You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iPhone storage full... but it’s not.

My iPhone 7 constantly tells me that my storage is full... even though I have over 10 gb free of storage. I’ve turned off iCloud storage, I’ve been confused by Apple support. I’m down to basically nothing on my phone and I really want to use the storage I paid for.


Could someone explain in simple terms what I can do? I’ve done hard resets before, too. Just don’t know what to do and I don’t want to wipe everything off of my phone.

iPhone 7, iOS 12

Posted on Oct 10, 2020 6:36 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 10, 2020 6:39 AM

iCloud by default only has 5GB of storage space for your backup.


When you get a popup message on your iPhone or iPad that the storage is full.


Look closely storage of iPhone and iCloud.


You cannot increase storage of iPhone. However you can optimise iPhone Storage by using iCloud Storage. Save space on your device

Settings > [your name] > iCloud Tap Photos > Choose Optimize [device] Storage Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support


iCloud storage is primarily for keeping a copy of your iPhone data safely on cloud. If you delete data on iPhone, data on iCloud is gone.


iPhone Storage (Setting > General > iPhone Storage)

  1. Total storage remains same through out life span of the iPhone
  2. Storage can not be enhanced
  3. You may take back up on Mac or PC using iTunes without iCloud


iCloud Storage (Settings > [Tap your name] > iCloud)

  1. By default every user gets 5GB of free storage space
  2. You can buy more storage based on your requirement 50, 200GB, 2TB with monthly subscription
  3. Based on your storage capacity you can back up iPhone or iPad
  4. The space can be shared between your family members for storage plan beyond 200GB




1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 10, 2020 6:39 AM in response to TechHopeful

iCloud by default only has 5GB of storage space for your backup.


When you get a popup message on your iPhone or iPad that the storage is full.


Look closely storage of iPhone and iCloud.


You cannot increase storage of iPhone. However you can optimise iPhone Storage by using iCloud Storage. Save space on your device

Settings > [your name] > iCloud Tap Photos > Choose Optimize [device] Storage Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support


iCloud storage is primarily for keeping a copy of your iPhone data safely on cloud. If you delete data on iPhone, data on iCloud is gone.


iPhone Storage (Setting > General > iPhone Storage)

  1. Total storage remains same through out life span of the iPhone
  2. Storage can not be enhanced
  3. You may take back up on Mac or PC using iTunes without iCloud


iCloud Storage (Settings > [Tap your name] > iCloud)

  1. By default every user gets 5GB of free storage space
  2. You can buy more storage based on your requirement 50, 200GB, 2TB with monthly subscription
  3. Based on your storage capacity you can back up iPhone or iPad
  4. The space can be shared between your family members for storage plan beyond 200GB




iPhone storage full... but it’s not.

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.