aroche85

Q: photos deleted despite plenty of iCloud storage

I have plenty of iCloud storage and yet when I go and delete a photo from my iPhone it states it will also be deleted from my iCloud albums on all device

iPhone 6s

Posted on May 18, 2016 8:54 PM

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Q: photos deleted despite plenty of iCloud storage

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  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu May 18, 2016 9:04 PM in response to aroche85
    Level 6 (16,186 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 18, 2016 9:04 PM in response to aroche85

    That is the way iCloud Photo Library works by design, delete in one device deletes them in all. See the iCloud Photo Library FAQs for the details.

    iCloud Photo Library FAQ - Apple Support

  • by BBoiss,Apple recommended

    BBoiss BBoiss May 18, 2016 9:04 PM in response to aroche85
    Level 4 (1,404 points)
    Apple Music
    May 18, 2016 9:04 PM in response to aroche85

    That is how it is intended. iCloud Photo Library allows you to have access to your entire library no matter what device you are on. You can enable Optimize iPhone Storage under Settings>iCloud>Photos if you have not already done so. What this does is if your iPhone is low on space, full-resolution photos and videos are automatically replaced with optimized versions. Full-resolution versions are always stored in iCloud.

     

    iCloud Photo Library FAQ - Apple Support

     

    I presently have 18,000 photos and 864 videos that take up a total storage of 4.2 GB on my phone because of Optimized Storage. That would take up way more room than my 64 GB phone could hold even if it was empty to begin with. It's a huge space saver!...that being said, I am long overdue to clean out my photos. =/

  • by aroche85,

    aroche85 aroche85 May 18, 2016 9:21 PM in response to BBoiss
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    May 18, 2016 9:21 PM in response to BBoiss

    I am not deleting from my iCloud album though, I am deleting from my normal album to make space for new photos on my phone... how else do you make space without loosing photos? (apart from the above suggestion)

  • by aroche85,

    aroche85 aroche85 May 18, 2016 9:22 PM in response to aroche85
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    May 18, 2016 9:22 PM in response to aroche85

    And...have just checked my optimise photo storage is already on

  • by BBoiss,Apple recommended

    BBoiss BBoiss May 18, 2016 9:23 PM in response to aroche85
    Level 4 (1,404 points)
    Apple Music
    May 18, 2016 9:23 PM in response to aroche85

    When you are using iCloud Photo Library, all of the photos on your phone ARE the iClouds as well. Think of it like iCloud Notes. When you delete a Note from your phone, it deletes from all of your devices as well as iCloud that share your iCloud Notes.

  • by aroche85,

    aroche85 aroche85 May 18, 2016 9:30 PM in response to BBoiss
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    May 18, 2016 9:30 PM in response to BBoiss

    I'm in "All photos" album...

  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine May 18, 2016 9:34 PM in response to aroche85
    Level 7 (26,148 points)
    iCloud
    May 18, 2016 9:34 PM in response to aroche85

    iCloud Photo Library is not an archival storage for photos, it is a centralized source where photos are housed so they can be shared and edited by all devices signed into that same iCloud account. If you want your photos in a safe place, you would either need to import them to your computer, or use an archival cloud service like Dropbox.

     

    The iCloud Photo Library is simply a way to synchronize your photos amongst all of your iCloud devices and computers.

     

    And as BBoiss indicated, it is like any of the iCloud sync'd media - Notes, Calendars, Contacts. Change it in one place, it is pushed up to iCloud, and then back down to all linked devices and computers.

     

    Cheers,

     

    GB

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu May 19, 2016 7:21 AM in response to aroche85
    Level 6 (16,186 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 19, 2016 7:21 AM in response to aroche85

    I suggest that you import your photos to your computer following the steps below. Then you can delete all you want on your phone without losing the ones on your computer. They will be safe this time.... 

    Import photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine May 19, 2016 7:27 AM in response to elcpu
    Level 7 (26,148 points)
    iCloud
    May 19, 2016 7:27 AM in response to elcpu

    elcpu wrote:

     

    I suggest that you import your photos to your computer following the steps below. Then you can delete all you want on your phone without losing the ones on your computer.

    Only if they turn iCloud Photo Library off on their phone

     

    GB

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu May 19, 2016 7:38 AM in response to gail from maine
    Level 6 (16,186 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 19, 2016 7:38 AM in response to gail from maine

    Edit: see below...

     

    I "dislike" iCloud P.L. (I edited the word I really wanted to use). I have replied to so many users who have lost their precious and irreplaceable photos because they deleted photos on an iPhone to gain storage only to realize much later that they were gone in all other places. I know this is the fault of the user for not reading the iCloud PL instructions but it has happened so often with pictures that can never be replaced, a shame really.

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu May 19, 2016 7:41 AM in response to gail from maine
    Level 6 (16,186 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 19, 2016 7:41 AM in response to gail from maine

    Hmmm.....  According to the iCloud PL FAQs a user can keep a separate copies in a computer by downloading them with Image Capture or Photos, what I would do if I had iCPL on.

    iCloud Photo Library FAQ - Apple Support


    Do I need a Backup?

    iCloud Photo Library stores all of your original photos and videos in iCloud, but we always recommend you keep back up copies of your Library. You can download your photos and videos from iCloud to your computer and store them as a separate library, transfer them to another computer with Image Capture or Photos, or store them on a separate drive.

  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine May 19, 2016 7:44 AM in response to elcpu
    Level 7 (26,148 points)
    iCloud
    May 19, 2016 7:44 AM in response to elcpu

    Well, yes, But if the OP does not want their iCloud photos to be deleted, then they would need to turn it off on the device. Having a back up copy is not going to change the behavior of iCloud Photo Library in terms of deleting everywhere if you delete anywhere.... That's what I meant

     

    GB

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 May 19, 2016 7:44 AM in response to elcpu
    Level 9 (50,486 points)
    Desktops
    May 19, 2016 7:44 AM in response to elcpu

    Conversely you could read the message that appears on the screen when you try to delete.

     

    "This Photo will be deleted from iCloud Photo Library on ALL of your devices"

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu May 19, 2016 7:48 AM in response to gail from maine
    Level 6 (16,186 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 19, 2016 7:48 AM in response to gail from maine

    I agree...

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