User level: Level 1 (4 points)Ok trying to figure out best way to handle storage space on iPhone. I know if I turn off syncing when I delete pics I won’t lose items on iCloud. My concern is once I delete stuff and turn sync back on will I have same issue and lose pics because it doesn’t see it on my phone? Or am I safe?
Posted on Nov 4, 2026 4:00 PM
User level: Level 4 (2,112 points)Nov 4, 2026 4:24 PM in response to RazleDazzle
If iCloud Photos is on, deleting a photo on the iPhone deletes it from iCloud too. To free space and keep the photos, leave sync on and turn on Optimize iPhone Storage. Only download originals if you have the room.
If you turn sync off, delete the local copies, then turn sync back on, the phone just downloads them again from iCloud. You won't lose the iCloud copies as long as you only deleted them while sync was off.
User level: Level 7 (25,466 points)Nov 5, 2026 7:34 AM in response to RazleDazzle
When it's connected, iCloud Photos does everything it can to keep your iPhone's Photos Library exactly the same as the Library at iCloud.com. If you turn iCloud off, delete pictures, and then turn iCloud back on, Photos will replace the missing pictures by copying from iCloud. You can't win anything with this plan.
Do you use Optimize Storage? That keeps smaller versions of your picture on the phone and relies on iCloud for access to the full data when you need it. Using Optimize can save 90% of the space that the Photos Library uses!
You may want to see this:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-250011400
If you use Optimize, and your iPhone is getting full, then messing with Photos may not help--since they only take up less than 10% of their usual space, deleting pictures doesn't change much.
Many operations use the iPhone's empty storage space to move files around. If you run out of storage, then those operations may not be able to be completed and, ironically, that can mean that even deleting doesn't work. If you have less than 10% available, then things can get lost forever. This is also true if your iCloud storage space gets low.
Games and apps take a lot of room. You can remove apps and retain your data-- apps are easy to recover. But it's often the data that takes a lot of space.
If you make a good backup to an external drive or to a computer, then you can delete things and feel safe. To back up your pictures you can just plug in an external drive, select the pictures, and use Share>Save to Files. Alternatively, you can backup to a computer:
Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac or PC
And, If you haven't done one of those backups, then your remaining pictures continue to be in peril.
User level: Level 10 (211,627 points)Nov 4, 2026 4:18 PM in response to RazleDazzle
"Will iCloud Photos delete after local iPhone photo deletion and re-sync?: Ok trying to figure out best way to handle storage space on iPhone. I know if I turn off syncing when I delete pics I won’t lose items on iCloud. My concern is once I delete stuff and turn sync back on will I have same issue and lose pics because it doesn’t see it on my phone? Or am I safe?"
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Use my User Tips:
Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256388951