User profile for user: --StarryNights
--StarryNights Author
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Photos from iPhone 8 transferred to iPhone 12 Pro via iCloud, how do I remove it?

The last backup my iPhone 8 had was in July 2018, yet I checked iCloud and photos I’d taken within the last week were uploaded there.


I wanted a clean slate with my new phone since I have over 30k photos on my old one and it took up all of my space (256gb). I didn’t want the photos transferred over, or at least not all of them. I was just going to airdrop the ones I wanted to move over.


I’ve read that deleting photos from the device will also delete them from the iCloud. Is this true if I delete them from the new phone (12) but keep them on the old phone (8)? Or does that sync too, that if I delete them from the 12 it’ll also delete from iCloud and the 8?


I don’t want to lose these photos I just want them off of my new phone. I want to keep them on my old one.

iPhone 12 Pro

Posted on Apr 14, 2021 10:29 PM

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User profile for user: Axel Foley
Axel Foley
User level: Level 10
151,566 points

Posted on Apr 14, 2021 11:27 PM

As you have learned, iCloud is a synch service not an archiving service. Devices are synched to iCloud and if you delete or add data to one device then all devices are updated accordingly (that are signed on to the same Apple ID). iCloud synchs photos across devices as well, as you know. In my opinion, you have the following options-

  1. Do not use iCloud for Photos on your iPhone 12 Pro. You can use iCloud for everything else. This will prevent photos from synching and the albums on your iPhone 12 Pro will remain independent from your other devices.
  2. You can choose to use iCloud for Photos on your iPhone 12 Pro however also activate the Optimize iPhone Storage feature. Settings ➔ Photos ➔ Optimize iPhone Storage : Check this and set it to ON. What this does is that your iPhone saves low resolution photos on your iPhone and saves original resolution photos on iCloud. This saves space on your iPhone. When you choose to view the photo on your iPhone then it quickly downloads the original resolution of your photo from iCloud and displays it on your screen.


Axel F.

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User profile for user: Axel Foley
Axel Foley
User level: Level 10
151,566 points

Apr 14, 2021 11:27 PM in response to --StarryNights

As you have learned, iCloud is a synch service not an archiving service. Devices are synched to iCloud and if you delete or add data to one device then all devices are updated accordingly (that are signed on to the same Apple ID). iCloud synchs photos across devices as well, as you know. In my opinion, you have the following options-

  1. Do not use iCloud for Photos on your iPhone 12 Pro. You can use iCloud for everything else. This will prevent photos from synching and the albums on your iPhone 12 Pro will remain independent from your other devices.
  2. You can choose to use iCloud for Photos on your iPhone 12 Pro however also activate the Optimize iPhone Storage feature. Settings ➔ Photos ➔ Optimize iPhone Storage : Check this and set it to ON. What this does is that your iPhone saves low resolution photos on your iPhone and saves original resolution photos on iCloud. This saves space on your iPhone. When you choose to view the photo on your iPhone then it quickly downloads the original resolution of your photo from iCloud and displays it on your screen.


Axel F.

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Photos from iPhone 8 transferred to iPhone 12 Pro via iCloud, how do I remove it?

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