To delete photos from iCloud and have them removed from your gallery (which generally refers to the Photos app on your devices), you need to disable iCloud Photos and initiate the deletion process. Here's how to do it, primarily focusing on a Mac, which is the specific device mentioned in the provided reference:
Deleting Photos from iCloud on a Mac:
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Open System Settings/Preferences: Click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select "System Settings" (or "System Preferences" on older macOS versions).
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Access iCloud Settings: Click on your Apple ID (you may need to sign in if you haven't already). Then, select "iCloud."
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Manage Storage: Choose "Manage" to see your iCloud storage usage.
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Disable and Delete iCloud Photos:
- Select "iCloud Photos."
- Click "Turn Off and Delete from iCloud". On older macOS versions (Sonoma or earlier), it might say "Turn Off and Delete."
- Be aware that your photos and videos stored in iCloud will be deleted 30 days after you stop using the service. This gives you a grace period to change your mind or download your photos.
Important Considerations:
- Impact on Other Devices: Disabling and deleting photos from iCloud on your Mac will affect all devices connected to the same iCloud account. Photos deleted from iCloud will be removed from your iPhone, iPad, and any other Apple devices signed in to the same Apple ID.
- Downloading Photos First: Before deleting, ensure you have downloaded any photos or videos you want to keep to your local storage (e.g., your Mac's hard drive or an external drive). To do this open the Photos app. Give time for all photos to download, then copy them to a folder on your computer.
- Alternatives to Deletion: If you only want to remove specific photos from iCloud, you can delete them directly within the Photos app on any of your devices. Deleting a photo from the Photos app on one device synced with iCloud will delete it from iCloud and all other synced devices.
Summary:
Deleting photos from iCloud requires disabling iCloud Photos and initiating the deletion. Remember to back up any photos you want to keep before proceeding, as the changes will sync across all your Apple devices connected to the same iCloud account. Photos will be permanently deleted from iCloud's servers after a 30-day grace period.
