10 Effective Hacks To Clear iCloud Storage Space On iPhone
10 Effective Hacks To Clear iCloud Storage Space On Your iPhone
If you're constantly receiving notifications that your iCloud storage is full, it's time to take action to free up some space. Here are 10 effective hacks to help you manage and clear your iCloud storage efficiently.
1. Manage and Delete Unnecessary Photos and Videos
Photos and videos are often the largest consumers of iCloud storage. To free up space, start by reviewing your photo library. Use the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad to identify and remove duplicates. Navigate to the Utilities list and select Duplicates, where you can merge similar shots and keep only the highest-resolution version. Any deleted images will be sent to the Recently Deleted category, where they will be automatically removed after 30 days, but you can manually delete them immediately to free up space.
2. Check and Delete Old Device Backups
Old device backups can significantly clutter your iCloud storage. To remove these, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Backups. Here, you can see all the backups stored in your iCloud account. Delete the backups from devices you no longer use to instantly free up storage space.
3. Remove Old Messages and Attachments
Text messages, especially those with attachments, can accumulate and take up a substantial amount of storage. To clear these, open the Messages app and delete individual messages or entire conversations. You can also remove attachments by tapping the contact’s name, then the info button, and selecting See All Photos to delete the photos and other attachments. Alternatively, you can disable Messages in iCloud entirely by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Messages and tapping Disable & Delete.
4. Delete Email Attachments
Email attachments can also consume a lot of iCloud storage. Open iCloud Mail, select View, and then Sort by Attachments. This allows you to delete emails with large attachments, helping you free up space. You can set a specific size cutoff, such as 15 MB, and remove all emails with attachments larger than that size.
5. Clean Up iCloud Drive
iCloud Drive stores various files, including documents, PDFs, and application files, which can clutter over time. On a Mac, open a new Finder window, click on iCloud Drive in the sidebar, and sort files by size or type to delete unnecessary items. On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive > Manage Storage to select and delete large files.
6. Get Rid of Old Voice Memos
Voice Memos can add up quickly, especially if you frequently record audio snippets. Open the Voice Memos app, select the memos you want to delete, and tap the trash can icon to move them to the Recently Deleted category. Ensure you also delete these memos from the Recently Deleted folder to permanently free up space.
7. Remove Old App Data
Apps often store data in iCloud, and this data can remain even after you stop using the app. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage to see which apps are using your storage. You may need to delete all the app's data, as some apps do not allow you to delete specific documents.
8. Exclude Desktop and Documents from iCloud Drive
If your Mac's Desktop and Documents folders are synced to iCloud Drive, this can consume a significant amount of storage. To turn off this syncing, go to System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive on your Mac and uncheck the relevant folders. This will create local folders for these files and move any files kept only on the cloud to your computer's storage.
9. Review and Manage Your iCloud Storage Usage
Before you start deleting files, it's helpful to understand what is using up your iCloud storage. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage to see a breakdown of which types of files and apps are consuming your storage. This will help you target the biggest offenders first.
10. Regularly Maintain Your iCloud Storage
Regular maintenance is key to keeping your iCloud storage under control. Periodically review your iCloud settings, delete unnecessary files, and ensure that you are not storing redundant data. This includes checking for old backups, managing your photo library, and clearing out other types of files that are no longer needed.
By implementing these strategies, you can effectively manage and clear your iCloud storage, ensuring you have ample space for your important files and data.