Does anyone here know how to approach this? How do you manage iCloud storage when the free 5GB is constantly full?
Hi screenmirror448! Great question—many iPhone users run into storage limitations with the free 5GB of iCloud. Here are some practical ways to manage it:
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Review Storage Usage: Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage. This lets you see what’s taking up space (photos, backups, messages, etc.).
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Optimize Photos & Videos: Turn on “Optimize iPhone Storage” in Settings > Photos. This keeps full-resolution photos in iCloud, but stores smaller versions on your phone.
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Delete Old Backups: Under Manage Account Storage > Backups, delete device backups from old devices that you no longer use.
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Control What’s Backed Up: In iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups > [your device], you can toggle off apps you don’t need backed up (like large games or chat apps).
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Manage Messages: iMessages and attachments may use a lot of space. Delete conversations with heavy attachments or set messages to auto-delete after 30 days (Settings > Messages > Keep Messages).
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Use Alternatives for Big Files: Consider Google Photos or Dropbox for extra photo/video storage if you don’t want to upgrade your iCloud plan.
If you regularly need more than 5GB, Apple’s cheapest plan is $0.99/month for 50GB—a good value if these tips aren’t quite enough.
Let me know if you need help with any step!