I'm trying to figure out how to free up space on my iPhone by removing some photos without deleting them from iCloud. I've heard that I can turn off the sync option first, but that seems tricky because I'm prompted to either delete the photos or download copies. Is there a way to choose specific photos to keep? Also, if I turn the sync back on later, will my deleted photos come back on my phone?
2 Answers
Unfortunately, iCloud is designed for syncing, so any changes you make, like deleting photos, will affect all devices. If you delete from your iPhone with sync on, they'll also disappear from iCloud. It just doesn't support keeping photos on one device while removing them from another.
iCloud Photos is a full sync service, so it distributes your complete library across devices. If you turn off sync to delete some photos from your iPhone, keep in mind that when you turn sync back on later, those deleted photos will sync back and reappear on your phone. It's not a backup option; it's all or nothing.
I thought the same thing! It’s kind of confusing if you’re just trying to manage storage. I recommend checking your iCloud settings to see if there’s any other way to manage your photos without losing them.