How to Delete Photos from iCloud [Ultimate Guide]

Why Need to Delete Photos from iCloud?

Although iCloud provides storage space for your photos, you may need to delete photos from iCloud for the following reasons:

Free Up Storage Space: Over time, your iCloud storage can become filled with photos and videos, leaving insufficient space for other essential files and backups. Deleting older or unnecessary photos helps reclaim valuable storage
Optimize Device Performance: Devices linked to your iCloud account can experience improved performance when there's less data to synchronize. Deleting photos can lead to smoother operation and faster backups.
Economize Costs: If you're using a paid iCloud storage plan, periodically deleting photos can help you stay within your storage quota and potentially avoid higher subscription costs.

How to Delete Photos from iCloud Directly

When iCloud Photos is enabled, every photo and video you take on your iPhone or iPad will be automatically copied to iCloud. In this case, you can delete them from iCloud by simply deleting them from the Photos app on iPhone. Here is a full guide on how to delete photos from iCloud backup on iPhone:

Step 1: Open the Photos app on your iPhone. Swipe through the photo gallery and select the specific photos you wish to delete.

Step 2: You have two options for deletion:

• To delete a single photo: Long-press the desired photo until a menu appears to tap the Delete option.
• To delete multiple photos: Tap the Select button to choose many at a time and tap the delete icon at the bottom right.

Step 3: A verification message will appear. Tap Delete Photo or Delete * Photos to confirm the deletion. (* means the number of the photos you have selected.)

After that, these photos will be moved to the Recently Deleted section and be stored for a maximum of 40 days before being permanently deleted. So, how to delete photos from iCloud on iPhone permanently before 40 days? Follow the steps below:

Step 1: Access your iCloud account via a web browser> Choose Recently Deleted in the left pane.

Step 2: Choose the photos you want to delete or tap Select All > Click the Delete button in the top right corner of the screen.

After clicking the Delete button, a verification message will appear, and you will need to confirm the deletion.

★Tip:

 Deleting photos and videos from Recently Deleted is an irreversible operation. Once you have deleted all photos from Recently Deleted, there is no way to recover deleted photos from iCloud.

How to Delete Photos from iCloud via iCloud Photos

If you wish to delete photos from iCloud but not from your iPhone or iPad, you need to disable the photo syncing feature. By doing so, you can free up storage space on iCloud while still retaining the photos on your device.

Here is how to delete photos from iCloud storage but not your device:

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad > Tap Apple ID and then iCloud > Choose Photos > Toggle the switch to the off position to disable iCloud Photos.

Step 2: Go to the iCloud website and sign into your Apple iCloud using your Apple ID and password. Then, click Photos on the new page and choose the photos you want to delete from iCloud > click the Trash Bin icon to delete them.

Now, can you delete photos from iCloud? By following these steps, you can delete photos from iCloud while keeping them on your iPhone or iPad to clear up space in iCloud without losing your valuable photos.

How to Delete Photos from iCloud on PC via FoneTool Safely

If you are looking for a safe and fast way to delete photos from iCloud, FoneTool will be a good option for you. It is not only a phone backup tool but also an excellent iCloud management tool. Follow the simple steps to delete iCloud photos via FoneTool:

Step 1: Download and install FoneTool on your PC. Then, connect your iPhone device to the PC using its USB cable.

Step 2: Launch the FoneTool app and navigate to My iCloud > Sign in using your Apple ID, seamlessly progressing to the Manage iCloud section.

Step 3: Click the Photos icon to choose specific photos > Commence the cleanup by clicking the Delete button, initiating the entire process.

Bouns: How to Preview and Delete iPhone Photos Safely

iCloud provides each user with 5 GB of free storage. Deleting photos is a viable solution to manage your iCloud storage space. However, if you don’t want to lose all the photos you delete from iCloud, FoneTool comes in to assist you. It is an iOS management tool that helps you back up or transfer your iPhone photos to your PC before deleting all your photos from iCloud. Most importantly, it can also help you delete photos on your iPhone to free up your iPhone storage space.

Why choose FoneTool? Some benefits of using FoneTool to delete photos and free up storage space on your iPhone are as follows:

Easy Deletion: FoneTool provides a user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of deleting photos, making it quick and hassle-free.
Backup Option: Before deleting photos, FoneTool offers the ability to create a full iPhone backup, providing additional protection in case you want to retrieve them in the future.
Efficient Space Management: By deleting photos using FoneTool, you can efficiently manage your iPhone’s storage space, allowing for smoother device performance.
Wide Compatibility: FoneTool supports a wide range of iPhone models and iOS versions, ensuring compatibility and functionality across different devices.

So, how to use FoneTool to delete photos and free up storage space on your iPhone? The steps are listed below:

Step 1: Launch FoneTool to its main interface and then choose Toolbox > Data Eraser.

Step 2: In this window, choose the Erase private data option > click Get Started to start scanning your iPhone data.

Step 3: Checkmark the Photos icon > Enable Deep Erase Technology to deeply erase iPhone photos > Click Start Erase to remove photos from your iPhone.

The Bottom Line

That’s all about how to delete photos from iCloud. If you want to delete your photos from iCloud but not your iPhone or iPad, you need to turn off iCloud Photos to prevent syncing this iPhone. Alternatively, if you want to restore your deleted photos one day, you can use FoneTool to back up your photos to PC in advance and then use it to erase your photos on your iPhone to free up iPhone storage space. Try it out!