Reg. storage of photos in iCloud (and reducing space on phone)

Forums › Apple iOS and devices › Reg. storage of photos in iCloud (and reducing space on phone)

danepak

1112 posts

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#303493 14-Feb-2023 14:03

I've got an iPhone 12 and I've also got 200GB of iCloud storage.

This might be a daft question...but I'm nearly running out of storage on my phone.

Why can't I move the photos automatically onto iCloud and thereby free up space?

I've ensured that I've chosen 'Optimised for iCloud storage'.

But when I look at iCloud storage, it says I've used 65.3GB of 200GB. 62.7GB are used for photos.

When I then look at iPhone Storage, it says 62.6 of 64GB has been used.

I really need more space, as I otherwise can't run an iOS update.

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#3036424 14-Feb-2023 14:59

It sounds as though your phone is still holding on to full versions of the photos even though you have optimise storage enabled. As long as you are confident that your phone has been fully backed up to iCloud it might be best to wipe it and start from scratch as a new phone.

michaelmurfy

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#3036425 14-Feb-2023 15:02

Done a quick Google yet? https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/free-up-your-iphone-storage-with-these-simple-tricks/

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danepak

1112 posts

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#3036540 14-Feb-2023 18:17

michaelmurfy:
Done a quick Google yet? https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/free-up-your-iphone-storage-with-these-simple-tricks/

Yep, done all those steps.

danepak

1112 posts

Uber Geek

#3036543 14-Feb-2023 18:18

Senecio:
It sounds as though your phone is still holding on to full versions of the photos even though you have optimise storage enabled. As long as you are confident that your phone has been fully backed up to iCloud it might be best to wipe it and start from scratch as a new phone.

Thanks. Trying to do a backup, but phone is stuck on ‘estimated time remaining’.
I’ve restarted phone.
I’ve signed out and in again to my Apple ID.

Unsure what to do next.

RunningMan

8953 posts

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#3036544 14-Feb-2023 18:19

danepak:

When I then look at iPhone Storage, it says 62.6 of 64GB has been used.

But what for? You need to look at what is using all that space. Is photos or something else?

danepak

1112 posts

Uber Geek

#3036551 14-Feb-2023 18:22

RunningMan:
danepak:

When I then look at iPhone Storage, it says 62.6 of 64GB has been used.

But what for? You need to look at what is using all that space. Is photos or something else?

As mentioned in my first post, 62.6GB has been used for photos.

RunningMan

8953 posts

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#3036597 14-Feb-2023 19:40

danepak:
As mentioned in my first post, 62.6GB has been used for photos.

Nope, you didn't specify it was all for photos. In fact, it can't be all for photos because the 1.4GB left isn't enough to install iOS, let alone any other apps.

Settings > General > iPhone Storage should give a breakdown each app's usage, sorted biggest to smallest. If it's showing that 62.6 out of 64 is used for photos, then there's some sort of filesystem coruption.

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danepak

1112 posts

Uber Geek

#3036603 14-Feb-2023 19:48

RunningMan:
danepak:
As mentioned in my first post, 62.6GB has been used for photos.

Nope, you didn't specify it was all for photos. In fact, it can't be all for photos because the 1.4GB left isn't enough to install iOS, let alone any other apps.

Settings > General > iPhone Storage should give a breakdown each app's usage, sorted biggest to smallest. If it's showing that 62.6 out of 64 is used for photos, then there's some sort of filesystem coruption.

Sorry mate, you’re spot on. I did actually not mention that it was photos. It’s not photos only, also
videos.
Anyway, yes, vast majority of my storage is being used by photos.

I really hope I can do a backup, so I can wipe the phone and restore, but it’s not playing ball at the moment.

RunningMan

8953 posts

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#3036711 14-Feb-2023 23:09

That same settings page normally shows up a couple of reccomendations to free up space - may have been covered off in the link above, but check to make sure.

There's still something else odd going on though if combined photos/videos are taking up everything but 1.4GB on the phone - it just doesn't leave enough space for the OS and any other apps.

Can you plug in to a computer and do a backup via USB cable? Finder on a Mac or iTunes on Windows.

alsta

276 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3036763 15-Feb-2023 09:49

Had this the other day with son's 64GB phone - exact same issue, couldn't update

He had full version downloads - and toggling to optimise iCloud didn't immediately free up the space.

The trick was a hard restart of the phone rather than just a restart.

Try this

1. Toggle back iCloud photos to download and keep originals

2. Exit out of settings then back in again and toggle to Optimise iPhone Storage

3. Hard restart iPhone. Volume up button, volume down button. Hold sleep wake until the slide to power off toggle disappears, keep holding until the apple logo appears.

4. Let phone restart then open Photos app.

5. Go back to settings, free space should now be available.

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ANglEAUT

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#3036885 15-Feb-2023 10:38

alsta: ...

3. Hard restart iPhone. Volume up button, volume down button. Hold sleep wake until the slide to power off toggle disappears, keep holding until the apple logo appears.

...

What is the difference between that & the normal "Hold sleep wake until the slide to power off toggle appears" & using that?

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alsta

276 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3036961 15-Feb-2023 11:22

Technically - its a very aggressive shutdown and restart. Rather than a more graceful app shutdown (with state freeze) and then shutdown of the OS, it essentially cuts all power to the phone leading to a full reboot of the OS.

Its a mobile version of pulling the plug on a desktop.

I guess (and its a guess) in the case of things like Settings caches it possibly recreates these as they aren't saved normally as part of a controlled shut down?

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danepak

1112 posts

Uber Geek

#3038550 18-Feb-2023 11:29

alsta:
Had this the other day with son's 64GB phone - exact same issue, couldn't update

He had full version downloads - and toggling to optimise iCloud didn't immediately free up the space.

The trick was a hard restart of the phone rather than just a restart.

Try this

1. Toggle back iCloud photos to download and keep originals

2. Exit out of settings then back in again and toggle to Optimise iPhone Storage

3. Hard restart iPhone. Volume up button, volume down button. Hold sleep wake until the slide to power off toggle disappears, keep holding until the apple logo appears.

4. Let phone restart then open Photos app.

5. Go back to settings, free space should now be available.

I tried that, but didn’t work.

danepak

1112 posts

Uber Geek

#3038551 18-Feb-2023 11:31

RunningMan:
That same settings page normally shows up a couple of reccomendations to free up space - may have been covered off in the link above, but check to make sure.

There's still something else odd going on though if combined photos/videos are taking up everything but 1.4GB on the phone - it just doesn't leave enough space for the OS and any other apps.

Can you plug in to a computer and do a backup via USB cable? Finder on a Mac or iTunes on Windows.

Tried to do backup via iTunes, but after a minute or so, it says iPhone disconnected.
I’ve tried to back up both to computer and iCloud from my Windows PC.

henrytai

88 posts

Master Geek

#3046066 5-Mar-2023 18:11

danepak:
RunningMan:

That same settings page normally shows up a couple of reccomendations to free up space - may have been covered off in the link above, but check to make sure.

There's still something else odd going on though if combined photos/videos are taking up everything but 1.4GB on the phone - it just doesn't leave enough space for the OS and any other apps.

Can you plug in to a computer and do a backup via USB cable? Finder on a Mac or iTunes on Windows.

Tried to do backup via iTunes, but after a minute or so, it says iPhone disconnected.
I’ve tried to back up both to computer and iCloud from my Windows PC.

I wouldn't use iTunes! But do an encrypted backup if you want to keep your Health data.

Do you want to post a screenshot of the iPhone Storage?

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