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If you disable/remove icloud does it remove photos if you don't have all your images backed up to icloud?

If you disable/remove icloud does it remove photos if you don't have all your images backed up to icloud? In other words, how do you disable icloud enough to allow a copy of photos and videos with Windows Photo app and make sure you don't delete anything not already backed up to icloud?



Windows, Windows 10

Posted on Dec 12, 2021 2:56 PM

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Posted on Dec 12, 2021 3:01 PM

If you disable iCloud photos, no new photos will upload to iCloud. Your device will effectively be cut off from iCloud. Anything not yet uploaded will not be.


iCloud is also a sync service, not a backup per se. Any changes, deletions, additions are reflected in iCloud and on all connected devices.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 12, 2021 3:01 PM in response to userneedshelp411

If you disable iCloud photos, no new photos will upload to iCloud. Your device will effectively be cut off from iCloud. Anything not yet uploaded will not be.


iCloud is also a sync service, not a backup per se. Any changes, deletions, additions are reflected in iCloud and on all connected devices.

Dec 13, 2021 9:38 PM in response to muguy

Ok, so that implies nothing is removed from icloud service if only the app is removed from the ios device. This assumes disabled means the same as removing the app. If that's not the case, I would appreciate knowing.


Microsoft then directs us to Apple to resolve this issue but says...


"If iCloud is enabled on your iOS device, you won’t be able to download your photos or videos. Your images exist on iCloud but not on your device. If you want to open or import these photos or videos to your PC, do so using the iCloud desktop app. For more info, see Get help with iCloud photos on Apple’s website."


Most of my photos and vids are not in the limited 5gb icloud storage. They are in the ios photos app, and I run back ups. This is the first time I will be switching to a new ios device and I'm concerned I'll lose what's on my current device. So I did a backup using Itunes, but it won't let me verify the images are in a format that I can retrieve on my PC. That's why I'm trying to back up anything not in icloud via the Windows Photo App so I can verify its on my PC. I've gotten 10-12 to back up, but then the Windows Photo App says something went wrong without an error code. Any help getting the videos in particular backed up via Windows Photo App is appreciated. thx!




If you disable/remove icloud does it remove photos if you don't have all your images backed up to icloud?

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