If you have enabled automatic backup on your iCloud, it can quickly eat up your precious 5GB of free iCloud storage. Thus making it unavailable for your data that’s actually important to you. In this article, we’ll show you how to delete photos from iCloud to get rid of older photos and free up your storage. Also, if you want to delete photos from iCloud but not from iPhone, you shouldn’t worry as we’ve mentioned steps for that as well. No more waiting; let’s get started right away!
How to Delete Photos from iCloud
Note: This method will delete photos from your iCloud storage as well as your Apple device. The steps remain the same for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
If you wish to remove photos that are synced on iCloud as well from your iPhone, you can easily do that via the Photos app. The process is simple and doesn’t require you to mess around with any other settings on your iPhone. However, make sure to back up your important photos beforehand. When you delete photos and videos from the Photos app, they will be deleted from your iPhone and all the other devices where you’ve signed in using the same Apple ID. Here’s how to delete iCloud photos:
- Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
- Next, tap on Select from the top-right of the screen and choose the photos and videos you wish to delete from your iCloud account.
- Once selected, tap on the trash icon from the bottom and hit the Delete button.
- If prompted, confirm your decision.
Once deleted, the photos and videos remain on your device for up to 30 days. If you wish to permanently delete photos from iCloud and iPhone, go to the Recently Deleted folder in the Photos app. Then, choose the Select option, tap on the three horizontal dots , and choose Delete All. This will permanently remove photos from iCloud and all connected Apple devices.
How to Delete Photos from iCloud But Not iPhone
If you want to remove photos from iCloud without removing them from your iPhone, you need to check your iPhone’s syncing status. If you’ve enabled the iCloud Photos sync option, you can’t delete iCloud Photos without deleting them from your iPhone. This is because when everything stays in sync, deletion will also be in sync. If you wish to delete pictures from iCloud storage but not from your iPhone or iPad, you first need to disable the iCloud Photos option on your device.
Step 1: Turn Off iCloud Photos
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Apps > Photos.
- Turn off the toggle for iCloud Photos.
- In the pop-up that appears on the screen, tap on Remove from iPhone if you want to delete low-res copies from your iPhone. If you wish to restore original photos on your iPhone from iCloud before deleting them, tap on Download Photos and Videos.
- Repeat the above steps for any other device that’s linked to your Apple Account . When the iCloud Photos toggle is turned off, the photos on each device will be managed individually.
Step 2: Delete iCloud Photos
Once you’ve disabled iCloud Photos, follow the below steps:
- Open iCloud.com on a web browser.
- Click on the Sign In button and enter your Apple Account credentials. If you’ve forgotten your password, here’s how to reset your Apple Account password.
- Then, go to the Photos app on your Mac or PC.
- Next up, select the photos and videos you wish to remove from your iCloud account.
- To select multiple photos, press and hold the Command button on Mac or the Control Key on a Windows PC while selecting the items.
- To select all photos at once, press Command + A on your Mac or Control + A on a Windows PC.
- Click on the trash icon in the right corner.
- Finally, hit the Delete button to confirm your decision.
Again, the deleted items will be moved to the Recently Deleted folder, where they are available for the next 30 days. If you want to permanently delete your iCloud Photos, click on the Recently Deleted folder from the left pane, then click on the Delete All option, and confirm your decision.
Kanika has been a loyal iPhone user since 2014 and loves everything Apple. With a Master’s in Computer Applications, passion for technology, and over five years of experience in writing, she landed at Beebom as an Apple Ecosystem Writer. She specializes in writing How To’s, troubleshooting guides, App features, and roundups for Apple users to help them make the best use of their gadgets. When not writing, she loves to try out new recipes and enjoy some family time.
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- Apple and Google have officially confirmed their team-up for the next-gen Siri AI.
- The Cupertino Giant will be using Google’s Gemini for a more personalized Siri model as well as Apple Intelligence features.
- We can expect the next-gen Siri to come out with iOS 26.4, sometime in March or April.
Apple has officially confirmed joining forces with Google to use its Gemini AI model to power the next-generation Siri. It will offer a more personalized experience and will be coming out with the iOS 26.4 update. Apple also plans to leverage Gemini’s capabilities for other Apple Intelligence features as well, later down the line.
The Next-Gen Siri will be powered by Google’s Gemini AI
Apple officially confirmed that it will be partnering with Google in a statement to CNBC . Here’s what it stated, “After careful evaluation, we determined that Google’s technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models, and we’re excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for our users.”
Later, Google also shared a post on X confirming the tie-up, “Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri coming this year.”
Image Credit: X/@NewsFromGoogle
Both statements clearly mention that the Cupertino Giant will be using Gemini to power its assistant Siri. This was already rumored, as Apple’s attempts to acquire Perplexity went nowhere. With Gemini, Siri will get a major AI update . It will be able to handle more nuanced conversations and provide better results. Something long-time Apple users have been asking for years.
The next-gen Siri will arrive with the iOS 26.4 update, which will launch sometime in March or April. And it is only going to be available for Apple Intelligence-supported devices .
Something else worth noting is how Google’s statement mentions that Gemini will power Apple Intelligence features. This leads us to believe that Apple could use Gemini’s multi-modal capabilities for its Writings tools , Image Playground , and Message summaries, too.
Elon Musk Not Happy With Apple and Google Tie Up
xAI CEO Elon Musk also responded to Google’s announcement post on X, sharing his thoughts on the matter by saying, “This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that they also have Android and Chrome.” Though we don’t expect either Apple or Google to respond to Elon, we will update the situation as it progresses.
It is worth noting that xAI is the company behind Grok, which is in hot water currently due to its inappropriate image generation fiasco , and has been getting backlash from multiple news outlets, X users, and even government authorities.
With over 4 year of experience under the belt, I cover all facets of consumer tech, from smartphones to other consumer electronics, our favorite social media apps, as well as the growing realm of AI and LLMs. As an Apps and AI writer app Beebom, I provide my expertise in all these areas, weaving stories that help you get familiar with the tech around you. But you will find me playing NYT daily puzzles in my free time.
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