DB Labs
Method 1: Delete Photos from the iPhone Photos App
This is the primary method when iCloud Photos is enabled. Changes sync automatically to iCloud.
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Open Photos and select photos to delete
Open the Photos app, tap Select in the top right corner, then tap each photo you want to remove. You can also tap and drag across multiple photos to select them in bulk.
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Tap the trash icon and confirm Delete
Tap the trash icon in the bottom right corner of the screen, then confirm by tapping Delete Photo (or Delete [X] Photos for multiple). The photos move to Recently Deleted — they are not yet gone from iCloud.
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Open Photos > Albums > Recently Deleted
Tap Albums at the bottom of Photos, then scroll down to the Utilities section and tap Recently Deleted. You may need to authenticate with Face ID or your passcode.
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Tap "Delete All" to permanently delete and free iCloud storage
Tap Delete All in the top left (or tap Select, then Delete All in the bottom right). This permanently removes the photos and immediately signals iCloud to free the storage quota.
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Wait for iCloud to update
Give iCloud 60–120 seconds to sync. Then open Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage to confirm your storage numbers have gone down. It can take up to 5 minutes in some cases.
Method 2: Delete Photos from iCloud.com
This method is useful when you want to delete a large number of photos from a Mac or PC, or when you don't have your iPhone nearby. It produces the same result as deleting from the iPhone app.
- Open a browser and go to icloud.com/photos. Sign in with your Apple ID.
- Browse to the photos you want to delete. To select multiple, hold Cmd (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) while clicking each photo. To select all, press Cmd+A (Mac) or Ctrl+A (Windows).
- Click the Delete button (trash icon) in the top right of the browser. Confirm the deletion.
- In the left sidebar, click Recently Deleted.
- Click Delete All to permanently remove the photos and free iCloud storage.
Changes made on icloud.com sync back to your iPhone within a few minutes when you're connected to Wi-Fi.
Method 3: Delete Specific iCloud Backups (If iCloud Is Full from Backups)
If your iCloud is full but you don't have many photos, the culprit may be old device backups rather than photos. Here's how to remove them.
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Tap [Your Name] at the top.
- Tap iCloud > Manage Account Storage.
- Tap Backups to see all device backups stored in iCloud.
- Tap the backup you want to remove (often an old iPhone or iPad).
- Tap Delete Backup and confirm. This is permanent and cannot be undone.
Old backups from previous devices are a common hidden storage drain. A backup from an iPhone you no longer own can easily consume 10–50 GB.
How Long Does It Take for iCloud Storage to Update After Deleting?
After you empty the Recently Deleted album, iCloud typically updates your storage quota within 1–5 minutes. The update appears in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage. In rare cases it may take up to 24 hours, especially after deleting a very large number of photos.
If your storage reading hasn't changed after 10 minutes, try force-quitting the Settings app and reopening it. If it still shows the same number, wait and check again in a few hours.
What If I Only Want to Delete from iCloud but Not My iPhone?
When iCloud Photos is enabled, your iPhone and iCloud share one unified library — you cannot selectively delete from one without affecting the other. To delete photos from iCloud while keeping them on your iPhone, you first need to turn off iCloud Photos and then manage each copy separately.
We cover this in detail in our guide: How to Delete Photos from iCloud but Not iPhone.
For a broader understanding of how iCloud storage and iPhone storage relate to each other, read our guide: iCloud vs iPhone Storage Explained.
If your iCloud is full because of photos and you're not sure what to do, see: iCloud Storage Full Because of Photos — What to Do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting photos from iPhone delete from iCloud?
Yes — if iCloud Photos is enabled, your iPhone and iCloud share one unified library. Deleting a photo on your iPhone deletes it from iCloud too, and vice versa. The deletion becomes permanent only after you empty the Recently Deleted album. Until you do that, the photos still count against your iCloud storage quota.
How do I delete photos from iCloud to free up storage?
Two steps are required. First, delete the photos from the Photos app. Second — and this is the step most people miss — go to Photos > Albums > Recently Deleted and tap Delete All. Skipping the second step means the photos stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days and still occupy your iCloud storage during that time.
How long does iCloud take to update after deleting photos?
iCloud storage usually reflects the change within 1–5 minutes after you empty Recently Deleted. To check, open Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage. If the number hasn't changed after 10 minutes, force-close Settings and reopen it. In some cases the sync can take up to 24 hours, particularly after large deletions.
How do I delete iCloud photos without deleting from iPhone?
When iCloud Photos is on, both libraries are the same — you cannot delete from one independently. To delete photos from iCloud only, you must first turn off iCloud Photos (Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos > toggle off, then choose "Keep on My iPhone"). After that, you can delete photos from iCloud.com separately without affecting what's on your device. See our full guide on deleting from iCloud but not iPhone.