You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

💡 Did you know?

âș If you can't accept iCloud Terms and Conditions... Learn more >

âș If you don't see your iCloud notes in the Notes app... Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

User profile for user: Asbasbasb
Asbasbasb Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

iCloud Pictures

Hi! I just bought a new iPhone, and have backed it up with iCloud. My previous phone had much more storage, and I want to know how to prevent the new phone from downloading all the iCloud content (pictures, music...), as it will otherwise be overwhelmed. How can I configure the phone so that the minimum amount of pictures are saved on the device? I’d rather have everything on iCloud and download it if necessary. This also applies to the pictures I take with this new phone: is there a way for them to be deleted from the phone after they’ve been uploaded to iCloud?


Thank you in advance for your time!

iPhone SE

Posted on Jun 5, 2020 6:07 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: FoxFifth
FoxFifth
User level: Level 10
472,209 points

Posted on Jun 5, 2020 6:08 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.


View in context

Similar questions

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: FoxFifth
FoxFifth
User level: Level 10
472,209 points

Jun 5, 2020 6:08 PM in response to Asbasbasb

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.


Reply

iCloud Pictures

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.
Learn more Sign up