The three ways to delete from iCloud

You can delete files and photos from iCloud in three places: on your iPhone or iPad, on your Mac or Windows computer, or through iCloud.com in a web browser. The fastest route depends on what you're deleting and which device you have in front of you right now. Deleting from iCloud removes the file from all your devices that use the same Apple ID — it does not stay on one device while disappearing from others.

Before you delete anything, understand that iCloud Backup and iCloud Drive work differently. If you delete a photo from Photos, it goes to Recently Deleted for 30 days before disappearing forever. If you delete a document from iCloud Drive, it also goes to Recently Deleted for 30 days. But if you delete a backup of your entire device, that backup is gone when ready — you cannot recover it. This guide covers deleting individual files and photos, not device backups.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleted files and photos go to Recently Deleted for 30 days before they are permanently removed, giving you time to change your mind.
  • Deleting from iCloud removes the file from all your devices signed in with the same Apple ID, not just the one you deleted it from.
  • On iPhone and iPad, delete photos through the Photos app and documents through the Files app or the app that created them.
  • On Mac and Windows, use iCloud Drive in Finder or File Explorer, or delete photos through the Photos app on Mac.
  • If you delete something by mistake, go to Recently Deleted in the same app within 30 days and restore it.

Deleting photos and videos on iPhone and iPad

Open the Photos app and find the photo or video you want to delete. Tap Select in the top right, then tap the photo to mark it. You can tap multiple photos to delete several at once. Once you have selected what you want, tap Delete in the bottom right corner, then confirm by tapping Delete Photo or Delete Video.

The photo moves to Recently Deleted, where it stays for 30 days. If you change your mind within that window, open Photos, tap the Albums tab at the bottom, scroll down to Recently Deleted, tap Select, choose the photo, and tap Recover. The photo returns to your library and syncs back to your other devices.

Deleting files from iCloud Drive on iPhone and iPad

Open the Files app and navigate to iCloud Drive. Find the file you want to delete, press and hold it, then tap Delete from the menu that appears. The file moves to Recently Deleted in the Files app. To recover it, open Files, tap the three dots in the top right corner, tap Recently Deleted, find the file, press and hold it, and tap Recover.

If you created the file in a specific app — like a document in Pages or a spreadsheet in Numbers — you can also delete it directly from that app. Open the app, find the file in the list, swipe left on it, and tap Delete. This also sends it to Recently Deleted within that app.

Deleting photos and files on Mac

To delete photos on Mac, open the Photos app, find the photo, and click it once to select it. Press Delete on your keyboard, then confirm the deletion. The photo goes to Recently Deleted. To recover it, click Recently Deleted in the sidebar, find the photo, and click Recover.

To delete files from iCloud Drive on Mac, open Finder and click iCloud Drive in the sidebar. Find the file you want to delete, press and hold it (or right-click), and select Move to Bin. The file goes to the Trash. To recover it before you empty the Trash, click the Trash icon in the Dock, find the file, right-click it, and select Put Back.

Deleting files on Windows

On Windows, iCloud Drive appears as a folder in File Explorer. Open File Explorer, click iCloud Drive in the left sidebar, find the file you want to delete, right-click it, and select Delete. The file moves to the Recycle Bin. To recover it, open the Recycle Bin, find the file, right-click it, and select Restore.

If you use iCloud Photos on Windows, photos sync to a folder on your computer. You can delete them through File Explorer the same way — right-click and select Delete. However, deleting a photo from the iCloud Photos folder on Windows also removes it from iCloud and all your other devices, so be certain before you delete.

Deleting through iCloud.com

Go to iCloud.com in any web browser and sign in with your Apple ID. Click Photos to view your photo library or click iCloud Drive to view your files. Find what you want to delete, click it to select it, and look for a Delete button or trash icon. The exact location depends on which section you are in, but it is usually near the top of the screen.

Deleted items go to Recently Deleted, where they stay for 30 days. To recover something, click Recently Deleted in the sidebar, find the item, and click Recover. After 30 days, iCloud permanently removes the item and you cannot get it back.

What happens when you delete from iCloud

When you delete a file or photo from iCloud, it disappears from all devices signed in with your Apple ID within a few minutes. If you have iCloud Photos turned on, deleting a photo from your iPhone removes it from your Mac, iPad, and iCloud.com at the same time. The same applies to files in iCloud Drive — delete a document on your Mac and it vanishes from your iPad and iPhone.

The 30-day Recently Deleted window is your safety net. During those 30 days, the file takes up space in your iCloud storage, so if you are trying to free up space, you need to permanently delete it from Recently Deleted as well. After 30 days, iCloud automatically removes it and you cannot restore it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a file after 30 days?

No. Once the 30-day Recently Deleted window closes, iCloud permanently removes the file and there is no way to recover it. If you think you might need something, restore it from Recently Deleted before the 30 days are up.

Does deleting from iCloud delete it from my computer too?

If the file is in iCloud Drive and you have iCloud Drive syncing turned on, yes — deleting it from iCloud removes it from all your devices. If you want to keep a file on your computer but remove it from iCloud, move it out of the iCloud Drive folder first.

Will deleting photos free up my iCloud storage?

Only if you permanently delete them from Recently Deleted. Files in Recently Deleted still count toward your storage limit for 30 days. To free up space when ready, go to Recently Deleted and tap Delete All or select individual files and delete them permanently.

What if I delete a file by mistake on one device?

You have 30 days to recover it. Open the app where you deleted it, find Recently Deleted, and restore the file. It will sync back to all your devices within a few minutes.

Can I delete files from iCloud without deleting them from my device?

Not directly. If you delete a file from iCloud Drive, it deletes from all devices. If you want to keep a file on your computer but remove it from iCloud, move it to a folder that is not synced to iCloud, like your Desktop or Documents folder outside of iCloud Drive.