Does a Factory Reset Erase Your iCloud Photos?
No. Apple says: "Your content won't delete from iCloud when you erase your device." A factory reset wipes the photos stored on the iPhone. The copies in iCloud Photos and your iCloud backups stay in your account.
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What do I need to know?
- The phone is wiped, iCloud is not. Erase All Content and Settings removes photos from the device only.
- Photos only on the phone are lost. Back up first if iCloud Photos was off.
- Some actions do delete iCloud photos. Deleting with sync on, or turning off iCloud Photos everywhere.
What does Erase All Content and Settings remove?
Apple says the device "is completely erased". That includes Apple Pay cards, photos, contacts, music and apps. The path is Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings.
Source: Apple, What to do before you sell, give away or trade in your iPhone.
What stays in iCloud?
- iCloud Photos. Your library stays in iCloud and syncs back when you sign in.
- iCloud Backup. Apple says it may include your photos if iCloud Photos was off.
- App data stored in iCloud, including encrypted vault backups that apps keep there.
See Apple, What does iCloud back up?
What would actually delete my iCloud photos?
- Deleting a photo while iCloud Photos is on. Apple says it is deleted everywhere, after 30 days in Recently Deleted.
- Turning off iCloud Photos on every device. Apple says your photos delete from iCloud 30 days after you stop using the service. You can undo it within that window.
Sources: Apple, Set up and use iCloud Photos and Apple, How to turn off iCloud Photos.
How do I reset safely?
These steps follow Apple's own order.
- Back up. If iCloud Photos is off, make an iCloud or computer backup.
- Check that iCloud has your photos. Open Photos on another device signed in to your account.
- Sign out of your Apple Account in Settings.
- Erase the iPhone with Erase All Content and Settings.
Selling the phone? Our selling or trading in your iPhone page has the full list.
What if I want my photos gone from iCloud too?
Then a reset is not enough. Delete them with sync on and clear Recently Deleted. Our guide to deleting from iPhone but keeping iCloud explains how deletes sync.
What this doesn't protect against
A reset does not touch iCloud, so anyone who gets into your Apple Account still sees your library. Under standard data protection, Apple holds the keys to iCloud Photos. A reset does not recall photos you already shared or sent.
Do it with Cryptile
Erasing the phone removes Cryptile's vaults from it, but its encrypted iCloud backup stays in your iCloud account. Restore a vault with its 9-word recovery phrase; without it, the backup cannot be opened, even by us.
Cryptile is free for up to 2 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos in total. Plus removes the limits for $19.99 a year (7-day free trial) or $39.99 once.