i-cloud storage full - help please

Forums › Mac OS › i-cloud storage full - help please

OnceBitten

535 posts

Ultimate Geek

#310796 22-Nov-2023 21:18

ok so obviously somehow on our iPads / iPhones it's been backing up to icloud and now every time I turn on the iPad i get the meessage that icloud is full and the iPad hasn't been backed up for 100 odd says or something.

I cannot see where on the iPhone (8) or iPad how / where it was being backed up or how to change it... it just says icloud storage full and if I click on it, it gives me the option to upgrade to icloud + ..... at a cost

if I plug the iPhone / iPad into the macbook pro to 'sync' will it automatically back up to the macbook - or will I have to manually change where it is backed up to? (and if so - how?)

any advice would be appreciated thanks

Aaron2222

216 posts

Master Geek

#3162601 22-Nov-2023 22:44

There should be the option to manage iCloud Backup in your iCloud settings on each device (enabling/disabling, choosing what gets backed up, deleting backups, etc.).

Regarding syncing to your MacBook, automatic backups are to either iCloud or your computer, not both. However, you can manually backup to a computer when iCloud Backup is enabled.

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RunningMan

8908 posts

Uber Geek

#3162614 23-Nov-2023 03:09

Settings -> [user name] -> iCloud -> iCloud Backup should get you to the right place on an iPad.

RunningMan

8908 posts

Uber Geek

#3162615 23-Nov-2023 03:15

And Settings -> [user name] -> iCloud -> Manage Account Storage will tell you what is actually using up the space. It oculd be something other than backups.

Goosey

2792 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3162623 23-Nov-2023 06:33

As others have said, or in the search type “backup”

on a seperate note, check out the file sizes of your applications.

I have found (over the past few years), apps like MS teams, Adobe and even the mail app, they magically inflate themselves.

for Adobe and Teams, I regularly delete the app, reboot and reinstall said apps and I instantly shave off multiple GB’s

(and no, I don’t loose anything by doing that).

OnceBitten

535 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3162716 23-Nov-2023 09:44

Aaron2222:

There should be the option to manage iCloud Backup in your iCloud settings on each device (enabling/disabling, choosing what gets backed up, deleting backups, etc.).

Regarding syncing to your MacBook, automatic backups are to either iCloud or your computer, not both. However, you can manually backup to a computer when iCloud Backup is enabled.

thanks - I had a quick look on my iPhone and it seems that 'photos' is taking up 2 thirds of the iCloud back up

all the photos are on the Macbook Pro, so I don't see / know why they have to be backed up to the iCloud

I'll have a more detailed look at the iPad when I'm home tonight and see if I can disable photos from being backed up to the iCloud (unless there's a good reason why the need to be backed up to the iCloud)

RunningMan

8908 posts

Uber Geek

#3162718 23-Nov-2023 09:45

Settings -> [user name] -> iCloud -> Photos

OnceBitten

535 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3163051 23-Nov-2023 21:09

RunningMan:

Settings -> [user name] -> iCloud -> Photos

thanks for that - photos takes up 3.7gb... when I click on it, it comes up 'Turn off and Delete from iCloud'

doing this will also turn off iCloud Photos on all devices (2 iPhones and 2 iPads)

This won't affect the photos on any of the devices will it - or my ability to share them or send them to the MacBook?

thanks

RunningMan

8908 posts

Uber Geek

#3163052 23-Nov-2023 21:20

Whenever I've done it, it's asked if you want to keep a local copy on the device first.

Can you just download some photos to the Mac and then delete them from iCloud. That could save a bit of space. Videos take more space than photos. Also, if you delete photos in iCloud they go to the trash for a month before being properly deleted, but come off the total storage used immediately.

OnceBitten

535 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3163053 23-Nov-2023 21:31

RunningMan:

Whenever I've done it, it's asked if you want to keep a local copy on the device first.

Can you just download some photos to the Mac and then delete them from iCloud. That could save a bit of space. Videos take more space than photos. Also, if you delete photos in iCloud they go to the trash for a month before being properly deleted, but come off the total storage used immediately.

ok thanks for that - all the photos on the phone are also on the Mac - i'm pretty sure of that

Aaron2222

216 posts

Master Geek

#3163343 24-Nov-2023 18:55

One other thing is once you turn iCloud Photos off, you'll likely have to disable backing up photos with iCloud Backup as well (iCloud Backup won't back up anything that's already in iCloud, so once you disable iCloud Photos, iCloud Backup will likely start backing up your photos). Luckily, the iCloud Backup settings are quite granular.