User profile for user: Stuart Field
Stuart Field Author
User level: Level 2
459 points

Can't update my iPhone because there's not enough free space on my computer

I'm trying to update my iPhone X from 12.3.1 to 12.4. I plug my iPhone into my Mac and start the update process via iTunes. However, the update fails because iTunes wants to first back up my iPhone to my computer, and I get a dialog box that says, "iTunes could not back up the iPhone 'XXX's iPhone' because not enough free space is available on this computer."


This statement is true. I am using 135.3 GB (out of 256 GB) on my phone, and my Mac has "only" 111 GB of free space.


But the real issue is this. I have been backing up my iPhone to iCloud for some time (we have the 2 TB iCloud plan). Thus in iTunes under Backups/Automatically Back Up, I have selected "iCloud" as my backup mechanism, not "This Computer."


So if iTunes needs to back up my phone before updating it, why doesn't it back up to my iCloud instead of my computer?


How can I proceed to update my phone?



iPhone X

Posted on Aug 11, 2019 12:01 PM

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User profile for user: Joseph_S.
Joseph_S.
User level: Community Specialist

Posted on Aug 12, 2019 11:54 AM

Good afternoon Stuart Field,


Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!


I understand you want to update your iPhone X to 12.4. If you are using iCloud to back up your iPhone, and you don't have enough space on your computer, I would suggest updating wirelessly.


Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Update your device wirelessly:

  1. Plug your device into power and connect to the Internet with Wi-Fi.
  2. Tap Settings > General > Software Update.
  3. Tap Download and Install.
  4. To update now, tap Install.
  5. If asked, enter your passcode. If you don't know your passcode, learn what to do.


If you want to use iTunes to back up or update your iPhone, you will need to free up some space on the internal hard drive first.


How to free up storage space on your Mac


Take care.

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User profile for user: Joseph_S.
Joseph_S.
User level: Community Specialist

Aug 12, 2019 11:54 AM in response to Stuart Field

Good afternoon Stuart Field,


Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!


I understand you want to update your iPhone X to 12.4. If you are using iCloud to back up your iPhone, and you don't have enough space on your computer, I would suggest updating wirelessly.


Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Update your device wirelessly:

  1. Plug your device into power and connect to the Internet with Wi-Fi.
  2. Tap Settings > General > Software Update.
  3. Tap Download and Install.
  4. To update now, tap Install.
  5. If asked, enter your passcode. If you don't know your passcode, learn what to do.


If you want to use iTunes to back up or update your iPhone, you will need to free up some space on the internal hard drive first.


How to free up storage space on your Mac


Take care.

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Can't update my iPhone because there's not enough free space on my computer

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