Free up iCloud storage without paying for more.

WORK THROUGH THE MOVE

Work through the categories, largest first

1. 1

   Start with Apple’s own shortlist if you have it. On an iPhone or iPad with iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 or later, Apple documents Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Recommended for You, where it offers to delete things such as photos, large files or old backups. If what you need is not there, Apple says you can still delete content manually.

2. 2

   Delete backups for devices you no longer use. Apple’s path is Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Storage or Manage Account Storage > Backups, then the device, then “Turn Off and Delete from iCloud”. Read the consequence before you tap: Apple says that when you delete a backup it also turns off iCloud Backup for that device, and that iCloud backups are available for 180 days after you disable or stop using iCloud Backup. A backup currently being used to restore a device cannot be deleted.

3. 3

   Shrink the backup of the device you do use, carefully. In Backups > the device you are using, you can turn off apps you do not need backed up. Apple is explicit about what that does: “When you confirm that you want to Turn Off, iCloud Backup turns off for that app and removes all of its information from iCloud.” That is a deletion, not a pause. Some apps are always backed up and cannot be turned off. If you do not use iCloud Photos, Apple says your Photos Library is part of the backup, and the same screen shows how much it is using.

4. 4

   Delete photos and videos you do not want — and understand what that means. Apple says deleting a photo on one device deletes it on all other devices signed in with the same Apple Account, and tells you to make sure you have backed up the photos and videos you still want first. Deleted items go to Recently Deleted for 30 days and can be recovered in that window. One exception matters: Apple says that if you exceed your iCloud storage limit, your device immediately removes any photos and videos you delete and they will not be available for recovery in Recently Deleted.

5. 5

   Leave the Photos Recently Deleted album alone if space is your only goal. Apple says items in it do not count towards your iCloud storage, so emptying it frees nothing and the deletion becomes permanent: “When you delete a photo or video from this album, you can’t get it back.”

6. 6

   Clear large Messages attachments. Apple says that when you use Messages in iCloud, the text messages and the attachments you send and receive use your iCloud storage. In a conversation, tap the contact’s name, then Photos (in iOS 18 or earlier, the Photos section, then See All), then Edit and Select Photos, choose the images and tap Delete, then Delete Attachment to confirm. Deleting a whole conversation works too. Recovery is narrower than with photos: Apple says you can only recover messages and conversations deleted within the last 30 to 40 days, and only on iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1 or later.

7. 7

   Delete files in iCloud Drive, and know where they go. Apple’s warning on iCloud.com is direct: “When you delete a file from iCloud Drive on iCloud.com, it’s also deleted from all your devices that have iCloud Drive turned on.” Files you delete are recoverable for 30 days, and Apple says files in the Recently Deleted folder do not count toward your iCloud storage — so, as with photos, emptying it frees nothing. If you want them gone for good anyway, Apple documents Recently Deleted in the iCloud Drive sidebar with Delete or Delete All, and icloud.com/recovery > Restore Files for files deleted from other apps.

8. 8

   Deal with Mail, which many people forget is in the same allowance. Apple says you can free up iCloud space by deleting email from your iCloud email account, and that messages with attachments take up more space than emails with just text. Deleted mail sits in Trash for 30 days and is then permanently erased; emptying the Trash yourself is permanent immediately — “When you empty the Trash, the emails are permanently deleted. You can’t recover them.” Apple also documents iCloud Mail Cleanup for subscriptions, promotions and transactions, and notes that moving messages from an iPhone or iPad to a Mac means they no longer count against your iCloud storage.

9. 9

   Finish with the small categories, but read the warnings. Apple lists contact posters and photos (from iOS 26, iPadOS 26, visionOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26, deleting the image does not delete the contact), Voice Memos, FaceTime data and Apple Invites. Two are permanent: Apple says you will not be able to recover FaceTime data after you delete it from iCloud, and that deleting an Apple Invites event means participants lose access to the event and most information associated with it.

10. 10

    Check the bar graph again before you decide anything else. Deletions that sync can take a moment to show, and the number that matters is the total, not the number of things you deleted.