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So if I back up all my photos and videos to icloud, how do I access the back? Also, will I still have my pictures and videos In ICloud if I delete them all from my photos on my device?

So if I back up all my photos and videos to icloud, how do I access them back? Also, will I still have my pictures and videos In ICloud if I delete them all from my photos on my device?

Posted on Jun 11, 2021 10:08 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 11, 2021 11:20 AM

You cannot view the contents of an iCloud Backup. You can only use the backup to restore a device or set up a new device.

You can view photos synced to iCloud via iCloud Photos. They will be on your device and also on www.icloud.com

You cannot delete them from your device without losing them. See below for details.


Be aware iCloud Photos is a syncing service. Any photo you delete from a device where iCloud Photos is turned on will also be deleted from iCloud and from any other device connected to iCloud Photos. You can potentially reduce the storage space required on a device by turning on Optimize Storage. See: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204264


Apple does not currently offer cloud-only storage for photos. If that is what you want or need, you may want to explore 3rd party options such as Google Photos or Dropbox.


Another way that photos may be on iCloud (if you don’t have iCloud Photos turned on) is via a backup of an iOS device. The only thing you can do with a backup is use it to restore a device or set up a new device. The contents of backups are not viewable at iCloud.com and if you delete a photo from a device it will not be included in future backups and will be lost.

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 11, 2021 11:20 AM in response to Kaylaburris97

You cannot view the contents of an iCloud Backup. You can only use the backup to restore a device or set up a new device.

You can view photos synced to iCloud via iCloud Photos. They will be on your device and also on www.icloud.com

You cannot delete them from your device without losing them. See below for details.


Be aware iCloud Photos is a syncing service. Any photo you delete from a device where iCloud Photos is turned on will also be deleted from iCloud and from any other device connected to iCloud Photos. You can potentially reduce the storage space required on a device by turning on Optimize Storage. See: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204264


Apple does not currently offer cloud-only storage for photos. If that is what you want or need, you may want to explore 3rd party options such as Google Photos or Dropbox.


Another way that photos may be on iCloud (if you don’t have iCloud Photos turned on) is via a backup of an iOS device. The only thing you can do with a backup is use it to restore a device or set up a new device. The contents of backups are not viewable at iCloud.com and if you delete a photo from a device it will not be included in future backups and will be lost.

So if I back up all my photos and videos to icloud, how do I access the back? Also, will I still have my pictures and videos In ICloud if I delete them all from my photos on my device?

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