Hi, I am hoping someone can explain the backup sizes to me. I had an iPhone 7 Plus that I was backing up to iCloud. Yesterday I got an iPhone SE (2020) and when setting it up, transferred data directly from the 7 Plus to the SE. Then I initiated an iCloud backup on the SE. The backup size of the SE is 50 gigs. The 7 Plus's backup size was 1.9 gigs. What could account for the huge difference?
iPhone SE
Hello djs71a and welcome to Apple Support Communities.
I see you have a concern about the backup size of your new iPhone Se versus the size of the backup for your iPhone 7 Plus.
About backups for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support
You'll want to take a look at your iCloud settings in the new device. There are several categories of data that are not included in a backup when they are enabled via iCloud. This includes data associated with both the Messages and Photos apps. If those services were enabled on the previous device but are not enabled on the new iPhone SE, that would account for a very large difference between the sizes of the two backups.
Cheers.
Hello djs71a and welcome to Apple Support Communities.
I see you have a concern about the backup size of your new iPhone Se versus the size of the backup for your iPhone 7 Plus.
About backups for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support
You'll want to take a look at your iCloud settings in the new device. There are several categories of data that are not included in a backup when they are enabled via iCloud. This includes data associated with both the Messages and Photos apps. If those services were enabled on the previous device but are not enabled on the new iPhone SE, that would account for a very large difference between the sizes of the two backups.
Cheers.
Hi djs71a.
When you say the backup for the iPhone 7 Plus was 1.9 GB are you referring to the last backup it created, the size of the next backup being reported in the Settings app or to the total amount of space in iCloud that the device has used for backing up? Note that backups are incremental. In other words, each backup only backs up the data that has changed since the last backup. Unless you only have 1.9 GB of data that is backed up at all on the iPhone 7 Plus, then the 1.9 GB figure is likely referring to an incremental backup. An initial backup of the iPhone SE would be quite a lot bigger than an incremental backup on the iPhone 7 Plus.
Cheers.
Hi djs71a.
Have you checked to see the details of what your iPhone SE is backing up using the steps found in this article: Manage your iCloud storage This may explain why there is a difference in size. You can see what apps are being backed up along with the data size.
"Manage your iCloud Backup
When you back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to iCloud, the most important information on your device is backed up automatically. Backups can include your documents, photos, and videos. Learn more about what iCloud backs up.
Many iOS apps automatically back up to iCloud after you install them. You can decrease the size of your iCloud Backup and free up space in iCloud when you turn off backups for apps that you're not using or delete old iCloud backups.
Choose which apps to back up on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
When you confirm that you want to Turn Off & Delete an app, it turns off iCloud Backup for that app and removes all of its information from iCloud.
Some apps are always backed up and you can't turn them off".
You may need to contact Apple Support to look further into this.
Cheers.
Hi, I checked and the iCloud settings for the SE and the 7 Plus are the same.
Hello, this is how I am getting the numbers:
Settings --> My Account picture --> iCloud --> Manage Storage --> Backups --> 7 Plus shows 1.9 GB
SE shows 50.8 GB
iCloud Backup Size
