Clean up iCloud Storage

Is your individual or shared iCloud storage nearly full? Here are some easy steps you can follow to clear up space. ?

1. Review and Delete Unneeded Photos and Videos

• Open the Photos app.
• Go to Albums > Recently Deleted and delete anything here to free up storage. This clears items you’ve already deleted but are still taking up space.
• If possible, back up photos and videos to a computer or another storage solution and remove older ones from iCloud.

2. Manage App Files in iCloud Drive

• Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > iCloud Drive.
• Review and delete large files you no longer need or have already saved elsewhere.

3. Remove Old Backups

• If you have backups for old devices, you can remove them by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups.
• Select old device backups and delete anything unnecessary. (Don’t delete the backup for your current device!)

4. Clear Unused Apps’ Data

• Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage.
• Check for apps that might use a lot of storage, especially ones you don’t use often. You can disable iCloud backup for these apps or delete their data if unnecessary.

**Note**

When iCloud shows a large amount of storage "pending delete," it means there are files or data that you've deleted, but they're still being stored temporarily in a "Recently Deleted" area. This includes items like photos, videos, and documents, which are kept for a certain period (typically 30 days) in case you want to recover them. They still occupy storage space during this time, contributing to the "pending delete" total.

To permanently clear these files and free up the space immediately:

1. Photos and Videos: Open the Photos app > Albums > Recently Deleted. Select and permanently delete all items here.

2. iCloud Drive Files: Go to iCloud Drive on your device or in iCloud.com > Recently Deleted folder. Remove any files you no longer need.

3. Other App Data: Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage. Check for any app data, backups, or documents that you’ve deleted but remain in the recently deleted state.

Once you clear these items, the storage should update and reflect the additional space.