To delete photos from Amazon Photos without deleting them from your phone, simply remove the cloud copies inside the Amazon Photos app or website; because Amazon Photos stores your uploaded photos separately from your device’s local gallery, deleting them from the cloud does not affect the originals on your phone. This separation means you can free up cloud storage space by deleting photos from Amazon Photos while keeping every copy safely on your iPhone or Android device.
How to delete photos from Amazon Photos without deleting from phone
Deleting photos from the Amazon Photos app removes only the cloud copy, leaving the original file on your phone untouched. This works because Amazon Photos does not automatically delete local files when you delete from the cloud, the two copies are managed independently.
- Open the Amazon Photos app on your iPhone (or visit the Amazon Photos website on your computer).
- iPhone: long-press to select (press and hold until check appears), then tap additional items to select more.
- Tap the Trash icon at the bottom of the screen.
- Confirm the deletion when prompted.
The selected photos are now removed from your Amazon Photos cloud storage but remain in your phone’s camera roll or gallery. The same principle applies on Android, though the exact menu path for selecting and deleting may vary by device.
How to permanently delete photos from Amazon Photos trash
Deleted photos move to the Trash folder, where they remain for 30 days before being automatically and permanently removed. To free up cloud space immediately, you can permanently delete them sooner.
- Deleted items: open album view > Trash Can icon to access trash.
- Select the photos or videos you want to remove permanently.
- Tap Permanently Delete, then confirm by tapping Delete.
During the 30-day window, you can restore any deleted item by opening the Trash, selecting the picture, and choosing Restore. After 30 days, the files are gone and cannot be recovered.
How to delete phone photos but keep them in Amazon Photos
If you want to free up space on your phone while keeping your photos safe in Amazon Photos, you can delete the local copies after they have been uploaded. The critical safety step is to disable Auto-Save (or Auto-sync) before deleting from your phone, then re-enable it afterward.
- Open the Amazon Photos app and go to Settings.
- Turn off Auto-Save (or Auto-sync) so that deleting a photo on your phone does not trigger a sync that could remove the cloud copy.
- Delete the photos from your phone’s gallery using your device’s default gallery app or a file manager.
- After deletion, turn Auto-Save back on in Amazon Photos to continue backing up new photos.
Amazon’s official guidance confirms that after photos are uploaded with Auto-Save, you can delete them from your device to free up space, and the cloud copies will remain intact. Community forum answer explicitly says phone deletion won't automatically delete Amazon Photos copy after upload, but turning sync off first provides an extra layer of safety.
Troubleshooting common issues
Photos not appearing deleted
If a photo you deleted from Amazon Photos still shows in your cloud library, check the Trash folder. Deleted items are moved there first and remain visible until you permanently delete them or the 30-day period expires.
Sync confusion after deleting from phone
If you delete a photo from your phone and it also disappears from Amazon Photos, the most likely cause is that Auto-Sync was enabled when you deleted the local copy. To prevent this, always turn off Auto-Save or Auto-sync before deleting from your device, then turn it back on afterward.
Accidentally deleted the wrong copy
If you mistakenly delete a photo from Amazon Photos, open the Trash folder within 30 days and choose Restore to recover it. If you accidentally delete the local copy from your phone, you can download the cloud copy from Amazon Photos back to your device. No official documentation of supported phone models, app versions, or deletion limits for this task exists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting photos from Amazon Photos free up storage space on my phone?
No. Deleting photos from Amazon Photos only removes them from your cloud storage, not from your phone’s local gallery. To free up phone space, you need to delete the photos directly from your device’s camera roll or gallery app.
How long do deleted photos stay in the Amazon Photos trash?
Deleted photos remain in the Trash folder for 30 days before they are permanently removed. During that time, you can restore them to their original location in your library.
Can I recover a photo I permanently deleted from Amazon Photos?
No. Once you tap Permanently Delete and confirm, the photo is gone immediately and cannot be recovered. Always check the Trash folder first if you want to restore a deleted item.
Does deleting a photo from my phone delete it from Amazon Photos?
Not automatically. After a photo has been uploaded to Amazon Photos, deleting it from your phone will not remove the cloud copy, provided Auto-Sync is turned off. If Auto-Sync is on, the deletion may sync and remove the cloud copy as well.
What is the difference between Auto-Save and Auto-sync in Amazon Photos?
Auto-Save automatically uploads new photos from your device to the cloud. Auto-sync keeps the cloud and device copies in sync, meaning changes on one side may reflect on the other.
Can I delete photos from Amazon Photos on a computer and keep them on my phone?
Yes. Deleting photos from the Amazon Photos website works the same way as deleting from the app, it removes only the cloud copy. Your phone’s local copies remain unaffected.
Does deleting photos from Amazon Photos permanently delete them?
No, not immediately. Deleted photos move to the Trash folder and stay there for a 30-day retention period before being permanently removed. You can restore them anytime during those 30 days.
Can I recover deleted photos from Amazon Photos?
Yes, you can restore deleted photos within 30 days from the Trash folder. Open the Trash, select the items, and choose Restore. After 30 days, they are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.
For the wider topic, see managing and transferring photos.
Related reading: How To Remove Photos From Google Photos Without Deleting From Phone and How To Upload Documents On Android Phone.
