iCloud Photos allows you to seamlessly store and sync your photos across Apple devices. It's useful and convenient, but you might not want to use iCloud Photos if you're low on iCloud storage or use third-party services like Google Photos.

Whatever the reason, you can disable iCloud Photos pretty easily on your Apple device. We'll guide you through the process.

How to Disable iCloud Photos on Your iPhone and iPad

There are two ways to turn off iCloud Photos on your iPhone or iPad. Here's the first method:

  1. Open Settings on your device.
  2. Tap on your Apple ID name at the top, then select iCloud.
  3. Under Apps Using iCloud, select Photos.
  4. Toggle off Sync this iPhone. A confirmation message may pop up. Select Remove from iPhone to delete iCloud photos from your device or Download Photos & Videos to keep a copy of them.

Here's the alternate method to disable iCloud Photos on your iPhone or iPad:

  1. Open Settings on your device.
  2. Scroll down and select Photos.
  3. Toggle off iCloud Photos.

Note that after turning off iCloud Photos, your photos will no longer sync across your devices; this could potentially mean losing your photos if you lose your device or it gets stolen.

To avoid such an issue, why not consider an alternate cloud service to back up your iPhone photos? Google Drive, for instance, offers 15 GB of storage for free.

How to Disable iCloud Photos on a Mac

There are two ways to disable iCloud Photos on a Mac. Here's what you need to do:

  1. Click the Apple menu in the menu bar and choose System Settings from the dropdown.
  2. Select your Apple ID name, click iCloud on the right, and then choose Photos.
    iCloud Photos settings on macOS
  3. Toggle off Sync this Mac. You'll be prompted to download a copy of your iCloud photos to your Mac.
iCloud Photos settings on macOS

Alternatively, you can follow the steps below:

  1. Open the Photos app.
  2. Click Photos in the menu bar, then choose Settings.
  3. Now, head to the iCloud tab and uncheck iCloud Photos.
iCloud Photos settings on macOS

Disabling iCloud Photos will free up space on your iCloud, which you can use for things requiring less storage than photos and videos, like emails or notes.

Remember that by disabling iCloud Photos on your device, your photos and videos will remain in the Photos app, but they'll no longer be backed up to iCloud or synced across your devices.

Disable iCloud Photos to Save iCloud Storage Space

Disabling iCloud Photos can help you prevent using up your cloud storage, particularly if you're on the basic 5GB storage plan. You can disable iCloud storage and use an alternative cloud service to back up your photos for free.

Whether you're using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, turning off iCloud Photos is a straightforward process that can be easily accomplished by following the steps outlined here.