By /

Procedure: Managing iCloud Storage When Space Is Running Low

(Mac, iPhone, and iPad)

Purpose

This procedure explains how to identify what is using iCloud storage, reduce unnecessary usage, and—when needed—move photos off iCloud and onto local storage.
It is written for users who want to free up space without purchasing additional iCloud storage.

Part 1: Review iCloud Storage Usage

Before deleting anything, confirm what is actually using space.

On iPhone or iPad

  1. Open Settings
  2. Tap your name at the top
  3. Tap iCloud
  4. Tap Manage Storage

On Mac

  1. Click the Apple menu ()
  2. Choose System Settings
  3. Click your name
  4. Click iCloud
  5. Click Manage

You will see a list of apps and services ranked by how much iCloud space they use.

Part 2: Reduce iCloud Storage Usage

Always address the largest categories first.

Photos (Most Common Storage Issue)

Photos and videos are usually the biggest cause of iCloud storage problems.

What to Check

  • Long or high-resolution videos
  • Duplicate or blurry photos
  • Screenshots

Actions

  • Delete unwanted photos and videos
  • Open Photos → Recently Deleted and empty it
    (This step is required to actually free space.)
  • If photos are important but do not need to stay in iCloud, follow Part 3 before deleting them

iCloud Backups (iPhone & iPad)

Each device can create its own iCloud backup.

What to Check

  • Old devices you no longer own
  • Large apps included in backups

Actions

  1. Go to iCloud → Manage Storage → Backups
  2. Select a device
  3. Turn off backup for large, non-essential apps
  4. Delete backups for devices you no longer use

Messages (Photos and Videos in Texts)

Message attachments can consume large amounts of storage.

What to Check

  • Conversations with many images or videos
  • Very old message threads

Actions

  • Delete entire conversations rather than individual messages
  • Set automatic message deletion:
  • Settings → Messages → Keep Messages → 1 Year or 30 Days

Mail (iCloud Email)

Large attachments count toward iCloud storage.

Actions

  • Search for emails with attachments
  • Delete emails with large files
  • Empty the Trash folder

iCloud Drive (Files and Documents)

Includes PDFs, scans, downloads, and synced folders.

What to Check

  • Old documents
  • Large PDFs or scans
  • Desktop and Documents folders synced from a Mac

Actions

  • Move files to local storage or an external drive
  • Delete files no longer needed

App Data Stored in iCloud

Some apps store data in iCloud automatically.

Actions

  • In Manage Storage, tap each large app
  • Turn off iCloud storage for apps that do not need syncing
  • Delete stored data if the app allows it

Part 3: Moving Photos Off iCloud to Local Storage

(iPhone or iPad)

Use this section before deleting photos if they are important.

Important Before You Start

  • Do not delete photos first
  • Connect the device to Wi-Fi
  • Plug the device into power
  • Have one of the following ready:
  • A Mac
  • A Windows PC
  • An external hard drive or USB drive

Method A: Move Photos to a Mac (Recommended)

Step 1: Download iCloud Photos to the Mac

  1. Open Photos on the Mac
  2. Go to Photos → Settings → iCloud
  3. Select Download Originals to This Mac
  4. Leave the Mac connected to Wi-Fi and power
    (Large libraries may take hours or days.)

Step 2: Copy Photos to External Storage

  1. Connect the external drive
  2. In Photos, select photos or albums
  3. Click File → Export → Export Unmodified Originals
  4. Save them to the external drive

Method B: Move Photos to a Windows PC

Step 1: Download From iCloud

  1. Install iCloud for Windows
  2. Sign in with the same Apple ID
  3. Enable Photos
  4. Choose Download new photos to my PC
  5. Wait for the download to finish

Step 2: Copy to External Storage

  1. Connect the external drive
  2. Copy the photo folders to the drive

Method C: Copy Photos Directly From iPhone or iPad

Best for smaller selections.

  1. Connect the device to a computer using a cable
  2. Unlock the device and tap Trust This Computer
  3. On a Mac, open Photos and import selected items
  4. On Windows, use Photos or File Explorer
  5. Copy imported photos to external storage if needed

Confirm the Backup

Before deleting anything:

  • Open the external drive
  • Check multiple photos and videos
  • Confirm correct dates and file sizes

Part 4: Remove Photos From iCloud (After Backup)

Option 1: Delete Photos Manually

  • Delete photos in the Photos app
  • Open Recently Deleted and empty it

Option 2: Turn Off iCloud Photos

  1. Open Settings
  2. Tap [your name] → iCloud → Photos
  3. Turn off iCloud Photos

Part 5: Final Checks

  • Keep devices connected to Wi-Fi after cleanup
  • Storage totals may take time to update
  • Recheck iCloud → Manage Storage after several minutes

Ongoing Best Practices

  • Review iCloud storage every few months
  • Regularly delete videos and screenshots
  • Remove old device backups
  • Avoid backing up large apps unless necessary

Leave a Comment

Scroll to Top