iCloud: How to delete photos from Photo Stream

Summary

Learn how to delete photos from Photo Stream.

Products Affected

iCloud

Learn how to delete photos from My Photo Stream on devices using iOS, from Macs using iPhoto or Aperture, or from iCloud Control Panel for Windows. Refer to iCloud: Using and Troubleshooting Shared Photo Streams for information about deleting photos from a shared Photo Stream.

When you take photos with your iOS device or when you import photos from your digital camera to your computer, iCloud automatically uploads new photos from your Photo Stream to iCloud and pushes photos to all of your other devices.

Similarly, when you delete a photo from your Photo Stream on an iOS device or a Mac, or on a PC using iCloud Control Panel, that photo will be deleted from the Photo Stream view on all your devices and computers. Each device must be using the required software (see below), and have Photo Stream enabled. Deletions occur automatically as you connect each device to either Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

Copies of Photo Stream photos you have saved to your Camera Roll on an iOS device or imported into events in your iPhoto or Aperture library, and photos you have copied into a folder on your PC that's not part of My Photo Stream, will not be deleted when you delete photos from Photo Stream.

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Required Software

To delete photos from the Photo Stream (or My Photo Stream) view on all of your devices, you must update each device with the following software:

  • iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 5.1 or later
  • Mac with OS X Lion v10.7.5 or later, and iPhoto 9.2.2, or Aperture 3.2.3 or later
  • PC with Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista (Service Pack 2) and iCloud Control Panel for Windows 2.0 or later (iCloud Control Panel 2.1 required with Windows 8.)
  • Apple TV (2nd generation or later) with Software Update 5.0 or later

Note: You will need to manually delete photos you downloaded to iOS devices using iOS 5.0.1 or earlier after updating to iOS 5.1.

Make sure that Photo Stream is turned on.

Deleting photos from Photo Stream (or My Photo Stream) with an iOS device

On an iOS device using iOS 6 or later:

  1. Open the Photos app.
  2. Tap the Photo Stream tab.
  3. Tap My Photo Stream.
  4. Tap Edit. 
  5. Tap one or more photos. Checkmarks denote photos you have selected. 
  6. Tap Delete, and then tap Delete Selected Photos.

On an iOS device using iOS 5.1 - 5.1.1:

  • Open the Photos app, and tap Photo Stream. Do either of the following:
    • Tap the share icon, and then tap one or more photos. Checkmarks denote photos you have selected. Tap Delete, and then tap Delete Selected Photos. 
    • Tap a photo, and then tap the trash can icon to delete the photo. 

Deleting photos from Photo Stream (or My Photo Stream) with iPhoto or Aperture

On a Mac using iPhoto 9.2.2 or later, or Aperture 3.2.3 or later:

  1. Select a photo or group of photos from the Photo Stream (or My Photo Stream) view in iPhoto or Aperture.
  2. Press the Delete key.
  3. Click Delete.

Deleting photos from your Photo Stream with Apple TV

Make sure you are using Apple TV Software Update 5.0 or later. 

  1. Choose Photo Stream from the main menu. If you are using Apple TV Software Update 5.0, choose Internet > Photo Stream from the main menu.
  2. If prompted, sign in to your iCloud account.
  3. With your remote control, navigate to a photo that you want to delete.
  4. Press and hold Select, and then choose Delete Photo.

Deleting Photo Stream photos from a Windows PC 

 On a Windows PC using Windows 8 and iCloud Control Panel for Windows 2.1 or later with both Photo Stream and My Photo Stream enabled:

  1. From the Start screen, select Photo Stream.
  2. Double click My Photo Stream to open it. 
  3. Select the photo or photos you want to delete. Right-click and select Delete.

When you delete or move photos from My Photo Stream on your PC, they are also deleted from Photo Stream (or My Photo Stream) on your devices using iOS 5.1 and later. If you delete photos from My Photo Stream on your device using iOS 6, the photos are also deleted from My Photo Stream on your Windows PC.

Windows Vista (SP2) or Windows 7 and iCloud Control Panel for Windows 2.0 or later with both Photo Stream and My Photo Stream enabled:

  1. Open a Windows Explorer window.
  2. Select Photo Stream under Favorites in the side panel. 
  3. Double click My Photo Stream to open it. 
  4. Select the photo or photos you want to delete. Right-click and select Delete.

When you delete or move photos from My Photo Stream on your PC, they are also deleted from Photo Stream (or My Photo Stream) on your devices using iOS 5.1 and later. If you delete photos from My Photo Stream on your device using iOS 6, the photos are also deleted from My Photo Stream on your Windows PC.

Important: Information about products not manufactured by Apple is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute Apple’s recommendation or endorsement. Please contact the vendor for additional information.
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