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User profile for user: krutarth721
krutarth721 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Feature that allows deletion of backed up photos in iphone only.

In google photos, if we back up the photos, than we can delete the photos from the device. We access the photos through google photos even though the pictures are deleted in the devices. This feature saves the space in the iphone. But if we are using icloud to back up the photos than we can't delete the pictures from the iphone which results in storage redundancy. Same things occupy space in icloud as well as iphone. Is there any setting in icloud which allows to delete the backed up photos in iphone? If this is not allowed do we know if apple is thinking to introduce this functionality?

iPhone 13, iOS 16

Posted on May 28, 2023 9:57 AM

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User profile for user: FoxFifth
FoxFifth
User level: Level 10
472,011 points

Posted on May 28, 2023 10:38 AM

iCloud Photos is a syncing service. Any photo you delete from a device where iCloud Photos is turned on will also be deleted from iCloud and from any other device connected to iCloud Photos. You can potentially reduce the storage space required on a device by turning on Optimize Storage. See the following Apple article for more information: Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support


Apple does not currently offer cloud-only storage for photos. If that is what you want or need, you may want to explore 3rd party options such as Google Photos or Dropbox.


Another way that photos may be on iCloud (if you don’t have iCloud Photos turned on) is via a backup of an iOS device. The only thing you can do with a backup is use it to restore a device or set up a new device. The contents of backups are not viewable at iCloud.com and if you delete a photo from a device it will not be included in future backups and will be lost.


This is primarily a user-to-user support forum; other Apple users like you. We don't have any information about any future plans that Apple hasn't publicly announced and they haven't announced any changes to the above.

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User profile for user: FoxFifth
FoxFifth
User level: Level 10
472,011 points

May 28, 2023 10:38 AM in response to krutarth721

iCloud Photos is a syncing service. Any photo you delete from a device where iCloud Photos is turned on will also be deleted from iCloud and from any other device connected to iCloud Photos. You can potentially reduce the storage space required on a device by turning on Optimize Storage. See the following Apple article for more information: Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support


Apple does not currently offer cloud-only storage for photos. If that is what you want or need, you may want to explore 3rd party options such as Google Photos or Dropbox.


Another way that photos may be on iCloud (if you don’t have iCloud Photos turned on) is via a backup of an iOS device. The only thing you can do with a backup is use it to restore a device or set up a new device. The contents of backups are not viewable at iCloud.com and if you delete a photo from a device it will not be included in future backups and will be lost.


This is primarily a user-to-user support forum; other Apple users like you. We don't have any information about any future plans that Apple hasn't publicly announced and they haven't announced any changes to the above.

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Feature that allows deletion of backed up photos in iphone only.

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