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

How to permanently delete books from cloud

How to permanently delete books from cloud?

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.12

Posted on Nov 7, 2020 3:26 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 7, 2020 3:42 PM

Are these purchased books, Seamee, or downloaded books, such as PDFs?


Are you finding that a large portion of your used iCloud storage is “Books”, and you want to eliminate this use of your iCloud storage?


More information about what is concerning you and/or what you want to accomplish, can greatly help us help you.

8 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 7, 2020 3:42 PM in response to Seamee

Are these purchased books, Seamee, or downloaded books, such as PDFs?


Are you finding that a large portion of your used iCloud storage is “Books”, and you want to eliminate this use of your iCloud storage?


More information about what is concerning you and/or what you want to accomplish, can greatly help us help you.

Nov 7, 2020 3:33 PM in response to Seamee

They cannot be permanently deleted, only hidden and unhidden -- Hide and unhide music, movies, TV shows, audiobooks, and books - Apple Support.


Per -- Delete books or audiobooks from your Mac in Books - Apple Support.


"You can’t delete items you purchased from the Book Store or Audiobook Store from iCloud, but you can hide them; click Sort By at the top right of your library, then select Hide iCloud Books."

Nov 7, 2020 4:40 PM in response to Seamee

In the Books App, if when in your library you tap on the three dots in the lower right of any book, you’ll see the option to delete with the trash can icon. You can delete the local copy on the device, or delete everywhere, which will also delete the downloaded copy from your iCloud book collection.


To get the book back, just download it again from the Book App’s Book Store. It will always be in your purchase history for the Book Store and cannot be removed from there.

Nov 8, 2020 1:16 PM in response to Michael Black

Michael Black wrote:

In the Books App, if when in your library you tap on the three dots in the lower right of any book, you’ll see the option to delete with the trash can icon. You can delete the local copy on the device, or delete everywhere, which will also delete the downloaded copy from your iCloud book collection.

To get the book back, just download it again from the Book App’s Book Store. It will always be in your purchase history for the Book Store and cannot be removed from there.

In Reading Now, those 3-dots only show Remove and the trash icon. Clicking on it will provide 2 options -- Remove from Reading Now & Hide Book. No option to "delete the local copy on the device, or delete everywhere".


In the Library, those 3-dots only show Remove from Reading Now, Remove Download, & Hide Book.

Nov 8, 2020 4:33 PM in response to zinacef

Not on my iPad Pro. I have “remove download” and “delete everywhere “ when in the library, at least for those items I have downloaded a local copy to this iPad Pro.


Although I did not check that for every single item in my library since it consists of several hundred audio books, plus I don’t know how many eBooks and PDFs. And on this iPad Pro I have not downloaded local copies of everything that shows in my library.

How to permanently delete books from cloud

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