Learn how to delete data from iCloud step by step and free up storage space on your account. Follow our easy guide to manage your iCloud storage effectively.
There are often situations when, when selling an old iPhone or switching to a new iCloud, the thought begins to torment you: “What if someone sees my photos from the old iCloud?” Or a much more common case – the cloud with a default limit of 5 GB is full to the brim. We will tell you how to delete photos from iCloud to avoid this.
What is iCloud
iCloud is a cloud storage service from Apple that allows you to connect all your Apple devices. It allows you to conveniently synchronize their contents. For example, an iPhone, MacBook, and iPad will have mutual access to each other’s files, and you won’t have to transfer the same photos from one to another. However, iCloud can be useful even if you only have one smartphone.
How to Delete Data from iCloud.
Apple provides different amounts of gigabytes in its cloud storage at different rates. The free one only offers a sad 5 gigabytes. This is why most users have to google how to delete photos from it so often, because they often clog up such a small amount of memory.
Delete photo via browser
If for some reason you don’t have your iPhone at hand, you can delete photos in iCloud using a browser on a third-party device. The instructions couldn’t be simpler:
- type iCloud.com in the search or address bar;
- Enter your Apple ID and password in the appropriate fields;
- select the line “Photo”;
- tap on the photos you want to delete;
- Click on the trash can icon in the top corner.
From this moment on, unnecessary photos will sink into oblivion.
Delete Photos Using iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch
In this case, the procedure will be even simpler, since most often the photo gallery on the iPhone is synchronized with iCloud. This means that by deleting a photo on the device, you will delete it in the cloud as well.
Delete All Photos from iCloud
With this method, you will forever get rid of the need to constantly clean iCloud after another photo shoot. You just need to turn off synchronization.
- go to the menu, then to “Settings”;
- click on the name of your Apple ID;
- select iCloud;
- go to “Manage Place”;
- tap on “Photo”;
- Tap “Disable and Delete” and breathe a sigh of relief.
From now on, new photos will not be duplicated in the cloud, taking up the already small space.
Via the Photos app
Using this method, you must make sure that iCloud gallery synchronization is enabled. More details on this in the previous point. If it is activated, then the rest is easy:
- open the Photos app;
- go to “Library”;
- select the photos you want to delete;
- click on the trash can icon at the bottom of the screen;
- go to “Recently Deleted” and finish off the surviv… deleted photos.
After these manipulations, the photos will also be deleted from the cloud storage.
Delete Photos via Mac
The methods for deleting photos from iCloud via Mac are no more complicated than those mentioned above. There are also two of them.
Delete All Photos from iCloud
The result is similar to the same method on iPhone, only the order of actions will be different:
- click on the Apple icon;
- open System Preferences;
- click on the name of your Apple ID;
- select iCloud;
- go to “Manage Place”;
- tap on “Photo”;
- Tap Disable and Delete.
That’s it, synchronization is disabled, photos have been deleted from the cloud.
Via the Photos app
Again, the process is similar to deleting via iPhone. You just need to have syncing enabled.
- open the Photos app;
- select the photos you want to delete;
- delete using the appropriate key or by right-clicking and selecting “Delete”.
Recover deleted photos
A point for those who got so carried away with cleaning the photo gallery that at some point they deleted that funny photo with the cat. Don’t despair, there is a way to bring it back from oblivion. To do this, you will need the FoneLab app for iOS.
- download FoneLab on your PC from the official website and launch it;
- in the main menu, find “iPhone Data Recovery”;
- then “Restore from iCloud”;
- log in through your account;
- check the box next to the “Photo” icon;
- After scanning, click “Recover”.
Mission accomplished. The utility will obediently begin to resurrect from the dead, seemingly forever lost photos.
We have analyzed the main ways to delete photos from iCloud. In fairness, it is worth saying that it is better to set up iCloud properly, for yourself. Perhaps, expand the storage space. After all, its main feature is file synchronization, with which you will not lose important documents, photos, videos, and also will not suffer with loading all the applications and settings of the iPhone if you reset it to factory settings or buy a new one.