{"id":"icloud.can-i-delete-photos-from-my-mac-but-keep-them-in-icloud","url":"/faq/icloud/can-i-delete-photos-from-my-mac-but-keep-them-in-icloud","category":{"id":"icloud","title":"iCloud & iCloud Photos"},"subcategory":{"id":"icloud-photos","title":"iCloud Photos and the Photos library"},"question":"Can I delete photos from my Mac but keep them in iCloud Photos?","alt_questions":["Remove photos from Mac not iCloud","Delete local photos keep iCloud","Free Mac space without deleting iCloud photos","Delete from Photos app only on Mac","Will deleting photos on Mac delete them from iPhone?"],"short_answer":"Not by deleting — with iCloud Photos on, a deletion on your Mac removes the photo everywhere. Choose Optimize Mac Storage in Photos → Settings → iCloud so originals stay in iCloud and your Mac keeps smaller versions.","answer_markdown":"Not by deleting them. With iCloud Photos on, deleting a photo in Photos on your Mac deletes it from iCloud and every device. To free space on the Mac but keep the photo everywhere, use **Optimize Mac Storage** instead.\n\n1. Open **Photos → Settings → iCloud**.\n2. Choose **Optimize Mac Storage**.\n3. Photos keeps the originals in iCloud and smaller versions on your Mac, freeing space as needed.\n\nDeleted photos go to Photos' **Recently Deleted** album for a while, so you can recover one deleted by mistake. See [reducing the space Photos uses](/faq/icloud/how-do-i-reduce-the-space-icloud-photos-uses-on-my-mac).","answer_html":"

Not by deleting them. With iCloud Photos on, deleting a photo in Photos on your Mac deletes it from iCloud and every device. To free space on the Mac but keep the photo everywhere, use Optimize Mac Storage instead.

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  1. Open Photos → Settings → iCloud.
  2. Choose Optimize Mac Storage.
  3. Photos keeps the originals in iCloud and smaller versions on your Mac, freeing space as needed.
\n

Deleted photos go to Photos' Recently Deleted album for a while, so you can recover one deleted by mistake. See reducing the space Photos uses.

","answer_text":"Not by deleting them. With iCloud Photos on, deleting a photo in Photos on your Mac deletes it from iCloud and every device. To free space on the Mac but keep the photo everywhere, use Optimize Mac Storage instead.\n\n1. Open Photos → Settings → iCloud.\n2. Choose Optimize Mac Storage.\n3. Photos keeps the originals in iCloud and smaller versions on your Mac, freeing space as needed.\n\nDeleted photos go to Photos' Recently Deleted album for a while, so you can recover one deleted by mistake. See reducing the space Photos uses.","tags":["icloud photos","delete","optimize mac storage"],"related":[{"id":"icloud.how-do-i-reduce-the-space-icloud-photos-uses-on-my-mac","question":"How do I reduce the space iCloud Photos uses on my Mac?","url":"/faq/icloud/how-do-i-reduce-the-space-icloud-photos-uses-on-my-mac"},{"id":"icloud.what-happens-if-i-turn-off-icloud-photos-on-my-mac","question":"What happens if I turn off iCloud Photos on my Mac?","url":"/faq/icloud/what-happens-if-i-turn-off-icloud-photos-on-my-mac"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Can I delete photos from my Mac but keep them in iCloud Photos? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Not by deleting — with iCloud Photos on, a deletion on your Mac removes the photo everywhere. Choose Optimize Mac Storage in Photos → Settings → iCloud so originals stay in iCloud and your Mac keeps smaller versions.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"iCloud & iCloud Photos","path":"/faq/icloud/"},{"name":"Can I delete photos from my Mac but keep them in iCloud Photos?","path":"/faq/icloud/can-i-delete-photos-from-my-mac-but-keep-them-in-icloud"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/can-i-delete-photos-from-my-mac-but-keep-them-in-icloud","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Can I delete photos from my Mac but keep them in iCloud Photos?","alternateName":["Remove photos from Mac not iCloud","Delete local photos keep iCloud","Free Mac space without deleting iCloud photos","Delete from Photos app only on Mac","Will deleting photos on Mac delete them from iPhone?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Not by deleting them. With iCloud Photos on, deleting a photo in Photos on your Mac deletes it from iCloud and every device. To free space on the Mac but keep the photo everywhere, use Optimize Mac Storage instead.\n\n1. Open Photos → Settings → iCloud.\n2. Choose Optimize Mac Storage.\n3. Photos keeps the originals in iCloud and smaller versions on your Mac, freeing space as needed.\n\nDeleted photos go to Photos' Recently Deleted album for a while, so you can recover one deleted by mistake. See reducing the space Photos uses.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/can-i-delete-photos-from-my-mac-but-keep-them-in-icloud"}}]},"fragment":"
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iCloud & iCloud Photos · iCloud Photos and the Photos library

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Can I delete photos from my Mac but keep them in iCloud Photos?

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Short answer: Not by deleting — with iCloud Photos on, a deletion on your Mac removes the photo everywhere. Choose Optimize Mac Storage in Photos → Settings → iCloud so originals stay in iCloud and your Mac keeps smaller versions.

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Not by deleting them. With iCloud Photos on, deleting a photo in Photos on your Mac deletes it from iCloud and every device. To free space on the Mac but keep the photo everywhere, use Optimize Mac Storage instead.

\n
  1. Open Photos → Settings → iCloud.
  2. Choose Optimize Mac Storage.
  3. Photos keeps the originals in iCloud and smaller versions on your Mac, freeing space as needed.
\n

Deleted photos go to Photos' Recently Deleted album for a while, so you can recover one deleted by mistake. See reducing the space Photos uses.

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