After an iCloud backup, can you delete your pics and/or videos on your computer or iPhone and they will be stored in iCloud?

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After an iCloud backup, can you delete your pics and/or videos on your computer or iPhone and they will be stored in iCloud?

Issue: Already have backups on the MAC but running out of space (on MAC & iPhone) & need to store in the cloud.

If I convert to iCloud storage, can I delete pics/videos on the MAC & IPhone (to free up space) & iCloud will not only be the go-to storage/backup but will not override with each backup? Basically be storage/backup that is cumulative & all inclusive? Thanks.

iPhone X, iOS 12

Posted on Jun 18, 2019 2:24 PM

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Answer 1

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FoxFifth

Level 10

472,095 points

Jun 18, 2019 2:26 PM in response to valval135

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 Photo Library 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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