iCloud Storage Full? How to Free Up iCloud Space Step by Step

The message “iCloud Storage Is Full” usually appears at the worst moment, right when you want a backup or have just taken a lot of photos. The good news is that you can often clear enough space in ten minutes without paying for more. This guide explains what iCloud storage full actually means, what stops working, how to see what is using the space, and the safest ways to free it up on an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Windows PC.

This is an independent guide, not affiliated with Apple. For account or billing questions, use Apple’s own support site.

iCloud storage is not iPhone storage

These two are often confused:

• iPhone (device) storage is the memory inside your phone. When it fills up, you cannot install apps or take photos. Our iPhone storage full guide covers that.
• iCloud storage is online space on Apple’s servers linked to your Apple Account. Apple gives every account 5 GB free. It holds iCloud backups, iCloud Photos, iCloud Drive files, Messages in iCloud and iCloud Mail.

Your phone can have plenty of free space while iCloud is full, and the other way round.

What stops working when iCloud is full

According to Apple, when you run out of iCloud storage:

• your device stops backing up to iCloud,
• new photos and videos are not uploaded to iCloud Photos,
• iCloud Drive and other iCloud apps stop staying up to date across devices,
• you cannot send or receive email at your iCloud address.

Nothing already stored is deleted just because you are full, so there is no need to panic, but the missing backups are a real risk if the phone is lost.

Step 1: See what is using your iCloud

On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name, then tap iCloud. The bar at the top shows how much of your storage is used and by what. Tap Storage or Manage Account Storage for a list sorted by size.

On a Mac, go to Apple menu > System Settings, click your name, then iCloud. On a Windows PC, open the iCloud for Windows app. You can also sign in at icloud.com in any browser.

On iOS 17 or later, tap Recommended for You in iCloud settings. It suggests large items you may not need, such as big files and old backups.

Step 2: Delete backups you no longer need

Old backups are the easiest win. If you replaced a phone or iPad, its last backup may still be sitting in iCloud.

1. Go to Settings > your name > iCloud.
2. Tap Storage or Manage Account Storage, then Backups.
3. Tap the old device, then Turn Off and Delete from iCloud, and confirm.

Apple notes that deleting the backup of the device you are holding also turns off iCloud Backup for it. If you do that, back it up to a computer instead; our guide to backing up an iPhone to a computer shows how.

Make your current backup smaller

In the same Backups screen, tap your current device and switch off apps you do not need backed up. Apps you rarely use, or that keep their own data online, are good candidates. Photos are often the biggest item in a backup when iCloud Photos is off; moving them to a computer shrinks the backup a lot.

Step 3: Reduce photos and videos

If Photos is the biggest bar, that is where the space is.

1. First, copy everything you want to keep to a computer or external drive. Our guide to transferring photos from a phone to a computer explains how.
2. In the Photos app, delete duplicates, screenshots, blurry shots and long videos you do not need. Videos take far more space than photos.
3. Remember that with iCloud Photos on, deleting a photo on one device deletes it on every device signed in to your Apple Account.

Apple says items in the Recently Deleted album do not count towards your iCloud storage, and can be recovered for 30 days if you change your mind.

Turning off iCloud Photos does not free iCloud space by itself; the copies stay in iCloud until you delete them, so plan where your photos will live before you change anything.

Step 4: Clear Messages attachments, iCloud Drive and Mail

• Messages: with Messages in iCloud on, photos, videos and files in your conversations use iCloud space. Open a conversation, tap the contact’s name at the top and review the photos and attachments, or delete old conversations you do not need.
• iCloud Drive: in the Files app, tap Browse > iCloud Drive and delete large files you no longer need. On a Mac, use the iCloud Drive folder in Finder.
• Mail: delete old messages with large attachments from your iCloud Mail and empty the Trash.

Managing iCloud storage from a Windows PC

If your main computer runs Windows, you do not need a Mac to clear space. Sign in at icloud.com in a browser to delete photos (icloud.com/photos) and iCloud Drive files (icloud.com/drive); Apple notes that deleted Drive files stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days. The iCloud for Windows app also shows a storage summary and lets you download your iCloud Photos to the PC, which is a convenient way to keep a local copy before you delete anything from iCloud.

Shared albums and family storage

Photos in a Shared Library count only towards the storage of the person who created it, and if you are a participant in someone else’s shared iCloud Drive folder, it does not count towards yours. If a family member’s account is always full and yours is not, sharing one plan through Family Sharing can be cheaper than two separate upgrades.

Step 5: Decide whether to pay for iCloud+

If you have cleared what you can and are still full, upgrading to iCloud+ is Apple’s paid option for more space. Plans and prices vary by country and change over time, so check the current options in Settings > your name > iCloud > Upgrade to iCloud+ rather than relying on any figure online. With Family Sharing, one plan can be shared with family members.

The alternative is to keep iCloud lean by backing up to a computer and storing photos elsewhere. Whichever you choose, keep at least two copies of anything irreplaceable, as explained in the 3-2-1 backup rule.

Watch out for fake “iCloud storage full” messages

Scammers send emails and texts claiming your iCloud is full and your photos will be deleted unless you pay or “verify” through a link. Some lead to fake Apple sign-in pages that steal your password or card details. Do not tap the link. Open Settings on your device and check your storage there; if it is fine, the message was fake. Our guide to recognising phishing emails explains the warning signs, and if you already entered your password, see Apple Account locked or forgotten and change it right away.

If you are selling or giving away your iPhone, also read how to back up and wipe a phone before selling. More phone guides are in the mobile section.