How to delete your photos from iCloud: The simple steps that will stop your images getting into the wrong hands
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The reported iCloud hack, which exposed hundreds of photos of celebrities, has highlighted the dangers of storing files online.
In particular, actress Mary Winstead complained she had deleted a number of the leaked photos 'long ago'.
But, many Apple users aren't aware that removing a photo from a device doesn't automatically remove it from their cloud account.
If you are concerned about images or files you have stored online, there are steps you can take to delete them from the iCloud and from the device.
When a user takes a photo, it is stored in their Camera Roll, which is a gallery of images that are physically stored on the device. If My Photo Stream is enabled (pictured left), these photos are also stored in the My Photo Stream album (pictured right), which is automatically uploaded to iCloud and other synced devices
Deleting photos from the Photo Stream automatically removes them from iCloud. My Photo Stream can also be disabled in Settings, iCloud, Photos (pictured)
Users can also stop photos automatically being uploaded to iCloud, so that future snaps aren't vulnerable either.
When a user takes a photo on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, it is stored in their Camera Roll.
This is a gallery of images that are physically stored on the device the photo was taken on.
This also includes photos that have been saved from text messages, emails and websites.
By comparison, the My Photo Stream album is in the cloud and syncs will all other connected devices.
If My Photo Stream is enabled, when a photo is taken and saved on the Camera Roll, it is saved in the My Photo Stream album and automatically saved to iCloud.
This means that particular image is synced with every connected device, and will appear those devices' Photo Stream as well.
If the My Photo Stream album doesn't appear, the tool hasn't been activated, or there isn't an iCloud account connected to that device.
Photos can also be stored on iCloud if a user chooses to back up their Camera Roll to the cloud service.
To remove these images a person must overwrite them with a new backup. This involves moving the images from the iPhone or iPad to another device - such as a laptop - and then deleting them from the Camera Roll on the phone or tablet.
Next time the phone is backed up, the existing Camera Roll backup will be replaced with the new one, which should have fewer, or no images in it.
Alternatively, Camera Roll backup options can be disabled by going to go to Settings, iCloud, Storage & Backup and Manage Storage. Select the device and turn off Camera Roll backup.
If enabled, backup occurs automatically when the device is synced with iTunes, or when it's put on charge and connected to Wi-Fi.
Images on Photo Stream only stay on the iCloud server for 30 days, and the device will only store 1,000 Photo Stream images.
HOW TO REMOVE ALL PHOTOS FROM iCLOUD
- On your device, go to Photos, Albums and select My Photo Stream.
- Click Select in the top right-hand corner and choose all the photos that are to be deleted.
- Click the bin icon in the bottom right-hand corner to permanently remove them. This will wipe them from iCloud, as well as any synced devices.
- Go to Settings, iCloud, Photos and disable My Photo Stream and Photo Sharing.
- Open Photos again, choose Camera Roll and select the required photos and videos. Either delete them, if you don't want to keep them, or click the Share button in the bottom left-hand corner and choose where to store them.
- Photos can also be transferred to a PC or laptop when connected using a USB cable.
- Once deleted, either plug the phone into charge, or sync it with iTunes, to overwrite the current Camera Roll backup stored on iCloud with the new, empty version.
- Once complete, go to Settings, iCloud, Storage & Backup, Manage Storage and disable the Camera Roll option for future backups.
Photos are also stored on iCloud if a user backs up the Camera Roll (left). To remove these images, overwrite them with a new backup. This involves moving images from the iPhone to another device, deleting them from the Camera Roll on the phone or tablet, overwriting the backup, and deselecting the Camera Roll option (right)
After this point, the photos are automatically deleted. To remove them sooner, open Photo Stream, select the images that need to be removed, and delete them.
This will delete them from the device and iCloud, but also any other devices that the stream has been shared with, or is connected to the same Apple ID, such as friends or family members.
Users can also disable Photo Stream by switching it off in Settings, iCloud, Photos.
Be aware that when a photo is deleted from the Camera Roll, it is not deleted from the devices My Photo Stream album, and therefore is not automatically deleted from iCloud.
Apple has admitted it is 'actively investigating' the claims that a flaw in the 'Find My iPhone' function of its iCloud service may have helped a hacker to steal nude photos of Jennifer Lawrence and '100 other celebrities'.
'We take user privacy very seriously and are actively investigating this report,' Apple spokeswoman Nat Kerris told MailOnline.
However, despite not admitting the bug was caused by its system, the tech giant issued a 'patch', or fix, for the alleged 'Find My iPhone' bug some claim is responsible.
The hacker claims he or she broke into stars' iCloud accounts, including those of the Hunger Games actress, Kate Upton and Rihanna, before publishing them on 4chan, the image-sharing forum.
A list of the alleged victims of the hack - a staggering 101 in total - has also been posted online; most of whom have not seen any photographs leaked by the hacker.
And in a statement issued on Monday afternoon, the FBI confirmed that it had also begun an investigation.
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