What Happens If I Disable and Delete Photos from iCloud?

I don't know why my photos are being saved to iCloud. I guess it is the default. It keeps annoying me that my iCloud storage is almost full. If I hit "Disable & Delete" for my iCloud photos, will all of my pictures be removed just from my iCloud?

If you disable and delete photos from iCloud, all the photos and videos will be removed from all connected devices signed in with the same Apple ID. This means that the images will no longer be accessible on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or any other device that is syncing with iCloud. However, all these items are not deleted immediately. After you hit the Disable & Delete button, your photos and videos in iCloud will stay for 30 days, after which they will be removed permanently.

Before you turn off iCloud Photos, it's crucial to download all the images. You can go to iCloud.com to select pictures and download them to your device. There's also a quicker way to save iCloud data. EaseUS MobiMover can export all the iCloud data, including photos, to your computer in one click: Launch EaseUS MobiMover > Sign in to your account > Click Export iCloud Data to Computer.

After backing up all iCloud images to your iPhone or computer, then you can disable iCloud Photos in iCloud and all of your devices:

• On iOS 16 and later, go to Settings > User Name > iCloud > Manage Account Storage. Tap Photos > Turn Off & Delete from iCloud.
• On iOS 15 and earlier, go to Settings > User Name > iCloud > Manage Storage > Photos > Disable & Delete.

If you change your mind, you can undo turning off iCloud Photos. Repeat the steps above to select Undo Delete.

For some users, they don't want to turn off iCloud Photos for all devices. Follow the steps to disable iCloud Photos for only one device: on your iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > User Name > iCloud > Photos > Toggle off Sync This Device.

Further Reading: How to Turn Off iCloud Photos Without Deleting Everything