Apple’s iCloud has been one of the top cloud storage since its introduction in 2011. When a user buys something from Apple and gets their unique Apple ID, they receive a free cloud storage space of 5GB. The free storage limit of iCloud is not a small amount. But, it may not be enough for everyone every time. If you are a click-happy person who clicks multiple images and uses a lot of documents in their Apple devices or Mac Books, it can be insufficient.
So, you may end up realizing that your Free iCloud storage is almost full. If you are willing to pay for the extra storage space, that is all right. But, in case you aren’t ready to pay extra, you may need to get some control over the storage.
Those who do not want to buy storage can reuse this free iCloud storage with some manual intervention. You can delete the items and also keep them safe. So, read till the end to know if you want to free up your iCloud storage for better organization.
Also Check: How to Download Messages From iCloud?
The Settings App: iCloud
If you want to free up the space, follow the steps mentioned below-
- First, go to the “Settings”app of your IOS device.
- Next, open it and click on your “Apple ID” name that appears at the upper section.
- Now, a new window will open and you have to navigate to the “iCloud” section. Here, you will find that your screen displays a bar graph of the storage space with how much space consumes your photos, files, audio files etc. It will also denote the left space in the free 5GB storage.
Below the graphical representation, you will find the number of apps that are consuming storage. You can reduce the unnecessary stogie consumption of each of these apps by following these methods-
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Reduce your iCloud backup size
The backup data of your Apple devices like iPad, iPod, iPhone or even Mac devices use iCloud storage. You can decrease the backup file size through the settings section quickly. It will also prevent a clog and fill iCloud storage.
Each app will come with a switch on the right side. For example, you can turn off iCloud access for any app that seems to be consuming a lot of space. This way, the app will no longer be able to access iCloud storage. Instead, the data will be stored inside the device’s physical storage.
Many apps often consume the storage space which is not needed. For example, using your messages or news apps may not require iCloud backup. But, of course, you can always turn off their accessibility to iCloud as per your preference.
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Reduce your iCloud backup of a device (iPad, iPod etc.)
You can also free up iCloud space by reducing the unnecessary backup data files of your devices. If you use the same Apple ID for each device, it is one of the best procedures to follow. First, from the iCloud storage page where you are in, click “Manage Storage”. Next, navigate to the tab “Backups”. After that click on the device name to delete its respective backup file. The screen will show a pop-up. From here, click on the “Delete Backup” button and then permanently delete this file.
The Purpose of Photo Library
One of the main factors to storage consumption is the photos that you keep inside it. Therefore, if you have decided to store your videos and images in cloud storage, it will consume a large chunk of the free space.
Hence, the best solution is to control which videos and photos you need inside the Cloud storage.
The best part is to use device storage for storing your photos and videos. You can turn off the iCloud access of the photos app and videos from the settings section. Then, from your Apple ID in the storage section, open the iCloud tab. Here you will find that “Photos” app with a switch in its right. Click on the button to turn off the access to the cloud.
Even if you do not use the iCloud storage, your camera automatically backs up the photos on the iCloud. But, you can only restore those photos with a complete factory reset.
Apple users also get access to “My Photo Stream”. Here the device automatically stores 1000 last clicked pictures. In addition, you can delete unwanted photos to reduce the consumed cloud storage amount. But, My Photo Stream is not available to everyone. It is in its initial phase and only available to long-time Apple users.
Mail and Messages
Another factor that contributes to whole storage is the usage of Mail and messages. If you use iCloud as your primary email account, all of your mails will be diverted to your iCloud storage. As a result, your regular emails often consume a large chunk of the 5GB space.
The best way is to regularly filter your emails. Then, you can delete the unwanted and achieve the need. Regular pruning helps you to keep the storage space free of unwanted emails and messages from mails.
Don’t Forget your Mac.
Mac devices also have access to cloud storage. Hence, do not forget. Often Mac devices use iCloud storage to store and backup files and data.
If you are using a Mac device alongside iCloud storage, you can fine-tune the aces of the device to free-up space:
- Go to the Apple menu.
- Click on System preferences. Here you will find your Apple ID.
- Click on it to find your iCloud.
- Here, click on “Manage and select backups”.
- Next, you can select the device backup file to delete a particular device data backup.
- After this, click on “delete” to permanently delete the file.
If you want to turn off access to different apps on your Mac devices, here is the easy way. Just like the previous method, go to the iCloud section. You will find that each app comes with a checkbox in the main window. Uncheck all the apps which you think do not need iCloud access. It will prevent the device from accessing iCloud.
After checking, you will get a message saying that all the individual data files will be removed from the device. You can use the “Keep a copy” option to create a copy of the data files in your home folder.
Alternatively, you can also use the Optimized Storage Feature of Sierra for optimizing your Icloud free space.
Freedom Can be Free
Suppose you cannot manage the iCloud storage even after deleting unused and unnecessary files, photos etc. In that case, you can’t always get some extra relief. Apple also provides For extension with paid subscriptions like $1 monthly for 50GB, 200GB for $3 or even 2TB for $10 per month. You have to buy iCloud space for your device. Just go to the Settings app and purchase the storage space as per your preference.
Conclusion:
iCloud is very helpful for storing your files without reducing your system’s space but it can get filled if you don’t manage it properly. We have mentioned all the best things you can do to free up your iCloud storage. Hope this article will help you.
