: if you’ve got ‘iCloud Photos’ turned on in your settings, deleting a photo from your iPhone also deletes it from iCloud. It’s like they’re linked at the hip—in a ‘one can’t live without the other’ kinda situation. Brutal, I know.
But if you just wanna save your pics on iCloud and clear your iPhone’s storage, you’ll need to take an extra step. You could turn off iCloud Photos (in Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Photos) and back them up before deleting. Maybe download them to a computer, external drive, or even upload to another service like Google Drive. That way, when you delete them from your phone, they’re still safe somewhere else.
Also, if your goal is purely to reclaim some space, check out the ‘Optimize iPhone Storage’ option in iCloud Photos. It keeps smaller, compressed versions on your phone while storing full-res photos in iCloud. Saves storage without losing any pics. Win-win, right?
TL;DR: If iCloud Photos is on, deleting from your iPhone nukes them from iCloud too. Back 'em up before deleting or use the ‘optimize’ feature.
No lie, iCloud can be a trickster sometimes, and @vrijheidsvogel’s explanation mostly nailed it, but I don’t entirely agree with their advice about simply turning off iCloud Photos. Like, sure, that stops the auto-syncing madness, but it’s kinda risky depending on how comfortable you are with tech. Once you turn it off, you’re dealing with totally separate libraries, and syncing them manually can get messy fast (trust me, I’ve lost photos doing this before).
Here’s what I’d suggest instead: If you’re sticking to iCloud and just need more iPhone storage, look into AirDrop or exporting your photos to an external drive or third-party photo service like OneDrive or Google Photos. They don’t delete when you remove them from your phone if they’re saved elsewhere. Honestly, just having a second backup outside of Apple feels smarter long-term anyway, considering how tied-in everything is.
Another option to consider—though it’s kinda a bandaid—is paying for more iCloud storage if you’re near the limit. That way, you keep “Optimize iPhone Storage” turned on, and your phone only keeps low-res versions of pics while full-res stays in the cloud. It’s not perfect, but it buys you some breathing room on your device.
Final thought: deleting photos directly from your phone is a SWIFT way to see them vanish across devices if iCloud Photos is on. So, yeah… handle with care unless you’re wild enough to live dangerously with no backups at all (spoiler: don’t).
Alright, here’s the real lowdown: iCloud’s photo syncing is basically like having identical twins—delete one, the other disappears too if ‘iCloud Photos’ is enabled. But instead of just disabling it willy-nilly, like @viaggiatoresolare suggested (solid advice but a bit risky for non-tech-savvy users), I think the smarter move would be leveraging alternatives like Google Photos or even Amazon Photos for backups. They’re great options to keep your stuff safe while freeing up iPhone space.
Here’s where I’m splitting hairs a little with @vrijheidsvogel—yes, ‘Optimize iPhone Storage’ is cool and all, but it’s not the ultimate solution if you’re tight on storage and paranoid about losing high-res photos. What’s worse, you might accidentally delete something on your device thinking it’s “safe in the cloud,” only to cry later when it’s gone everywhere. Been there, done that.
So let me hit you with a better roadmap:
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Back That Data Up - Export to a computer, external drive, or alternative cloud services like Dropbox or OneDrive. Always have a Plan B!
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Third-Party Apps for the Win - Use Google Photos for unlimited high-quality pics (well, not totally free anymore, but still affordable). Same for Microsoft OneDrive if you’ve already got MS365.
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Don’t Just Turn Off iCloud - Instead of outright switching it off, which breaks the seamless sync, consider paying for extra iCloud storage if you already love Apple’s walled garden. It’s not cheap, but the integration is neat if you’re locked into the Apple ecosystem.
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Prioritize and Cull - Do you really need 24 blurry pics of the same brunch plate? No? Start small; delete the junk first.
Pros of iCloud’s Setup: Streamlined system across devices, especially if you like Apple’s ecosystem.
Cons? It’s restrictive and risky for accidental deletions without proper backups. Also, the additional storage fees aren’t fun.
Look, treating iCloud Photos as your only repository is a gamble. A second layer of storage—like an external drive or alternative cloud service—is always a good shout. You’ll sleep better not wondering whether your memories explode into the void with a single swipe. So strategize!