HT201317: My Photo Stream FAQ

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alix_nicole
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: How do I get my photos off of iCloud and back on my phone?

I have all of my photos connected to iCloud, so they can backup and be saved.  But since I have a very limited amount of space, and after my photos have been backed up, I end up deleting them off my phone so I can have more room.  I now have more space available and would really like my pictures back on my phone.  Is there a way to get them back on my phone from iCloud?

iPhone 4, iOS 6.0.1

Posted on Jan 22, 2013 4:14 PM

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alix_nicole

Q: How do I get my photos off of iCloud and back on my phone?

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  • by randers4,Helpful

    randers4 randers4 Jan 22, 2013 4:57 PM in response to alix_nicole
    Level 9 (62,860 points)
    Jan 22, 2013 4:57 PM in response to alix_nicole

    iCloud only backs up the photos that are on your device when it is backed up.  If you deleted the photos from your phone, then backed up, the backup will no longer include the photos you deleted.  Also, photo stream only keeps your photos for 30 days.  After that they are deleted from photo stream but not from any device that already has them.  Also, if you deleted the photos from the My Photo Stream album on your phone, they are also deleted from your photo stream (as the prompt warns you when you do) and could not therefore later be recovered from photo stream. 

     

    If you still have a backup that was made while the photos were on your phone, you could restore to the backup to recover the photos.  Otherwise they are lost.

     

    If you want to save your photos, always import them to your computer, as described here: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1808.

  • by EmmaNicole4,

    EmmaNicole4 EmmaNicole4 Nov 9, 2013 3:21 PM in response to randers4
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 9, 2013 3:21 PM in response to randers4

    Since you seem to know about this I have a question. I had to restore my iphone 4, but i was told by an apple representative that everything could be restored. I went through the process they told me to, but the only thing I can't do is get my pictures back. I got everything else back fro iCloud, so I should be able to get my pictures back from icloud, but i don't know how.

  • by randers4,

    randers4 randers4 Nov 9, 2013 4:59 PM in response to EmmaNicole4
    Level 9 (62,860 points)
    Nov 9, 2013 4:59 PM in response to EmmaNicole4

    Did you restore your backup?  If not, restore your backup; it should recover your camera roll photos.

     

    If you did restore your backup and the photos weren't restored, try restoring the backup again using one of the solutions mentioned in this discussion, such as the one by ezjules: https://discussions.apple.com/message/19518589#19518589.

  • by mwurges,

    mwurges mwurges Sep 23, 2014 11:02 AM in response to randers4
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 23, 2014 11:02 AM in response to randers4

    Randers4,

     

    You may know the answer to my question.  I accidentally deleted some pictures from my phone.  They were backed up on ICloud, and I turned off my wifi so my phone would not back up again.  You say above to restore the back up,,,, I am not sure how to do that.

     

    Michele

  • by randers4,

    randers4 randers4 Sep 23, 2014 11:15 AM in response to mwurges
    Level 9 (62,860 points)
    Sep 23, 2014 11:15 AM in response to mwurges

    This explains how to restore an iCloud backup: iCloud: Restore your iOS device from iCloud.  (You'll need to be connected to wifi in order to restore the backup.  It won't start backing up again unless you either start a manual backup by tapping Back Up Now, or you connect it to your charger and lock the screen.)