Avoid paying for extra storage

Extra storage plans are available to boost your iCloud capacity, but do you really need them? If you’re just mainly using iCloud to back up your iPhone and your storage is full, there is a handy workaround to avoid upgrading your plan.

1

Transfer photos

To avoid risking losing any photos, connect your iPhone to your Mac, open Photos and click on your iPhone in the sidebar. Then click ‘Import All New Items’.

3

Tap to delete

You will be asked if you want to turn off Photo Library backups and delete backup data from iCloud – tap ‘Turn off & Delete’. Nothing will be erased from your device.

5

Turn on stream

Still in Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Photos, turn on ‘My Photo Stream’. Photos will automatically upload to your stream where they will be kept for up 30 days.

2

Manage your backup

On your iPhone, go to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud and tap ‘Manage Storage’. Now tap ‘Backups’, select your device and then turn off the ‘Photo Library’ option.

4

Disable iCloud Photos

Now go to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Photos and turn off the ‘iCloud Photos’ option. You can then tap ‘Remove from iPhone’.

6

Smaller backups

You can now enjoy smaller iPhone backups that won’t require extra iCloud storage while accessing and importing your photos from your Photo Stream.