How to Disable iCloud Photos

Disabling iCloud Photos can free up storage space or allow you to switch photo management services. This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to turn off iCloud Photos on various Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC, and Apple TV. Remember to back up your photos before disabling iCloud Photos to prevent data loss.

Disabling iCloud Photos: Device-Specific Instructions

Turning off iCloud Photos can be done on individual devices without affecting other synced devices. Here’s how:

iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro

1. Navigate to Settings and tap your name.
2. Select iCloud and then Photos.
3. Toggle off “Sync this [Device]“.

Mac

1. Open System Settings and tap your name.
2. Click on iCloud followed by Photos.
3. Uncheck “Sync this Mac“.

Windows PC

1. Launch iCloud for Windows and ensure you’re logged into your Apple ID.
2. Beside Photos, click Options.
3. Deselect iCloud Photos.
4. Click Done, then Apply.

Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > iCloud.
2. Under the Photos section, press Select to disable iCloud Photos.

Disabling iCloud Photos Across All Devices

To completely disable iCloud Photos and remove photos from iCloud servers:

iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro

1. Open Settings and tap your name.
2. Select iCloud then Storage (or Manage Account Storage in iOS 17 or earlier).
3. Tap iCloud Photos.
4. Choose Turn Off & Delete Photos (or Turn Off & Delete from iCloud in iOS 17 or earlier). Remember, photos are deleted from iCloud after 30 days. You can undo this within that timeframe.

Mac

1. Go to Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Click Apple Account (or Apple ID in macOS Sonoma or earlier).
3. Select iCloud then click Manage.
4. Choose iCloud Photos and click Turn Off and Delete from iCloud (or select Photos then click Turn Off and Delete in macOS Sonoma or earlier). Data is permanently deleted after 30 days, but recovery is possible within that period.

Before disabling iCloud Photos completely, ensure you have downloaded all your photos and videos to a local storage device to prevent permanent data loss.