Does iCloud Keep Your Deleted Photos? What You Need to Know

If you use iCloud to back up your iPhone or iPad photos, you may be wondering if deleted pictures are gone for good or if they continue to be stored in your iCloud account. With an automatic cloud-based backup, it’s a fair question to ponder.

In this article, we’ll explain how iCloud Photo Library works, whether it retains your deleted snapshots, and when they are removed permanently.

How iCloud Photo Library Works?

iCloud Photo Library is Apple’s cloud storage system for photos and videos. When enabled, it automatically uploads all images from your iPhone or iPad to iCloud servers. This serves as an online backup of your entire photo library.

The photos are then synced across any Apple devices linked to your iCloud account. So if you take a photo on your iPhone, it will automatically show up on your iPad or Mac as well. Any edits made on one device are reflected everywhere too.

This means your photos are always securely stored in the cloud. You can access them from any location or device, as long as you have an internet connection and are logged into your iCloud account.

Does iCloud Keep Deleted Photos?

When you delete a photo or video on your iPhone or iPad, it is removed from all synced devices using iCloud Photo Library. So if you delete an image on your phone, it disappears from your computer and other connected devices too.

However, the deleted photo is not immediately removed from your iCloud backup. Apple continues storing it there for 30 days just in case you need to restore your device or retrieve the lost data.

So while deleted photos are erased from your local storage, they linger in your iCloud account for up to a month before being permanently deleted.

Why Does Apple Retain Deleted Photos Temporarily?

Apple keeps deleted photos in your iCloud backup for a 30 day grace period to give you a safety net just in case you change your mind. If you accidentally erase an irreplaceable photo, you have a month to restore it from iCloud before it is gone forever.

This 30 day window is also useful if you need to restore your iPhone or iPad from a recent iCloud backup. Restoring would retrieve photos deleted in the past month that are still being retained in the cloud.

When Are Deleted Photos Permanently Removed from iCloud?

After 30 days pass, any photos or videos you have deleted are permanently erased from your iCloud backup. At this point, there is no way to retrieve them even if you realize later they contained precious memories.

So you can be assured that 31 days after deletion, your photos are totally removed from Apple’s servers. Any embarrassing or private images you delete will be completely purged from your iCloud account after a month.

How to Check Deleted Photos in Your iCloud Backup?

If you want to verify whether your deleted photos still reside in your iCloud backup, there are a couple methods to check:

• Visit iCloud.com and view your Photos library online. Any images deleted in the past 30 days may still be visible there.
• Restore your iPhone or iPad from an iCloud backup. Then check if the deleted photos are now back in your camera roll. Remember to delete them again afterwards if you don’t want them recovered.

Just be aware that if you see your deleted photos in iCloud, it means they can still be retrieved. But after 30 days they will no longer be accessible.

Permanent iCloud Photo Deletion

While the 30 day retention window is convenient for data recovery, some users understandably want immediate permanent deletion from iCloud.

To fully purge photos right away so they are not stored in your cloud backup:

• On your iPhone/iPad, go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Manage Storage > Photos and delete from there.
• On a Mac, use the Photos app preferences to delete originals from iCloud.
• Log into iCloud.com and delete photos there.

This will remove photos instantly without the standard 30 day grace period. However, keep in mind this means forever losing access to those images with no recovery option.

The Takeaway on iCloud and Deleted Photos

To summarize the key points about whether iCloud retains your deleted photos:

• Photos deleted on devices are removed from all your synced iCloud library locations
• However, they continue being stored in your iCloud backup for 30 days
• After 30 days, deleted photos and videos are permanently erased from iCloud
• You can check if deleted photos are still in iCloud before the 30 days is up
• Use alternative deletion methods if you want permanent instant removal from your iCloud account

So while deleting photos on your iPhone initially removes them from view, be aware they may linger in your cloud account briefly. For total assurance of immediate and irreversible removal, additional steps may be required.

Hopefully this provides clarity on how iCloud handles your deleted photos and videos. Let me know if you have any other questions!