iCloud provides useful cloud storage and backup solutions for Apple devices. However, as the amount of data stored continues to grow, you may eventually run out of your allocated storage. When this happens, you’ll need to manage your iCloud backups and delete any unnecessary files to free up space.
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Checking iCloud Storage Usage
The first step is to check how much of your iCloud storage you are actually using. To do this on an iPhone or iPad:
- Open the Settings app
- Tap on your Apple ID banner at the top of the screen
- Select iCloud
- Review the storage usage breakdown
This will show a color-coded bar indicating how much space is being used for backups, photos, documents, etc. If you are getting close to your limit, it’s time to trim down some backups.
Understanding iCloud Backup Basics
Before deleting anything, it helps to understand what iCloud is backing up from your device:
- Device settings: This includes preferences, app data, home screen layout, etc.
- Photos and videos: Unless you disable iCloud Photo Library, all images and videos are backed up.
- Documents and app data: Anything synced through iCloud Drive is backed up, including files from productivity apps.
- Messages: All iMessage conversations are backed up so they can be synced across devices.
- Health data: Information from the Health app, like steps tracked or weight logged, is backed up.
Apple provides 5GB of free iCloud storage, but if you purchase additional storage, you may have 200GB or more allocated.
Temporarily Pausing iCloud Backups
Before deleting backups permanently, consider temporarily disabling backups as a short-term space saving measure:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups
- Tap on your device name
- Toggle off iCloud Backup
This will stop backups until you re-enable it, freeing up space without permanently losing data. It’s best for times when you temporarily need more iCloud storage.
Permanently Deleting Old Backups
To completely delete unneeded backups:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups
- Tap on your device name
- Tap Delete Backup
- Select the backup snapshot to remove
This will permanently delete that backup copy from your iCloud storage, freeing up room for new backups moving forward.
Considerations before deleting:
- Don’t delete your most recent backup
- Review backup dates before choosing one to remove
- Consider offloading backups to external storage
Managing iCloud Photo Library
iCloud Photo Library automatically uploads all device photos and videos. To manage photo storage:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos
- Toggle off iCloud Photo Library
- Manually delete unwanted photos/videos after they download to your device storage
This turns off syncing to iCloud but retains all media currently stored there. You can then open the Photos app, browse all images saved locally, delete those not needed, and turn syncing back on once finished.
Using Optimize iPhone Storage
For additional photo management, use the “Optimize iPhone Storage” option:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos
- Enable Optimize iPhone Storage
This will keep full-resolution versions in iCloud only while saving smaller versions of the images to your device. This allows access to all photos without filling up local device storage.
Offloading Backups to External Storage
Another option is to use external storage to offload iCloud backups:
- Connect an external drive to your Mac
- Open Finder and select your connected drive
- Create a new folder titled “iCloud Backups”
- Go to System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud
- Click Manage in the Backups section
- Select the backup you want to offload
- Click Save To and choose your external drive folder
This will export a backup from iCloud to external storage so it’s no longer taking up your allocated cloud space. The backup will remain safely stored while freeing up primary iCloud storage room.
Purchasing Additional iCloud Storage
If you find you consistently need more iCloud storage space after trying the above steps, you can purchase expanded iCloud storage plans affordable monthly or yearly rates, directly through the Apple ID settings on any device. Upgrades provide 50GB, 200GB, or 2TB of total space. Evaluate your average usage and consider upgrading to consistently meet your iCloud backup and sync needs.
In Summary
Effectively managing iCloud backups involves understanding what’s being backed up, temporarily or permanently deleting unneeded backups, controlling photo library syncing, offloading backups to external drives, and upgrading storage capacity when necessary. Following this guide will help you reclaim iCloud storage when space runs low on your account. With a few simple management practices, you can ensure critical device data is always securely backed up while minimizing limitations.
