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.

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

User profile for user: john barry3
john barry3 Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

iPhone photos stored in iCloud remove from iPhone now

All my photos are stored in the iCloud. Now, how do I remove these photos from my iPhone?

iPhone XR

Posted on Mar 27, 2022 7:11 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: muguy
muguy
User level: Level 10
83,167 points

Posted on Mar 27, 2022 7:47 AM

iCloud is primarily a synchronization service to keep all of your devices in sync. If you're backing up your device (which you should do) to iCloud, your photos are not part of the backup as they are already in iCloud.


You can elect to optimize device storage (Settings > photos) which will keep your original images in iCloud and download lower resolution, device-optimized photos, onto your device. That will save space.

View in context

Similar questions

6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: muguy
muguy
User level: Level 10
83,167 points

Mar 27, 2022 7:47 AM in response to john barry3

iCloud is primarily a synchronization service to keep all of your devices in sync. If you're backing up your device (which you should do) to iCloud, your photos are not part of the backup as they are already in iCloud.


You can elect to optimize device storage (Settings > photos) which will keep your original images in iCloud and download lower resolution, device-optimized photos, onto your device. That will save space.

Reply
User profile for user: john barry3
john barry3 Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Mar 27, 2022 7:33 AM in response to muguy

Thanks for the speedy reply. Forgive my ignorance…

So when I open Photos on my iPhone, the 1,000+ photos I see are all in iCloud? If I understand you, since I have iCloud for photos “ON” on my iPhone and Mac,

any photos I can view are actually stored in iCloud. When I open Photos on either device, there is no delay, I see all the photos instantly. What is goin on there? I have a very slow internet connection, ~2 mps, yet the photos are there immediately. Even when there is no Internet connection, I see the photos

I really do not know how this all works

There must be some performance or logistical cost for that…

Reply
User profile for user: john barry3
john barry3 Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Mar 27, 2022 7:44 AM in response to muguy

So, I selected to store my photos in iCloud, but there is no way to remove photos from my iPhone or Mac without removing from iCloud also.

I am not sure why I am storing the photos in iCloud. I am backing up my devices regularly. I suppose I am backing these photos up every time also.

Actually, this makes my head hurt to think about… why am I using iCloud to store photos, if not to open up storage on my local devices?

Reply

iPhone photos stored in iCloud remove from iPhone now

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