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User profile for user: Emmie-Lou
Emmie-Lou Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Does ICloud delete photos when you delete photos on your phone?

I have recently been backing up and deleting photos from my phone onto a hard drive. I also have iCloud as an extra layer of backup. Having just logged onto my iCloud it looks like it only saves photos which are currently saved on my phone. Ie: since I deleted all old photos to make space abs backed them up onto a hard drive, iCloud no longer has any of my photos.


Is this how iCloud works? Does it not keep all photos (regardless of whether they have been deleted from your phone)?

iPhone 12 Pro, iOS 14

Posted on Jun 9, 2021 11:22 AM

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User profile for user: Michael Black
Michael Black
User level: Level 10
80,418 points

Posted on Jun 9, 2021 11:31 AM

iCloud is a synchronization service, not independent archival storage. Any change made on any device will be reflected in iCloud and then sync across all devices using your account.


Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support


”What happens when you edit or delete photos

Your photos and videos are stored in iCloud in their original formats at full resolution. This includes HEIF, JPEG, RAW, PNG, GIF, TIFF, HEVC, and MP4 as well as special formats you capture with your iPhone or iPad, like slo-mo, time-lapse, 4K videos, and Live Photos. The photos and videos you capture with these devices are in HEIF and HEVC format. When you edit or delete photos or videos, it's reflected across all of your devices.”

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User profile for user: Michael Black
Michael Black
User level: Level 10
80,418 points

Jun 9, 2021 11:31 AM in response to Emmie-Lou

iCloud is a synchronization service, not independent archival storage. Any change made on any device will be reflected in iCloud and then sync across all devices using your account.


Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support


”What happens when you edit or delete photos

Your photos and videos are stored in iCloud in their original formats at full resolution. This includes HEIF, JPEG, RAW, PNG, GIF, TIFF, HEVC, and MP4 as well as special formats you capture with your iPhone or iPad, like slo-mo, time-lapse, 4K videos, and Live Photos. The photos and videos you capture with these devices are in HEIF and HEVC format. When you edit or delete photos or videos, it's reflected across all of your devices.”

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User profile for user: Michael Black
Michael Black
User level: Level 10
80,418 points

Jun 9, 2021 12:41 PM in response to Emmie-Lou

They get purged from recently deleted after 30 days. If it has just been about 30 days you can try calling Apple support and ask them if they can still recover them. I’ve seen posts from others that if they were prompt about doing that, it was possible in some cases. But if it has been well more than 30 days I don’t think they can be recovered, sorry.

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Does ICloud delete photos when you delete photos on your phone?

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