You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

How do I delete a file from my iPhone, but not from iCloud?

I have this pdf file that I've saved in the "iCloud Drive" section of the files app. I want this file to be saved only on iCloud so that it doesn't take up any space on my iPhone. This file does not have the "cloud with down arrow" icon that other files in my iCloud drive folder have. Also, the file opens up even when my phone isn't connected to the internet, so it is still on my phone locally.


Is there any way to manually delete the file from my local storage?

Posted on Sep 30, 2022 3:35 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 30, 2022 6:25 AM

Ok, that works for media from the photos app. But what about other files like pdf files, keynote presentations, or numbers spreadsheets?



Actually, I think I’ve found my answer in Settings>General>iPhone Storage>iCloud Drive:


5 replies

Sep 30, 2022 6:13 AM in response to AdamK146

iCloud is primarily a synchronization service, not offline storage. You can elect to optimize photo storage in iCloud Photos (Settings > Photos), which will then store original resolution files in iCloud and lower-resolution files on your device if space is needed. That may significantly reduce the size of the photo library on device.

Oct 3, 2022 9:33 AM in response to AdamK146

I just upgraded to iOS 16. Now, when you touch and hold on any file in Files>iCloud, the first option you see in the menu is "Remove Download" if the file's on your device or "Download now" if it's only on the cloud. This works with files you've created from the device as well.


So there you go, there is now a way to manually offload files from your iOS device. I'm so glad they added this feature.

How do I delete a file from my iPhone, but not from iCloud?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.