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How Do I Download and Delete iCloud Storage?

Published in iCloud Storage 3 mins read

Downloading from iCloud and deleting iCloud Backups are two different operations. Here's how to do each:

Downloading Data From iCloud

Downloading specific data from iCloud (like photos, documents, or contacts) depends on the type of data and where it's stored.

  • iCloud Photos:

    1. On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos. Make sure "Download and Keep Originals" is selected. This will download all your photos and videos from iCloud to your device. Keep in mind this will require significant space on your device.
    2. On your Mac: Open the Photos app. Go to Photos > Preferences > iCloud. Make sure iCloud Photos is selected, and "Download Originals to this Mac" is selected.
    3. On a PC: You can download iCloud for Windows and then download your photos from the iCloud Photos app.
    4. Via iCloud.com: Log in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID. You can then download individual photos or videos.

  • iCloud Drive (Documents, Desktop, etc.):

    1. On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: Open the Files app. Go to "iCloud Drive." Browse to the file you want to download and tap it. It will download automatically.
    2. On your Mac: Your iCloud Drive files are synced to Finder. Simply drag and drop the files to a different location on your Mac to create a local copy.
    3. On a PC: Through iCloud for Windows, you can access and download iCloud Drive files.
    4. Via iCloud.com: Log in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID. You can then download individual files.

  • Contacts, Calendars, and Other Data: Log in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID to download these items. You can then export contacts as vCards, calendars as .ics files, etc.

Deleting iCloud Backups

This process removes backups of your devices from iCloud, freeing up storage. Be aware that deleting backups means you won't be able to restore your device from iCloud if something goes wrong.

  1. On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Backups.

  2. Select a device: You'll see a list of devices that have backups stored in iCloud. Choose the device whose backup you want to delete.

  3. Delete the Backup: Tap "Delete & Turn Off Backup." This will delete the backup and prevent future backups from that device to iCloud.

    Before deleting the whole backup you can also choose to manage which apps are backed up. From the selected device, toggle off backup syncing for individual apps to reduce the backup file size.

Important Considerations:

  • Storage Management: Regularly review your iCloud storage usage to identify unnecessary files or backups that can be deleted.
  • Local Backups: Consider creating local backups of your device to your computer as an alternative to iCloud backups. This provides redundancy and can be useful if you prefer not to store backups in the cloud.
  • Impact of Deletion: Understand the consequences of deleting iCloud backups before proceeding. If your device experiences a problem, you won't be able to restore it from an iCloud backup.

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