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User profile for user: margo1012
margo1012 Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

iCloud Storage - Delete from Phone

I am a bit confused when when managing my iCloud space. I take photos and videos on my phone. I think i have that set to back up to my iCloud account. I feel the need to delete those photos/videos off my phone to clear up space on my phone HOWEVER when i delete those off my phone i notice it also deletes out of my iCloud account on my computer.


I don't know how to manage my photos/videos without losing them when i want to remove them off my phone for additional space. Can you please speak to that topic. Thanks

iPhone 11, iOS 13

Posted on Dec 30, 2020 1:47 PM

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User profile for user: FoxFifth
FoxFifth
User level: Level 10
472,149 points

Posted on Dec 30, 2020 2:55 PM

iCloud Photos is a syncing service. Any photo you delete from a device where iCloud Photos is turned on will also be deleted from iCloud and from any other device connected to iCloud Photos. You can potentially reduce the storage space required on a device by turning on Optimize Storage. See: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204264


Apple does not currently offer cloud-only storage for photos. If that is what you want or need, you may want to explore 3rd party options such as Google Photos or Dropbox.


Another way that photos may be on iCloud (if you don’t have iCloud Photos turned on) is via a backup of an iOS device. The only thing you can do with a backup is use it to restore a device or set up a new device. The contents of backups are not viewable at iCloud.com and if you delete a photo from a device it will not be included in future backups and will be lost.

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User profile for user: FoxFifth
FoxFifth
User level: Level 10
472,149 points

Dec 30, 2020 2:55 PM in response to margo1012

iCloud Photos is a syncing service. Any photo you delete from a device where iCloud Photos is turned on will also be deleted from iCloud and from any other device connected to iCloud Photos. You can potentially reduce the storage space required on a device by turning on Optimize Storage. See: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204264


Apple does not currently offer cloud-only storage for photos. If that is what you want or need, you may want to explore 3rd party options such as Google Photos or Dropbox.


Another way that photos may be on iCloud (if you don’t have iCloud Photos turned on) is via a backup of an iOS device. The only thing you can do with a backup is use it to restore a device or set up a new device. The contents of backups are not viewable at iCloud.com and if you delete a photo from a device it will not be included in future backups and will be lost.

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iCloud Storage - Delete from Phone

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