[twilite2000]

Ok, I know this question has been asked many times before. I've scoured the web, Apples site as well as here on imore, but just can't seem to find my answer.

I have an iPhone 6 plus with over a thousand pictures on it. All these pictures are saved on iCloud so now I want to delete them from my phone. Whenever I attempt to do this my pictures are deleted from everywhere and I have to restore them which restores them to the phone as well. How do I delete these pictures from my phone without deleting them from iCloud?

[Just_Me_D]

You will have to turn off everything off in the iCloud photo settings, and then delete the pics from your phone. Having said that, once you've turned photos back on in the settings, the changes you've made on the device will sync to iCloud and affect the photos therein. You will probably need to use a third-party camera app like Camera+ that has its own storage as well as allow you to save to the Camera roll to sync to iCloud, if necessary.

[Ledsteplin]

Or a photo album app like MyPhoto.


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5. ☮

[twilite2000]

Now I'm really confused. Why would I want to keep carrying around photos from 3 years ago? Why can't I simply delete them? Why am I paying for extra iCloud storage if I can't delete photos off my phone without deleting them from everything else? Why would I pay for a third party app to do what I thought iCloud was suppose to do? This is a huge problem for me. Can't I just turn off iCloud Photo Library and My Photo Stream on my iPhone and when I want to upload new pictures to the cloud can I just turn them back on or will it delete and over ride my older photos already in the cloud?

[Ledsteplin]

Now I'm really confused. Why would I want to keep carrying around photos from 3 years ago? Why can't I simply delete them? Why am I paying for extra iCloud storage if I can't delete photos off my phone without deleting them from everything else? Why would I pay for a third party app to do what I thought iCloud was suppose to do? This is a huge problem for me. Can't I just turn off iCloud Photo Library and My Photo Stream on my iPhone and when I want to upload new pictures to the cloud can I just turn them back on or will it delete and over ride my older photos already in the cloud?

That's why I don't use iCloud Photo Library. First, it's still in beta. But I prefer storing photos in cloud based apps like Box, Dropbox and OneDrive. Then delete them from the camera roll. That way I keep my free 5 gb of iCloud storage for back up of what is currently on my phone. I feel like Apple created iCloud Photo Library just to make more money off us. Because most will end up buying more space.


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5. ☮

[Just_Me_D]

Now I'm really confused.

Confused how?

Why would I want to keep carrying around photos from 3 years ago?

I don't know.

Why can't I simply delete them?

You can delete them.

Why am I paying for extra iCloud storage if I can't delete photos off my phone without deleting them from everything else?

You can, but it's going to take some work on your end. You have the iCloud Photo Library and the iCloud Drive. The former is primarily to keep your devices synced and the latter is for "storage" with the assistance of 3rd-party apps.

Why would I pay for a third party app to do what I thought iCloud was suppose to do?

it is no one's fault but your own for misunderstanding the uses of iCloud.

This is a huge problem for me. Can't I just turn off iCloud Photo Library and My Photo Stream on my iPhone and when I want to upload new pictures to the cloud can I just turn them back on or will it delete and over ride my older photos already in the cloud?

Yes. I stated as much in my previous reply. In regard to whether turning the options back on will delete or override the pics already stored in your iCloud Photo Library, the changes made on the device will be mirrored in iCloud. In other words, new photos will be synced and photos you've deleted on the device will also delete in iCloud. Until Apple makes iCloud like Dropbox or OneDrive, etcetera, I recommend you use an additional cloud storage site for safekeeping of your photos. Having said that, you can spend time griping about the limitations of iCloud or you can be proactive and make arrangements to safeguard your photos. The choice is yours....

[twilite2000]

Just_Me_D ....I'm sorry for not being as literate in everything Apple as you are. I'm here to try to understand the products I have chosen to use in my day to day life. I find iCloud, iCloud Drive, and my Photo Stream confusing. I've spent countless hours on the internet trying to find answers to my questions before coming here because I'm afraid of being ridiculed by people like you. Thanks for your help, but I didn't need the condescending attitude that came with it. People like you always makes me hesitate to post anything and also takes away a little of the joy in owning Apple products.

[Just_Me_D]

Just_Me_D ....I'm sorry for not being as literate in everything Apple as you are. I'm here to try to understand the products I have chosen to use in my day to day life. I find iCloud, iCloud Drive, and my Photo Stream confusing. I've spent countless hours on the internet trying to find answers to my questions before coming here because I'm afraid of being ridiculed by people like you. Thanks for your help, but I didn't need the condescending attitude that came with it. People like you always makes me hesitate to post anything and also takes away a little of the joy in owning Apple products.

In no way was I trying to be "condescending". In fact, I try to be as helpful as often as time permits. Having said that, I tend to forget how sensitive some people can be in regard to bluntness. I'm sorry. Having said that, the steps mentioned in my previous replies stand. In other words, I still believe that it is in your best interest to use a cloud service like OneDrive or Dropbox specifically to safeguard your photos. I have copies of my photos saved not only in my iCloud Photo Library, but also in OneDrive and on an external drive so if something goes wrong in iCloud which it hasn't thus far, I'm not at a loss.

[Ledsteplin]

Just_Me_D ....I'm sorry for not being as literate in everything Apple as you are. I'm here to try to understand the products I have chosen to use in my day to day life. I find iCloud, iCloud Drive, and my Photo Stream confusing. I've spent countless hours on the internet trying to find answers to my questions before coming here because I'm afraid of being ridiculed by people like you. Thanks for your help, but I didn't need the condescending attitude that came with it. People like you always makes me hesitate to post anything and also takes away a little of the joy in owning Apple products.

I've read about as much as there is about iCloud Photo Library, My Photo Stream and iCloud Photo Sharing, and I'm still confused. Apple has made it complicated for most people to understand. I get the basics of it all, but much of it I couldn't begin to explain. 'D didn't mean to be condescending. We deal with a lot of users and issues and sometimes we simply have a bad day or misread a user's question or their intent. We get spammers and all sorts of stuff. It makes our job more difficult to help those like you. Apple could have made the iCloud thing much more simple. There's been nothing but a lot of confusion. You're not alone.


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5. ☮

[robbrick]

iCloud Drive/photo library are storage AND sync services not either/or. This means that although iCloud Drive and photo library will store, for example photos, it also keeps everything in sync. It does not replace services like Dropbox, etc. Changes made to your photos on iPhone, iPad or Mac synced to that photo library/iCloud drive, will affect the same data on ALL devices syncing with that library. Apple does not provide a sync OR storage, it's storage that syncs. Hope o could clarify somewhat.


Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus using Tapatalk

[twilite2000]

I apologize for being sensitive and forgetting about the wonderful help you and others on iMore are providing for free and on your own time not just for me but for all who have questions about everything Apple. I know some people can be plain out crazy or pains in the a$$es so I do understand your frustration. I'm a little...who am I kidding...I am a lot OCD so add me to the crazy list. I do have my photos on an external hard drive, Dropbox, Drive, and iCloud Drive. I was hoping to get rid of Dropbox and Google Drive thinking iCloud would fulfill all my needs. Like Ledsteplin stated, I've read everything about iCloud and photo stream. Watched YouTube videos. I have a very basic understanding of both, but none I felt explained these products to my satisfaction. I felt I was still missing something. Just_Me_D...thank you. Now I absolutely know iCloud can't do what I thought it was suppose to do. I'll be canceling my extra storage and using exclusively Dropbox and Drive. I also want to say I envy people like you. I love everything Apple and want to become as knowledgeable and helpful as the folks here on iMore have been to me.

[twilite2000]

iCloud Drive/photo library are storage AND sync services not either/or. This means that although iCloud Drive and photo library will store, for example photos, it also keeps everything in sync. It does not replace services like Dropbox, etc. Changes made to your photos on iPhone, iPad or Mac synced to that photo library/iCloud drive, will affect the same data on ALL devices syncing with that library. Apple does not provide a sync OR storage, it's storage that syncs. Hope o could clarify somewhat.

Thank you. You and everyone else were so helpful.


Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus using Tapatalk