How to clear iCloud storage on iPhone

If your iCloud storage is full to capacity, and a message like “Your iCloud storage is full/there is not enough free space” constantly appears on your smartphone screen, then there are several effective ways to clear the memory. While the iPhone does not yet have a special key that erases excess garbage and cache, so you will have to delve into the phone’s memory. Prepare to sacrifice games, backups, and media files (photos or videos) for free space and future information.

Are you tired of the ever-growing "Other" section or Apple's intrusive offer to buy free space?! Then you've come to exactly the right place. In this article we will look at all possible and current options for deleting files from iCloud: both free and paid.

What is iCloud

iCloud is a cloud storage created by Apple specifically for its users.

As soon as ICloud appeared, the already reliable gadgets from Apple became even better and more progressive. The service began to allow you to painlessly switch from one iPhone model to another, store important data without the risk of losing it forever, and also came in handy for those who use the ecosystem (own other Apple devices: Mac, iPad and others), combining devices under a single Apple ID.

As soon as the consumer starts using the new device, the service gradually fills up. And only after a while the user realizes, when there is no longer enough space, that this function is disabled and it was possible not to use it at all from the very beginning. But, on the other hand, this is still inevitable - iCloud is built too deeply into the iOS system. This is probably what stimulates sales of storage space for a symbolic amount each month. We'll talk about this further.

How to find out the amount of free memory

Regardless of the model, be it “SE” or “11”, before cleaning the iCloud on your iPhone, it is advisable to learn how to check the storage memory status. This is done in the following order (press sequentially):

"Settings";
"Apple ID";
"iCloud".

iCloud storage needs to be cleared periodically

The screen that appears will display a scale with occupied and free memory. Used memory is displayed in different colors. There can be a total of four colors on the scale, which relate to the following file categories: copies, documents, photos, mail.

How to find out the amount of free storage space

If the memory scale takes up more than half of the cloud storage, then it is necessary to free it from numerous accumulated garbage and created backups.

How is iPhone storage filled?

What is this mysterious “Other” (highlighted in gray during memory analysis) and why does it take up the most space on the phone? As practice shows, the main iCloud space is occupied by saved backups, which are filled with new content several times a week. This happens automatically, and, as was said just above, this can be disabled or set to a less frequent update frequency (but again, the average user often does not know about this).

The 5 GB declared for each device (be it the old, but still peppy 5S or the newest and top-end 11 Pro) is very small, and, as a rule, the space is filled up in a couple of months. Often, files that are saved in iCloud are completely different from those that would be urgently needed by the user. In fact, to store contacts, notes and photos (what gadget owners value most), it is not necessary to use backup copies at all.

The most important thing you need to remember is that iPhone storage and iCloud storage are not connected in any way, they are not the same thing. Simply put, it's like two different drives. Therefore, do not rush to clear your smartphone’s memory - the files you need to delete are located in a slightly different place.

What to do if the iCloud on your iPhone is full

Given that iCloud storage is filling up at a rapid rate with backup data, it is advisable to learn how to free up space in the cloud so as not to encounter restrictions on the ability to store new data.

Important! You should not try to create several accounts in the cloud in order to increase the amount of memory for free. Apple took care of this and protected itself from scammers.

Either the user pays money or gets by with 5 gift gigabytes. However, the price tag for increasing the space does not hurt the eyes with its size.

Users do not always want to clear free space in the cloud. Many people prefer to leave backups in all applications for data recovery purposes. Therefore, the easiest option would be to purchase free space in the cloud. At the same time, the price of a gigabyte per month is low and everyone can afford this service.

What to do if iCloud is full

However, if you exclude the possibility of purchasing free space, you should free up the cloud in the following way:

Find unnecessary files and delete them.
Disable backup of unnecessary data or transfer files to your computer.
Periodically check the cloud for unnecessary files.

You should only clear the cloud and device storage if the backup data is unnecessary. Otherwise, there is a risk of losing valuable information.

If backup is not so important, then you need to clear the memory weekly. After all, installing an application, downloading photos, music and videos triggers automatic backup and quickly clogs up the cloud memory, which is already scarce in the free format.

Why clear iCloud

There are indeed several significant reasons to do this sooner or later, without postponing it for the future:

After cleaning, annoying notifications and the red one icon above “Settings”, indicating that the iPhone has not been updated for a certain amount of time, will disappear;
If you value all the files on your smartphone, then you need to save a backup copy regularly. And for this you need enough space;
You'll feel safer knowing that everything you do on your smartphone is saved in the service. In the event of a sudden loss, breakdown or change of gadget, you can safely restore the backup copy to a new device.

Cleaning through iPhone settings

Before trying other methods, start with this. Going to system parameters and cleaning up unnecessary files is the easiest, most profitable and fastest option. Plus, after viewing the data, you'll know which objects are taking up the most memory.

Follow these steps:

Open “Settings” of your device;
Tap on the very first line with your name or nickname;
Select iCloud from the list;
Next, you will see a list of applications that are automatically saved to iCloud. Remove unnecessary parameters by swiping the program name to the left;
The final step is to click on “Storage Management”. Here you can see what the 5 GB memory on your iPhone is filled with. For example, remove unnecessary apps and old backups (from previous models).

How to use iCloud storage wisely?

We talked about how to free up space in iCloud. There are really many ways. In conclusion, I would just like to give a couple of tips that will help you use your storage more efficiently.

Constantly delete bad or old photos and videos taken on your iPhone. Transfer the same media files that you need to your PC or store them on third-party services - GoogleDrive, Yandex Disk, Dropbox, etc.
Set up backups. iOS prompts the user to choose which applications will be able to save their data in the cloud and which will not. You just need to remember about this option.
Promptly send files and documents that you no longer use to the trash bin.
Delete old backups regularly. Especially those left over from devices that you don’t use (lost, sold, broken, etc.).
Use the Google Photos app (available on the App Store). Using this service, you can store an unlimited number of pictures up to 13 megapixels without compressing them. Thus, your photo stream will not take up space in iCloud.

Via icloud.com on your computer

If for some reason it is inconvenient for the user to free up space via a smartphone, then this can be done via a computer. The same cloud storage will open, only in a large and convenient desktop version. To do this:

Open icloud.com on your PC;
Enter your login from your Apple ID account. Next, enter your password here. The system will ask you to confirm your login by sending a confirmation code to your devices. Indicate it on the website;
After that, click on iCloud. You will be taken to your storage and can also work with settings, view documents, notes, mail and clean up unnecessary contacts.

iCloud app for PC

If you don’t want to constantly look at the site, you can download the official software from the Apple website. You can download iCloud for your computer using the link https://support.apple.com/ru-ru/HT204283 (the utility is available on both Mac and Windows).

The procedure is similar to the previous instructions. You need to log in to your account in the same way. However, there is one drawback - there is no ability to delete photos. But there is a significant advantage right away - here you can clear the application cache, browser bookmarks, as well as excess accumulated garbage from mail with one click. If for some reason you were unable to purchase space from your iPhone, then this can be done through this utility. The tariffs and the amount of memory provided are described below.

Clearing the application cache

Without knowing it, we clog up the iPhone's memory by simply using games or instant messengers. Cache, being temporary files, can linger longer than its allotted time. We recommend that you go to “Settings” at least once a month and check how much a particular application weighs or clear the cache in the program itself (for example, in Telegram or WhatsApp this section is located in “Data and storage”, then “Clear cache”).

The fastest way to do this is by going to “General”, then clicking on “Reset” and selecting “Erase content and settings”.

We set a limit on storing content in messages and instant messengers

All media files that you receive via messages (photos and videos) are automatically saved in the smartphone's memory. To prevent them from accumulating in your iPhone storage, you can set the storage time for this type of messages in Settings.

Go to Settings → Messages.
Find the “Audio messages” column and select the “In 2 minutes” line.

Please note that all modern instant messengers - Viber, Telegram, etc. also save media files from messages and take up a large amount of storage on your iPhone.

To disable automatic saving of content in Telegram:

Go to Settings → Data and Storage.
In the “Autoload media” field, turn off the “Load automatically” checkbox (for mobile networks and Wi-Fi).

For Viber, you can determine the minimum storage period for downloaded content:

Go to “Settings” → “Multimedia” → “Store media files”
Select the minimum available content storage period - 7 days. This means that every week all downloaded files will be automatically deleted.

Download unused programs

Applications that you haven’t launched for quite a long time seem to be unused, and it’s a shame to delete them. What to do then? Downloading will help with this. This will significantly free up the device memory.

After this, the application icon will be highlighted in gray. If you need the utility again, you can download it again without having to search the App Store. By the way, the good thing about this method is that all the information entered in the application will be saved and you won’t have to log in again.

How to do this? Follow these steps:

In “Settings” go to the “General” tab;
Find “iPhone Storage” in the list;
You will see a list of current applications downloaded to your iPhone. Select the appropriate one and tap on “Download program”.

After this, in a matter of seconds, the volume of the program will decrease significantly, and space on the device will be freed up. If you need to install the utility again, just click on the icon or click here on the “Reinstall the program” option.

How to clear device memory

There are several cleaning methods. Each of them is used for a specific type of memory. To find out how to clear the memory of your Android phone, use the methods below.

Using built-in applications

You must first use what was invented by the developers of this device to clear internal and external memory by performing the following steps:

Go to your smartphone settings.
Open the "Memory" tab.
Click on the "Cache" button.
Confirm deletion of information.
Then go to the “Miscellaneous” tab.
Check the box next to the software whose files are not important. When the user deletes .vkontakte, he will lose all saved audio and images. A similar thing will happen with other software, the files of which will be erased.
Click on the trash can icon at the top right of the screen.

To clear RAM and ROM of debris, perform the following actions:

Press the Menu key on your smartphone.
In the pop-up window, click on the broom icon.
In the smartphone settings that open, select the “Applications” tab.
Then go to the "Running" section.
Choose an application that you can stop without losing the functionality of your phone. For example, the social network VKontakte or the WhatsApp messenger, as well as other applications that will not affect the operation of the gadget.
Click on the "Stop" button.
Follow the same steps for the rest of the unnecessary software.
Next, go to the list of cached programs by clicking on the required icon in the upper right part of the screen.
Stop all unnecessary programs.

Freeing up storage space manually

This method involves transferring information and software from internal memory to external memory, since in general the integrated memory of a smartphone is significantly smaller than that which can be installed auxiliarily via an SD card or memory card. You can transfer images, video content, books in electronic form and files that are not involved in maintaining the functionality of the smartphone to external memory. Everything that is not software files is transferred.

To clean your Android manually, use the following instructions:

Open Explorer, a program that contains all the folders and files that are on the device. Then go to internal memory.
Hold your finger on the file you want to transfer for 2 seconds.
Click on the scissors icon to cut.
Next you need to go to the MicroSD (memory card) tab.
Click on the paper tablet icon (Insert function).
Do the same steps with the remaining files.

In addition, you can transfer some applications to external memory by following these steps:

Open your phone settings.
Go to the "Memory" tab.
Check the box next to MicroSD (memory card).
Restart your smartphone. From now on, all programs that are not included in the list of integrated ones will be transferred to external memory.

Important! When transferring files from internal memory to a memory card, it is important to know that if the memory card is damaged, the files transferred there may no longer be retrievable. In other words, all photos, videos, applications transferred to removable media may be lost if the memory card breaks.

Using a computer

Often a desktop computer or laptop is used as an external storage device. To clear your phone's memory and not lose the necessary data, you can transfer this data to your computer. To do this you need to do the following:

Connect your phone to your computer (PC) via a USB cable and wait until the drivers are installed.
On your PC, open File Explorer and navigate to the contents of your smartphone.
Using the “Cut”-“Paste” function, transfer the necessary data, except for those involved in maintaining the functionality of the gadget

Cloud technologies

Cloud storage allows you to store files, apps, videos, music, text notes and more in the cloud, accessible only by you or those with whom you share your password. You can log into the “cloud” and use saved files not only through your phone, but also through a computer or tablet.

Open one of the applications on your phone that is intended for cloud storage purposes, for example, the Yandex.Disk program, which can be downloaded from Google Play.
Click the "Upload File" button and select the required file.
After these steps, you can delete the file from your phone, since it will be stored in the cloud until you delete it yourself. However, you need to be careful, you need to carefully read the conditions for storing data on the cloud server. This is due to the fact that some manufacturers place restrictions on the file parameters and storage period, after which it is erased.

We work with third-party programs

In the Play Market you can find a large amount of free software that helps you clean the device in question in a few clicks.

Clean Master Program

Clean Master is one of the most popular programs, as it has over 5 million downloads. The program in question provides for complete cleansing of the device from temporary files, damaged and empty directories, browser history and other garbage. In addition, it is able to automatically close unnecessary software and has an integrated antivirus. The program has a convenient and simple menu that allows you to clean your smartphone in 2 clicks.

SD Maid utility

Using the program is quite simple. When it's running, the big green "Scan" button is pressed. Then you need to wait until the application finds unnecessary files in the OS. The software effectively finds old logs, error reports, caches, remnants of deleted software and everything that clogs the device’s memory. For cleaning purposes, you need to click on the “Run Now” button.

Experienced users can take advantage of the advanced functionality of the utility. There is, for example, a functional file manager, searching for files by name or mask, monitoring installed software, disabling automatic launch. The program has a free version with limited capabilities, but they are enough to clear the phone's memory of garbage.

How to protect your smartphone from viruses using 360 Security

If you do not have an antivirus installed on your smartphone, you should periodically check for viruses and then remove any detected viruses, which also affect the performance of the gadget. The developers of antivirus programs took care not only of protecting computers, but also mobile devices, so today you can easily download any antivirus program to your phone through an online store.

Many antivirus programs work exclusively on a paid basis, while some offer a trial period or a free, but stripped-down version of the program. However, there are also completely free antivirus programs, such as 360 Security. After installing the program, the device is fully scanned for viruses. Then you need to launch an antivirus monitor that protects the user when new threats arise. First of all, this applies to users installing software from an unverified source.

In addition to the antivirus itself, the program in question has a large amount of additional functionality (anti-theft, blocking messages and calls, tracking the transfer of information).

System monitoring in Android Assistant

Android Assistant is software that has a large list of options:

Constant monitoring of system operation, which provides the user with data on OS load, memory status, battery temperature, etc.
A process manager that allows you to control running applications in 2 clicks.
Option to view the list of automatically launched programs and disable them.
The App 2 SD option will make it possible to move installed software from internal to external memory.
Clear your smartphone's memory of junk by pressing one key.

Delete Old Messages app

To delete old SMS text messages, you can use the Delete Old Messages app. Such a simple free program makes it possible to delete messages based on certain criteria. For example, a user can delete all SMS stored on the phone for more than a month. This feature allows you to fine-tune options for professional users.

DiskUsage application

Before you start cleaning, you need to identify which programs take up more space on your phone. This program can evaluate all the information stored on the device. This way you can very quickly and easily find out which files are taking up a lot of space on your phone. After scanning the integrated memory, the user will be able to view the sizes of all applications, temporary files and other information. The application can create graphs that give a better understanding of the information in the device.

Total Commander

The program in question is intended to organize all the information that is on the device. The application allows you to pack and unpack folders with content in rar and zip format. In addition, its options will include editing and transferring device data to another folder or device.

How to increase internal memory on Android

When cleaning the memory did not help solve the problems, you should think about improving the smartphone you are using. First of all, you need to buy a memory card. Its cost depends on the amount of memory. An 8GB card costs twice as much as a 4GB card. To determine how much memory you need, look at how much space all your programs on your phone take up and add the same amount or more. It is better to immediately purchase a card with a large amount of memory.

Then you should install the FolderMount program and the 360root program from the Play Market, which will give the smartphone administrator rights (you can download it from the manufacturer’s official page). Algorithm of actions:

The 360root program is launched and the key in the middle of the screen is pressed. Administrator rights have been obtained.
The program opens. It is intended to increase the internal memory of the device by combining the folders located there with the SD card. Programs can be fully transferred to an external drive from a smartphone, freeing up the integrated memory.
You can start combining folders yourself.
You can increase the RAM. This is done using special programs that create a swap file.

You can use, for example, Ram Manager. The program is downloaded from the Play Market, administrator rights are granted, then any mode of operation of the program is selected:

Balance - RAM is optimized as much as possible.
Balance (with more free memory) – RAM is optimized to the maximum for devices with a memory capacity of no more than 512 MB.
Balance (with more multitasking) – RAM is optimized to the maximum for smartphones with a memory capacity of over 512 MB.
Hard Gaming is a mode for those who run demanding applications on their phone that consume a large amount of resources.
Hard Multitasking - makes it possible to optimize the functioning of the device in the process of launching several programs at once.
Default (Samsung) – the mode is activated initially in devices from the manufacturer Samsung, but now it can be used on devices from other developers.
Default (Nexus S) – mode for smartphones from the manufacturer Google.
Default settings of your phone - you can reset the RAM settings to factory settings.

Reset

It is necessary to completely reset the gadget settings only when other methods are powerless. In such a situation, the smartphone will delete all information from the memory, so before resetting, you need to back up important files. For most, this optimization method is unacceptable due to the fact that not all data is restored from a copy. For example, the progress of gaming applications or SMS messages are highly likely to disappear forever. Despite the fact that resetting settings will significantly speed up the functioning of the system in many situations, it is not as common as other methods.

Getting rid of unnecessary files manually causes significant harm to the device. When a system folder or file is deleted, the device may become inoperable, then you will need to contact service.

We save and optimize space by cleaning media libraries, photos, attachments and messages

Let's give some advice on how to clear your memory faster and more efficiently: you probably rarely look through your camera roll without knowing what you shot a couple of years ago. Take a look at the “Photos” section and delete duplicate videos, identical selfies, unsuccessful panoramas, or just pictures that never found fame or use. It’s enough to spend a few minutes, and after that the space in iCloud will noticeably increase.

Here are a few more tips to follow to save free space in iCloud:

Don't forget about the Recently Deleted section in the Photos app. It is known that clicking on the trash icon under a photo or video that has become unnecessary is not enough to erase it from the phone’s memory forever. Yes, internal gigabytes are cleared, but few people know that the recently deleted media library ends up in iCloud storage. All of them are cleaned within 30 days automatically, but it is better not to forget to do it manually more often;
Delete unnecessary backups and keep only a fresh copy of the current gadget in your memory. iPhone backups saved from older models will no longer be useful: the new product is adjusted to completely different parameters;
Don't store HDR originals unless you absolutely need them. As a rule, if you capture a moment in high resolution HDR (to do this in the “Camera”, click the icon with the inscription HDR), the original photo is automatically saved without improving the quality. If this does not happen, then go to “Settings”, select “Camera” and in the HDR section, move the checkbox to the right of the inscription: “Keep original”;
Optimize space by saving photos and videos at smaller sizes to iCloud. How it works: The entire media library stored on your smartphone does not go anywhere - instead, the phone stores copies that are much smaller in size. Full-size originals can always be uploaded to iCloud or simply disable this function. This, of course, has a significant drawback - when viewed offline, the owner will not be able to fully view the photo or play the recording, and an exclamation mark icon surrounded by a circle will appear in the lower right corner of the screen. This just signals that your gadget is already optimizing media files. To do this, go to iCloud, then find “Photos” and check the “Optimize storage” option;
Letters sent by email also take up free space. There's no need to clear all text messages: they don't take up much space and will free up a few megabytes. Pay attention to emails with large attachments: long videos, high-resolution (4K) photos, documents with media files, presentations with music, and much more. Transfer important data to another source and erase it from the gadget’s memory. To do this, launch Mail, swipe left on the message, and then delete the contents from the Trash;
Don't forget to delete your browser history and bookmarks. To speed up the process and not have to do it manually, launch “Settings”, find the name of the browser you are using (for example, Safari) and click on “Clear history and website data”. This will delete your saved passwords and sign you out of all accounts. This is not a problem if you have synchronized your login and password in iCloud Keychain;
Periodically clear conversations and conversations in Messages. Especially if you send Memoji, Digital Touch drawings, SMS with effects, application stickers, and voice messages;
Speaking of voice recordings, the Voice Recorder app also stores them in iCloud. Don't forget to clean out any debris here too.

Cleaning from a computer

If for some reason freeing up space in iCloud using a smartphone or tablet is not entirely convenient, then you can easily change your working tool, armed with a personal computer. The procedure in this case is as follows:

Work with data on the official website

The service developers allow you to log into iCloud directly from the browser - just fill out two text fields for authorization (Apple ID login and password) and all the information added to the cloud storage will appear on the screen. From here they also allow you to work with the settings (but only some), look into documents and mail, and at the same time wash the bones of all contacts.

If you want to immediately get down to business - freeing up free space, then you should immediately look at the “Photo” section. This is where you can view all the images, delete duplicate videos, find failed panoramas and other creative works that have not gained fame. A few hours of sorting will definitely give you more freedom in iCloud.

Download iCloud on PC

The second option to look behind the veil of secrets of cloud storage is to download a special tool that exactly replicates all the settings from the iPhone, iPad or iPod menu. A utility is available (suitable for both Windows and MacOS). Installation takes a few minutes, and for authorization you will again need a login and password.

The downside is that it’s impossible to work with photos the way you can on a website through a browser (and therefore, you can’t free up space). On the plus side, you can work with other applications, delete accumulated cache, free up space by clearing all instant messengers and messages. In addition, this is where you can buy additional space if nothing works from your smartphone or tablet.

Using third party tools

The last way to free up some space without having to edit your sync settings is to use third-party tools that are downloadable for your PC and tell you where and what to delete. The best example of this is the PhoneClean service. The advantages are that it works in several modes (paid and free), helps in finding system vulnerabilities, and solves problems with optimization and garbage accumulated on the internal memory.

It also automatically searches for duplicate photos and compresses browser data. As a result, in a few minutes, more space has been added on the smartphone, which means that in a few hours iCloud will be rebuilt (during synchronization) to accommodate the changes that have appeared.

Increase your tariff by purchasing storage space

If the tips listed above did not correct the situation in any way, and the display still shows “5 out of 5 GB occupied,” then there are two options left: put up with it or purchase additional space. This is also suitable for those who don't want to bother with deletion and keep a lot of files on their iPhone all the time.

Current tariff plans are as follows:

50 GB costs 59 rubles per month;
For 200 GB you will have to pay 149 rubles monthly;
And 2 TB will cost 599 rubles every month.

The last two tariff plans can be made family plans by linking several other accounts to one iPhone, which can share the space equally with you. In fact, the prices are much more affordable, and this is surprising (knowing Apple): competitors have much higher prices.

The company gives you 15 days to change your mind: refuse the purchase or change the tariff plan (for example, choose a smaller one). Within a few days, the amount you paid for your iCloud space will be refunded using the same method you paid previously.

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