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User profile for user: TLO WORLDWIDE
TLO WORLDWIDE Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

If I delete a photo from my iphone6 that is already uploaded to iCloud is that photo or video also deleted from iCloud? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of uploading photos to iCloud so you can delete them from your phone to free up more space?

Are the photos I have uploaded and stored on iCloud deleted from iCloud if I delete them from my phone to free up storage space? I know they have the optimization thing but it would be way better if I could upload the 99GB of photos and videos from my iPhone to iCloud and then delete a whole bunch of the stuff I don't need access to from my phone like my daughters graduation pictures or last years Christmas party, etc. - but I don't want to trash them forever either - any ideas how to do that?

iPhone 6, iOS 9.0.2

Posted on Oct 12, 2015 7:28 AM

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User profile for user: FoxFifth
FoxFifth
User level: Level 10
468,819 points

Posted on Oct 12, 2015 7:11 PM

There isn't a way to delete a photo from your phone but keep it on iCloud with iCloud Photo Library.


Re the statement in the title of your post:

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of uploading photos to iCloud so you can delete them from your phone to free up more space?

That is not the purpose of iCloud Photo Library. See the statement below from http://www.apple.com/icloud/photos/

iCloud Photo Library stores every photo and video you take, and keeps them up to date on all your devices.


If you are using iCloud Photo Library, any photo you delete will be deleted from iCloud Photo Library and from all of your devices which have iCloud Photo Library turned on.


You can reduce the storage space required on a device by going to Settings > iCloud > Photos and turning Optimize Storage on.


Apple doesn't currently offer any cloud-only storage option. If that is what you want or need, there are 3rd party services where cloud-only storage is an option. The include Dropbox, Flickr, and OneDrive.

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User profile for user: FoxFifth
FoxFifth
User level: Level 10
468,819 points

Oct 12, 2015 7:11 PM in response to TLO WORLDWIDE

There isn't a way to delete a photo from your phone but keep it on iCloud with iCloud Photo Library.


Re the statement in the title of your post:

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of uploading photos to iCloud so you can delete them from your phone to free up more space?

That is not the purpose of iCloud Photo Library. See the statement below from http://www.apple.com/icloud/photos/

iCloud Photo Library stores every photo and video you take, and keeps them up to date on all your devices.


If you are using iCloud Photo Library, any photo you delete will be deleted from iCloud Photo Library and from all of your devices which have iCloud Photo Library turned on.


You can reduce the storage space required on a device by going to Settings > iCloud > Photos and turning Optimize Storage on.


Apple doesn't currently offer any cloud-only storage option. If that is what you want or need, there are 3rd party services where cloud-only storage is an option. The include Dropbox, Flickr, and OneDrive.

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If I delete a photo from my iphone6 that is already uploaded to iCloud is that photo or video also deleted from iCloud? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of uploading photos to iCloud so you can delete them from your phone to free up more space?

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