How do I turn off iCloud Photos on my iPhone?

Open Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, then tap Photos. Turn off Sync this iPhone (iCloud Photos on older iOS). Then choose Download Photos & Videos to keep full copies on the phone, or Remove from iPhone to take them off the phone.

What happens if I turn off iCloud Photos?

That device stops syncing. New photos, edits, and deletes no longer move between it and your other devices. Your iCloud library stays as it is, and you can still see it at iCloud.com and on other devices that sync.

Will turning off iCloud Photos delete my photos?

Not from iCloud. Turning it off on one device leaves your iCloud library alone. If you choose Remove from iPhone, the photos leave that phone but stay in iCloud. Wait for uploads to finish first, because a photo that never uploaded has no copy in iCloud.

How do I turn off iCloud Photos without deleting everything?

Let uploads finish. If Optimize iPhone Storage is on, switch to Download and Keep Originals and wait. Then turn off Sync this iPhone and choose Download Photos & Videos. Make sure you have enough free space for the full library.

Does turning off iCloud Photos free up iCloud storage?

No, not on its own. Your photos stay in iCloud. To free that space, delete photos from iCloud, or use Turn Off and Delete Photos in iCloud storage settings to leave iCloud Photos. Apple deletes the photos 30 days after that.

Can I undo Turn Off and Delete Photos?

Yes, for 30 days. Apple keeps your iCloud photos for 30 days after you stop using iCloud Photos. Tap Undo Delete in the same iCloud Photos storage screen before the time runs out.

Does Pikondo turn off iCloud Photos?

No. Pikondo does not change iCloud settings or download originals. It helps you review and delete clutter in the Photos library on your iPhone. With iCloud Photos on, those deletes sync like any Photos delete. With it off, they stay on the phone.

Photo cleanup guide

How to turn off iCloud Photos (without losing your photos)

Turn off iCloud Photos on iPhone, Mac, or PC. What Download vs Remove from iPhone does, what happens to iCloud, and how to stop it everywhere safely.

By Pikondo team · Updated October 19, 2026

Pikondo review screen where marked photos can be checked before deletion

Short answer: on iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, then tap Photos and turn off Sync this iPhone. iOS then asks what to do. Download Photos & Videos keeps full copies on the phone. Remove from iPhone takes them off the phone, but your library stays in iCloud. Turning it off on one device does not delete anything from iCloud and does not free iCloud space. To stop iCloud Photos everywhere, use Turn Off and Delete Photos in iCloud storage settings. Apple then deletes your iCloud photos after 30 days. Pikondo does not change iCloud settings. It helps you clear clutter on your iPhone.

Short answer: what turning off iCloud Photos does

On one device: that device stops syncing. New photos, edits, and deletes no longer move between it and your other devices.
Your iCloud library stays. Turning it off on one iPhone does not delete photos from iCloud or your other devices.
iCloud space does not change. The photos still sit in iCloud and still count toward your plan.
You pick Download Photos & Videos (keep full copies on the phone) or Remove from iPhone (take them off the phone).
For your whole account: Turn Off and Delete Photos stops iCloud Photos everywhere. Apple deletes your iCloud photos 30 days later.

Before you turn it off: 3 checks

Wait for uploads to finish. Open Photos and check the library status. On newer iOS, go to Collections and tap the profile button. On older iOS, open Library → All Photos and scroll to the bottom. A photo that has not uploaded yet has no copy in iCloud. Stuck? See /blog/icloud-photos-not-syncing.
Check your free space. If you want to keep your photos on the phone, Apple says to download your originals first and make sure you have room. Go to Settings → General → iPhone Storage and compare free space with the size of Photos in your iCloud storage.
If Optimize iPhone Storage is on, your phone only holds smaller copies. Switch to Download and Keep Originals in Settings → your name → iCloud → Photos (on the newest iOS, tap iPhone Storage first). Wait for the download to finish.

Turn off iCloud Photos on iPhone or iPad

Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
Tap iCloud. Under Saved to iCloud, tap Photos.
Turn off Sync this iPhone. On older iOS the switch says iCloud Photos.
Choose Download Photos & Videos to keep a full copy on the phone. Choose Remove from iPhone to take the photos off the phone without saving a copy.
Done. Your iCloud library is still there. You can see it on your other devices and at iCloud.com.

Download Photos & Videos vs Remove from iPhone

Download Photos & Videos is the safe pick if you want your photos on the phone. It needs enough free space for the full library. Wait until it finishes before you delete anything or reset the phone.

Remove from iPhone frees phone space. Your photos stay in iCloud, so you can still see them at iCloud.com or on a Mac or iPad that syncs. But the phone no longer has them. Only pick it when you are sure the upload finished.

Either way, nothing is deleted from iCloud. That is why turning off sync alone will not lower your iCloud bill.

Turn off iCloud Photos on a Mac

Download your originals first. In Photos → Settings → iCloud, pick Download Originals to this Mac and let it finish. Check you have room on the Mac.
Open the Apple menu → System Settings and click your name.
Click iCloud. Under Saved to iCloud, click Photos.
Turn off Sync this Mac.
Choose Download to keep a copy on the Mac. Choose Remove from Mac (or Delete from Mac) to take the photos off the Mac.

Turn off iCloud Photos on a Windows PC

Open iCloud for Windows and sign in with your Apple Account.
Next to Photos, click Options.
Uncheck iCloud Photos.
Click Done, then click Apply.

Turn off iCloud Photos everywhere (and delete it from iCloud)

Use this only when you want to leave iCloud Photos for good, for example to drop to a smaller iCloud plan. It is the only way turning it off frees iCloud space.

Steps: turn it off for your whole account

Save your photos first. Download originals to your iPhone or Mac, or copy them to a computer or drive. See /blog/back-up-iphone-photos.
If you own a Shared Photo Library, delete it first. Apple lists this step before you turn iCloud Photos off.
On iPhone: Settings → your name → iCloud → Storage (Manage Account Storage on iOS 17 or earlier) → iCloud Photos.
Tap Turn Off and Delete Photos (Turn Off & Delete from iCloud on iOS 17 or earlier).
Apple deletes your photos from iCloud 30 days after you stop using the service. Changed your mind? Tap Undo Delete before the 30 days are up.

After you turn it off: what changes

Deletes on the phone stay on the phone. They no longer remove the photo from iCloud or your other devices. See /blog/delete-photos-from-iphone-not-icloud.
New photos you take do not upload to iCloud Photos.
Your iCloud Backup changes. Apple says if you do not use iCloud Photos, your Photo Library is part of your iCloud Backup. Check Settings → your name → iCloud → Storage (or Manage Account Storage) → Backups → this iPhone → Photo Library. A big library can make the backup large.
Turn it back on any time in the same Photos screen. Your phone then syncs with the iCloud library again, and deletes start syncing again too.

Want phone space but still want iCloud? Try Optimize first

Many people turn off iCloud Photos just to free room on the phone. Optimize iPhone Storage often does that without leaving iCloud. The phone keeps smaller copies and iCloud keeps the full-size originals. See /blog/optimize-iphone-storage.

If iCloud is full instead, clear clutter there first. See /blog/free-up-icloud-storage and /blog/delete-photos-from-icloud.

How Pikondo fits (and where it stops)

Pikondo is an on-device photo cleaner for iPhone. It helps you review screenshots, duplicates and similar shots, and blurry photos. Swipe to keep or mark, check the marked list, then confirm.

Pikondo does not turn iCloud Photos on or off, download originals, or change any iCloud setting. It deletes through the Photos library on your iPhone. With iCloud Photos on, those deletes sync to iCloud like any Photos delete. With it off, they stay on the phone. Clearing clutter before you choose Download Photos & Videos means there is less to download and less space needed.

Related guides

For more on iCloud Photos and storage, see deleting photos from iPhone but not iCloud at /blog/delete-photos-from-iphone-not-icloud, deleting photos from iCloud at /blog/delete-photos-from-icloud, freeing iCloud storage at /blog/free-up-icloud-storage, iCloud Photos not syncing at /blog/icloud-photos-not-syncing, optimizing iPhone Storage at /blog/optimize-iphone-storage, backing up iPhone photos at /blog/back-up-iphone-photos, transferring photos to a Mac at /blog/transfer-photos-iphone-to-mac, and transferring photos to a PC at /blog/transfer-photos-iphone-to-pc.

The key point

To turn off iCloud Photos on your iPhone, go to Settings → your name → iCloud → Photos and turn off Sync this iPhone. Wait for uploads first, and pick Download Photos & Videos if you want to keep full copies on the phone. Your iCloud library stays, so this does not free iCloud space. To leave iCloud Photos for good, save your photos, then use Turn Off and Delete Photos; Apple deletes them after 30 days. Pikondo helps you clear clutter on your iPhone; it does not change iCloud settings.

Frequently asked questions

How do I turn off iCloud Photos on my iPhone?: Open Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, then tap Photos. Turn off Sync this iPhone (iCloud Photos on older iOS). Then choose Download Photos & Videos to keep full copies on the phone, or Remove from iPhone to take them off the phone.
What happens if I turn off iCloud Photos?: That device stops syncing. New photos, edits, and deletes no longer move between it and your other devices. Your iCloud library stays as it is, and you can still see it at iCloud.com and on other devices that sync.
Will turning off iCloud Photos delete my photos?: Not from iCloud. Turning it off on one device leaves your iCloud library alone. If you choose Remove from iPhone, the photos leave that phone but stay in iCloud. Wait for uploads to finish first, because a photo that never uploaded has no copy in iCloud.
How do I turn off iCloud Photos without deleting everything?: Let uploads finish. If Optimize iPhone Storage is on, switch to Download and Keep Originals and wait. Then turn off Sync this iPhone and choose Download Photos & Videos. Make sure you have enough free space for the full library.
Does turning off iCloud Photos free up iCloud storage?: No, not on its own. Your photos stay in iCloud. To free that space, delete photos from iCloud, or use Turn Off and Delete Photos in iCloud storage settings to leave iCloud Photos. Apple deletes the photos 30 days after that.
Can I undo Turn Off and Delete Photos?: Yes, for 30 days. Apple keeps your iCloud photos for 30 days after you stop using iCloud Photos. Tap Undo Delete in the same iCloud Photos storage screen before the time runs out.
Does Pikondo turn off iCloud Photos?: No. Pikondo does not change iCloud settings or download originals. It helps you review and delete clutter in the Photos library on your iPhone. With iCloud Photos on, those deletes sync like any Photos delete. With it off, they stay on the phone.