How to Delete Photos From iPhone but Not iCloud (2024)

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Disable iCloud syncing to remove photos and save space

Saikat Basu

Writer

University of Pune (India)

Saikat has been a technology writer for 12+ years. His writing has appeared at MakeUseOf, OnlineTechTips, GoSkills, and many others.

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Updated on April 22, 2024

Reviewed by

Jerrick Leger

Reviewed byJerrick Leger

Jerrick Leger is a CompTIA-certified IT Specialist with more than 10 years' experience in technical support and IT fields. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses.

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What to Know

Disable automatic iCloud syncing from Settings > profile name > iCloud > Photos > Sync this iPhone.
Choose a cloud alternative like Google photos. Sign in to Google Photos > tap profile photo > Backup to turn it on.
Log in to a different iCloud account from Settings > Apple ID.

iCloud is the default backup for photos and videos, but if you trash any photo on the iPhone, it will be removed from iCloud as well.This article will show you workarounds that allow you to delete photos from the iPhone but not iCloud.

How Do I Delete Photos From My iPhone but Not iCloud?

Depending on your needs, you can try several methods to clear up space on your iPhone.

Switch Off iCloud

iCloud Photos syncing is a default on every iPhone. As long as there's space on your iCloud account, it automatically syncs with Photos on the iPhone. In short, this means:

Any photo on the iPhone or iCloud is the same and not a copy.
Any photo deleted from your iPhone is also deleted from iCloud if syncing is enabled.

Follow these steps to turn off iCloud syncing.

Open Settings from your iPhone homescreen and tap your name.
On the Apple ID screen, select iCloud > Photos.
Use the toggle switch for Sync this iPhone to disable syncing.
With the connectivity between iPhone and the iCloud disabled, you can safely delete photos from your iPhone.

Back Up Your Photos With iCloud Alternatives

Using another cloud storage as a photo backup is a straightforward solution. Pick from Google Photos, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, or any other. Google Photos is an ideal photo storage solution to create a backup of your photos that doesn't depend on iCloud.

Download and open the Google Photos app.
Sign in to Google Photos with the Google account you want to use.
Select your Google profile photo or initials in the top right.
Select Settings > Backup and turn it on.
Select Backup quality to store photos in their original resolutions or reduced quality.
Select Confirm to begin the backup process.

The backup can take some time, depending on the number of photos and videos. Select and delete any photo from the iPhone's Photos app when the process is complete. You can still see all backed-up photos and videos in the Google Photos app and Google Photos on the web. However, you can only remove them from Google Photos.

Use an Alternate iCloud Account

Logging out of one iCloud account and using another iCloud account is a cumbersome workaround. But it's possible to preserve your photos in iCloud while you delete them from the iPhone. The old iCloud account will have your synced photos before you log out, while you can use the new iCloud account to sync everything from here on.

Select Settings.
Tap your name at the top of the Settings options.
Select Sign Out from the bottom of the screen. Enter your Apple ID password to turn off Find My Phone and delink your phone from this iCloud account.
Log in to a new account by selecting Settings > Apple ID.
Now, delete photos from the iPhone. The backup copies will not be deleted from the old iCloud account.

Consider this solution if you have an extensive collection of photos and want to keep them within the Apple ecosystem and accessible from all Apple devices you own.

Tip:

If you want to recover an image you deleted, check the Recently Deleted folder in the Photos app and your iCloud account. You have 30 days to restore pictures you remove.

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Photos From iCloud

FAQ

How do I delete all photos from an iPhone?

No way currently exists to instantly delete all of your photos, but you can use the process for deleting multiple photos on your iPhone to clear out your library in a couple minutes. Open Photos > choose All Photos > tap Select, and swipe your finger right to left across the bottom row of pictures, and then drag it up until you reach the oldest files to select all of your photos. Then, click the Trash can icon.
How do I permanently delete photos from an iPhone?

Removing items from your Photos app is only half of the process. To get rid of them for good, you also need to clear them from the Recently Deleted folder. Otherwise, your iPhone will delete them automatically after 30 days. To do that, open the Photos app and select Albums > Recently Deleted > unlock your album with Touch ID or Face ID > and tap Delete All.

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