Delete photos from iCloud

iCloud is a very handy service that allows you to store your photos in the cloud and sync your photos across Apple devices. But, as your photo library expands, you may need to delete photos from iCloud to free up storage space or just clean up the mess.

So, how do you delete photos from iCloud? This article will show you how to delete iCloud photos in 3 ways. By default, your device syncs photos to iCloud, where you have about 5 GB of free storage, which gets used up quickly. If you are uncomfortable with entrusting your photos to any cloud service, or if you simply don’t want to pay for iCloud storage anymore, this article will show you how to delete pictures from iCloud and downgrade your iCloud storage plan.

Before you start:

• How to delete photos from iCloud but not iPhone

Choose the method you prefer below:

• Delete all photos from iCloud
• How to delete pictures from iCloud
• Delete multiple photos from iCloud (not all at once)

We also thought that you might be interested in:

• How to mass-delete photos from iPhone

How to delete photos from iCloud but not iPhone

If you want to free up space in your iCloud storage by removing photos from iCloud but keep them on your iPhone, it’s important to first disable iCloud Photos. By default, iCloud Photos syncs your photos across all your Apple devices, meaning when you delete a photo from iCloud, it gets removed from all devices, including your iPhone. However, by turning off iCloud Photos, you can ensure that photos stay on your device even after you delete them from iCloud.

Here’s how you can disable iCloud Photos and delete photos from iCloud but not iPhone:

Go to Settings -> Apple ID (your name at the very top) -> iCloud -> Photos -> Toggle off “iCloud Photos”.

Once iCloud Photos is turned off, your iPhone will no longer sync its photo library with iCloud. This means that when you delete photos from iCloud, they will remain safely stored on your device.

Why Disable iCloud Photos?

When you disable iCloud Photos, your iPhone retains its local photo library, and any changes made in iCloud won’t affect the photos stored on your device. This is especially useful if you’re running low on iCloud storage but still want to keep your photos accessible on your iPhone. Just be aware that, without iCloud syncing, new photos won’t automatically back up to iCloud, so you’ll need to manually manage backups if necessary.

This is the best solution if you’re looking to delete photos from iCloud, not iPhone, while ensuring your photos are safe on your device.

Delete all photos from iCloud

If you need to delete all your photos from iCloud, there’s a quick and safe way to do it. Freeing up iCloud storage can feel overwhelming, but with the right tool, the process becomes simple.

To help you clean up iCloud storage without losing your media files, we created a tool called CopyTrans Cloudly. It’s designed to mass-delete photos from iCloud in just a few clicks.

Unlike complicated or time-consuming methods, CopyTrans Cloudly lets you manage and remove all your iCloud photos directly from your computer. This way, you can easily clear space while keeping your important memories backed up safe on your PC.

Choose CopyTrans Cloudly to manage your iCloud photos

• Delete all iCloud photos in one go
• Restore permanently deleted iPhone photos from iCloud on PC;
• Upload photos and videos from PC to iCloud in different formats;
• Download iCloud photos in albums just as you have organized them

Download CopyTrans Cloudly

1. Run the app. Enter your Apple ID and password.



2. Wait until your iCloud library is loaded. To delete all the photos and videos from iCloud, click on “Empty iCloud Photo library”.



3. Confirm that you want to delete ALL your photos and videos from iCloud by ticking the checkbox.

   Important: Your photos and videos will be deleted from all devices synced with the current iCloud account. To safeguard yourself against any unwanted loss, you can disable iCloud Photos on your device.

4. Voila! All you need to do now is wait until all your photos and videos are deleted.

We compared the strengths and weaknesses of all three methods described in this article and created a table for you to decide which one suits you best.

Makes it pretty straightforward, doesn’t it?

Why is my iCloud storage full after deleting photos?

How to delete pictures from iCloud

FAQ

How to delete photos and videos from iCloud?

To delete photos from iCloud, you can manage your storage through your device’s Photos app or via the iCloud website or you can learn how to delete files with CopyTrans Cloudly.

Can I delete multiple photos at once from iCloud?

Yes, you can select multiple photos stored in iCloud to free up space by selecting and removing them in batches on the website or eliminate all photos from iCloud without any limitations with CopyTrans Cloudly.

What is the best way to delete photos from iCloud but not your iPhone?

If you want to delete pictures from iCloud but keep them on your iPhone, you can disable iCloud syncing specifically for photos on your device.

How do I delete photos from iCloud using an Apple device?

You can easily delete photos from iCloud using your iPhone or iPad by accessing the Photos app and selecting the photos you want to remove.

Is there a way to delete pictures from iCloud to free up storage space?

Yes, you can delete pictures from iCloud to free up storage and ensure you have enough iCloud storage for other data on your account. Learn how to delete photos in a few clicks with CopyTrans Cloudly. 

Can I permanently delete photos from iCloud?

If you want to permanently delete photos from iCloud, ensure you remove them from the Recently Deleted album as well to clear them completely. Read this article to find the best way to permanently delete photos.

What steps do I need to follow if I want to delete my photos from iCloud?

To delete photos from iCloud using your iphone or ipad, open the photos app on your Apple device and select the photos you want to delete. Then, move them to the “Recently Deleted” album to delete them permanently. This action will help free up space in your icloud storage.

Delete multiple photos from iCloud (not all at once)

Use icloud.com

If you prefer to delete multiple photos from iCloud without wiping out your entire photo library, you can do this directly through iCloud’s web interface. This method gives you more control over which photos to remove, allowing you to choose them manually instead of mass-deleting everything at once.

However, there’s a major limitation to be aware of. The biggest drawback of this method is that you can’t delete more than 1000 photos at once. While this can still be a convenient option for smaller batches, it’s important to keep this restriction in mind when dealing with larger libraries.

Here’s how you can delete multiple photos from iCloud storage:

1. Go to icloud.com and log in using your Apple ID and password.
   

2. Click on “Photos”.
   

3. You will see all the photos and videos stored in your iCloud. Select the one(s) you want to delete and click on the trash bin icon.
   

4. You can also delete photos by moments. Choose a moment and click on “Select” (1). Now you can click on the trash bin icon (2) and delete the entire moment.
   

While this process is effective for deleting smaller numbers of photos, keep in mind that it might take some time if you have a lot to manage. And, if you’re dealing with a large photo library, you may need to repeat the process multiple times.

This method works well if you’re looking to delete photos from iCloud storage but don’t want to remove everything at once. It provides more flexibility than the bulk-delete option, giving you the chance to manually curate which photos to keep and which to delete.

Use your iPhone

If you have iCloud Photos enabled, you can delete photos directly from your iPhone or iPad. This is a convenient way to manage your iCloud storage without needing to use a computer. When iCloud Photos is active, any changes you make on your device—whether deleting or adding photos—will automatically sync with your iCloud account and across all your other devices.

Here’s how you can delete iCloud photos directly from your iPhone or iPad:

1. To make sure your iCloud Photos is enabled, go to Settings > tap on your name on the top > iCloud > Photos. The switch next to iCloud Photos should be on.

   

2. Go to your Photos app, tap “Select” in the top-right corner, and then select all the photos you want to delete.
   

3. Click on the trash bin icon in the bottom-right corner. Don’t forget to delete your photos from the Recently Deleted folder as well 🙂

Remember, when you delete photos from your iPhone and iCloud Photos is enabled, the photos are deleted from both your device and iCloud. This means they will no longer be available on any other device connected to your iCloud account.

This method is quick and easy, and it allows you to delete iCloud photos directly from your iPhone or iPad without needing to navigate through any web interfaces or third-party apps.

How to delete from iCloud

YouTube tutorial

How to delete photos from iCloud

Conclusion

In this guide, I walked through three reliable ways to download all your photos from iCloud, whether through iCloud.com, iCloud for Windows, or with the help of CopyTrans tools. Each method comes with its own strengths, so you can decide which one works best for your setup and preferences.

Once you know how to download photos from iCloud, the next step is just as important: managing your storage. Many iPhone users eventually face the same problem: iCloud is full of photos and videos, but they don’t know how to delete pictures from iCloud without losing them forever. By safely downloading and backing up your images to a computer or external drive, you can confidently clear iCloud storage and make room for new memories.

Regularly backing up and cleaning iCloud storage keeps your photo library organized, prevents data loss, and improves your device performance. So, choose the method that works best for you, clean iCloud when needed, and enjoy the peace of mind of having all your memories safely stored and ready to access anytime.