Turning off cloud photos can have both benefits and drawbacks depending on your needs and priorities. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about turning off cloud photo storage.
Quick Summary
Here are the key points about turning off cloud photos:
- Disables automatic syncing of photos between devices
- Saves space on cloud storage services
- Prevents accidental deletion of photos
- Increases risk of data loss if devices are damaged/lost
- Makes sharing photos with others more difficult
- Can result in inability to access photos if local storage is full
What exactly happens when I turn off cloud photos?
When you turn off cloud photo storage, you stop the automatic syncing of photos between your devices and the cloud. Photos you take on your phone or tablet will be stored locally on that device rather than uploaded to services like iCloud or Google Photos.
This means new photos will no longer appear automatically on your other devices or the cloud service’s web interface. You’ll only be able to access photos stored on the physical device you took them with unless you manually transfer them.
Key Effects of Disabling Cloud Photos
- No automatic syncing between devices
- Photos remain stored locally on device only
- No ability to access photos on web interface
- Must manually transfer photos between devices
What are the benefits of turning off cloud photos?
There are a few potential advantages to disabling cloud photo backups:
Saves Storage Space
If you take a lot of photos, videos, and screenshots, cloud storage can quickly fill up. Apple provides just 5GB of free iCloud space, Google offers 15GB for free, and other services have similar caps before you have to pay.
By keeping everything local, you don’t have to worry about running out of cloud storage and paying monthly fees for more space.
Adds Privacy
When your photos are stored locally on your device only, it means companies can’t access them. There’s no chance of employees at these firms improperly accessing your photos.
Avoids Accidental Deletion
If you accidentally swipe away or delete a photo on one device when cloud syncing is enabled, you’ll also lose that photo on all your other devices. Turning off the cloud prevents this.
Saves Bandwidth
Uploading and downloading photos uses data. While most homes have unlimited broadband, you may want to reduce bandwidth usage if you are on a capped data plan.
What are the downsides of disabling cloud photo storage?
However, there are also some significant downsides to turning off cloud backups for photos:
Risk of Losing Data
If your phone, computer, or tablet is damaged, lost, or stolen, any photos stored exclusively on that device are gone forever. With cloud syncing enabled, you can typically recover lost photos easily.
Limits Photo Access and Sharing
Without the cloud, your photos remain stuck on the device you took them on. That makes it harder to view them on other devices or share them with friends and family.
Difficult to Free Up Space
Local storage can fill up fast, especially on phones and tablets. If you run out of space, you’ll be unable to take new photos until you manually offload them or delete them.
No Web Access
Cloud services let you log in from a web browser to access all your photos. Turning off the cloud removes this ability to view your photo library from anywhere.
Should I disable cloud sync temporarily or permanently?
If you want to keep some photos private or avoid an accidental delete, temporarily turning off cloud sync can make sense. However, we generally recommend keeping it enabled most of the time.
Here are some best practices around temporarily disabling cloud sync:
- Turn it off for the duration you want photos kept private or protected
- Manually back up photos during this time in case of device loss
- Turn sync back on after this period to allow remote access again
Permanently disabling cloud sync means you lose access to powerful cloud capabilities:
- No more automatic sync between devices
- Higher risk of permanent data loss if devices fail
- Lose ability to access or share photos remotely
We only recommend permanent disabling if all of the following are true:
- You take very few photos
- You manually back up photos regularly
- You never access photos away from your devices
- You have no need to share photos electronically
How do I go about disabling cloud photos?
The exact steps to turn off cloud photo syncing vary by manufacturer and model. But in general, here is what you need to do:
On iPhone and iPad
- Open the Settings app
- Tap your name at the top and then iCloud
- Scroll down and turn off Photos
On Android
- Open the Google Photos app
- Tap your profile icon
- Go into Settings and then Backup & sync
- Turn off backup and sync
In Google Photos Web Interface
- Visit photos.google.com in your browser
- Click the Settings gear icon
- Go to Backup and disable it
On Mac
- Click the Apple menu
- Select System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud
- Uncheck Photos
On Windows
- Open the Start menu
- Go to Settings > Accounts
- Under iCloud, turn off Photos
What are some alternatives to cloud syncing?
If you want to keep photos synced across devices without relying on the cloud, here are a few options:
Manual Transfer
Manually copy photos from each device onto a computer periodically. Then sync them across devices using the computer as a hub.
External Drives
Store photos on external USB drives or SD cards. Swap them between devices to transfer latest photos.
Home Server
Set up a home server or NAS device to act as central storage for photos.
Third-Party Apps
Apps like Syncios can sync photos directly between devices like iPhone, iPad, and Android.
What should I do if I change my mind?
If you decide to turn cloud photo syncing back on after disabling it, re-enabling the feature is simple:
On iPhone/iPad
- Open Settings
- Tap your name and iCloud
- Turn Photos back on
On Android
- Launch Google Photos
- Go to your profile icon > Settings
- Turn on Backup & Sync
On Computers/Web
Just return to the same settings menu where you disabled cloud syncing and turn it back on.
Once enabled, latest photos will start syncing to the cloud automatically. It may take hours or days for your entire existing library to upload depending on its size and your connection speed.
Conclusion
Turning off cloud photo storage provides some benefits like privacy, saved space, and prevention of accidental deletion. But it also carries major risks like permanent data loss if devices fail.
We generally recommend keeping cloud sync enabled for most users. But temporary disabling makes sense in certain use cases. Just be sure to manually back up photos during this time.
With strategic use of cloud sync toggling and diligent local backups, you can enjoy the best of both worlds – convenience of the cloud with more control over your photo library.
| Pros of Disabling Cloud Photos | Cons of Disabling Cloud Photos |
|---|---|
| Saves storage space on devices and cloud | Risk of permanent data loss if device fails |
| Adds privacy | No access to photos on other devices |
| Avoids accidental deletion | Harder to share photos |
| Reduces bandwidth usage | No web access to library |
