How to Delete Photos from iCloud on Mac

To remove iCloud photos from a Mac, open the Photos app, select the items you don't need, and press the Delete key. Confirm deletion, and the files move to Recently Deleted, clearing iCloud storage. Based on our experience, reviewing duplicates with MacKeeper's Duplicates Finder ensures you only remove copies, keeping your original photos safe while reclaiming space quickly. Use it as a beneficial addition.

Reasons to delete photos from iCloud

You may want to get rid of iCloud photos on a Mac to free up limited iCloud storage, remove duplicates, clean outdated files, or prepare your Mac for resale. Since photo libraries quickly fill the free 5GB plan, deleting them reclaims space efficiently.

A note from our experts: 

 

In many cases, we've noticed that duplicate documents, spreadsheets, and downloads take up just as much space as photos. That's why MacKeeper offers Mac optimization and cybersecurity. Our Duplicates Finder feature is a reliable way to restore order because it locates redundant files and lets you remove them safely without affecting the originals.

 

Here's how to use it:

1. Download MacKeeper from our official website and follow the installation instructions.
2. Open the app and select Duplicates Finder in the left-hand panel.
3. Click Start Scan to allow the tool to search through your folders.
4. Review results grouped by file type for easier checks.
5. Select the copies you don't need or mark them all at once.
6. Click Remove Selected, then confirm with Remove and Finish to reclaim space instantly.

How iCloud Photos works?

The iCloud Photos app automatically syncs your images across all Apple devices, so deleting a photo on one device removes it everywhere. When you enable Optimize Mac Storage, only smaller previews stay on your Mac, while full-resolution originals remain in the cloud. To avoid losing important files and free up space, you need to carefully manage iCloud storage on your Mac by reviewing settings and keeping backups.

How to remove iCloud photos from Mac?

To remove iCloud photos from a Mac, open the Photos app, select the images you don't need, and press Delete. The photos move to Recently Deleted, which clears space in iCloud. You can also log in to iCloud.com, open Photos, and delete files directly. Finally, we’d like to warn you to always review your library carefully to avoid losing originals, since all changes you apply in the iCloud account will automatically sync across devices,

1. Using Photos app

From our experience, the most direct way to manage your library is by using the built-in Photos app. When iCloud Photos is enabled, every deletion you make here syncs across all devices, which makes it both powerful and risky.

Steps to delete photos with the Photos app:

1. Open the Photos app on your Mac.
2. In the sidebar, select Library or any album you want to clean up.
3. Hold the Command key and click to choose multiple images.
4. Press the Delete key on your keyboard.
5. Go to Recently Deleted in the sidebar and choose Delete All if you want to free up space immediately.
6. Restart the app and confirm that the storage bar in System Settings > iCloud > Manage reflects the changes you made.

Another friendly warning from our team: 

 

We always remind users to double-check before deleting, since a single click removes the item from your iPhone, iPad, and iCloud as well. Still, this is the fastest method when you want to learn how to clean up iCloud storage and keep your Mac organized.

2. Via iCloud.com

We've noticed that some users prefer not to open the Photos app at all, especially when they're away from their Mac. In that case, deleting images via iCloud.com is a convenient alternative. This method works in any modern browser so that you can use it on Windows PCs as well.

Steps to delete photos on iCloud.com:

1. Open a browser on your Mac and go to iCloud.com.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID and password.
3. Click on Photos from the main menu.
4. Browse your library and hold the Command key to select multiple images.
5. Click the trash icon in the top-right corner.
6. Open the Recently Deleted album, and choose Delete All to clear space instantly.

Unlike the Photos app, it doesn't require syncing through macOS directly, but the result is the same—photos are deleted from your iCloud account and all connected devices. It's also a great way to check why iCloud drive uses storage on a Mac, since the site shows which files are stored online.

What happens after deleting iCloud photos on Mac?

After deleting iCloud photos on a Mac, the images move to the Recently Deleted folder and stay there for 30 days. During this period, you can restore them if removed by mistake. Once the time passes, or you empty the folder manually, the photos are permanently erased from iCloud and all connected devices. That’s why our stable advice is to always review your library carefully to avoid losing important files.

How to permanently delete iCloud photos on Mac?

Many users think photos are gone once they're deleted, but from our experience, they actually stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days. That means they still occupy iCloud space until you erase them permanently. If you want to reclaim storage right away, clearing that folder is essential.

Follow the steps to permanently delete iCloud photos:

1. Open the Photos app on your Mac.
2. In the sidebar, select Recently Deleted.
3. Review the items carefully and confirm which files you no longer need.
4. Click Delete All or right-click on specific photos to remove them permanently.
5. For iCloud.com, sign in with your Apple ID, open Photos, and go to Recently Deleted.
6. Select photos or choose Delete All to clear space instantly.

Once confirmed, the photos are erased from all synced devices, and you immediately free up storage across your account.

How to delete iCloud photos without removing them from the iPhone?

We've seen many cases where users want to clean up iCloud but still keep their photos on their iPhone. The key here is disabling sync before deletion. That way, you can manage iCloud space on your Mac while protecting local copies on your mobile device.

Steps to delete iCloud photos without removing them from iPhone:

1. On your iPhone, open Settings.
2. Go to iCloud > Photos, and toggle off Sync this iPhone.
3. Confirm that photos are saved locally on your iPhone (they'll show as available even when offline).
4. On your Mac, open the Photos app or sign in to iCloud.com.
5. Select and delete the images you no longer want stored in iCloud.
6. Check iPhone's photo library again to ensure originals remain intact.

By separating sync before deletion, you keep full control of your library across devices.

How to recover deleted iCloud photos on Mac?

Accidentally removing important photos can be stressful, but based on our tests, recovery is simple if you act within 30 days. Both the Photos app and iCloud.com maintain a Recently Deleted folder, where items can be restored with one click.

Our instructions to recover deleted iCloud photos on Mac:

1. Open the Photos app on your Mac.
2. In the sidebar, click Recently Deleted.
3. Review thumbnails of recently removed files.
4. Select the photos you want to bring back.
5. Click Recover to return them to your main library.
6. On iCloud.com, log in with your Apple ID and go to Photos > Recently Deleted.
7. Select files and choose Recover.

If 30 days have passed, the only option is restoring from a backup. That's why our experts recommend you occasionally download photos from iCloud to a Mac or to an external drive as a safety measure.

Conclusion

Deleting photos from iCloud on Mac is a straightforward way to manage limited cloud storage and keep your photo library organized. You can remove files directly in the Photos app or sign in to iCloud.com, and both methods sync changes across all your devices.

Since MacKeeper is a leading solution in memory optimization, our experts recommend its top-notch feature—MacKeeper's Duplicates Finder. It helps you detect redundant photos, documents, and other files without risking your originals.