Ipad Storage - How do I know what is stored on my device and what is not?

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Ipad Storage - How do I know what is stored on my device and what is not?

In the detail list of items in my iPad Pro storage I have such things listed as "Pocket - 6.33 GB", "Spotify - 207 MB", "Photos - 3.64 Gb) and in total 188 items of various sizes. There are only 6 items greater than 1 GB and the max is "Music - 13.64GB"; all 6 - 29.78 GB

I did not bother to add up all these 188 item capacities but is it possible that because I am told that I have 190 GB available to use out of 256 GB, that all 188 represent the (256-190 = 66GB) the 66 GB that is used?

I went into an Apple store today to discuss this and was told that all 188 items on my iPad are stored in the cloud. That's when I became confused.

I am thinking of purchasing an 2021 iPad mini (6) and was wondering do I need 256 GB capacity or just 64 GB and I wanted to find out from the Apple rep what is exactly stored on my device versus what is in the cloud.

Thus I decided since I am confused by the answer I received that I would ask my question here.

iPad Pro 10.5-inch, Wi-Fi

Posted on Oct 14, 2021 9:33 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

MichelPM

Level 10

81,535 points

Oct 14, 2021 1:10 PM in response to djjcarroll

What you were told may have been incorrect.

Those apps reside on your iPad.

The apps, themselves, if they can be launched from your iPad, reside on your iPad.

Easy way to tell.

Go into the iOS App Store app, tap the small round ID icon at the upper right hand corner.

A pop-up window appears.

Tap Purchased.

Any apps that are in the ALL tab that have NO cloud icon under them, all reside on your iPad.

Tap on the Not On Your iPad tab, those will have a cloud icon below them, these are apps that have been removed from your various iOS/iPadOS devices, over time, and have been stored, on Apple's servers, under your Apple ID info to be re-downloaded at any time, as long as that app OR version of that app, has NOT been removed, by the third party app developers and still actually exists on Apple's iOS App Store servers to be able to be re-downloaded at a later date.

Also, if these apps were actually stored in iCloud OR Apple's iOS App Store servers, these apps would NOT appear on your iPad.

You cannot use these apps on your iPad until they are redownloaded to your iPad, once again taking up internal data storage space inside of your iPad.

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Answer 2

MichelPM

Level 10

81,535 points

Oct 14, 2021 9:44 AM in response to djjcarroll

A 256 GBs storage iPad starts out with approx. 238.5GBs.,after initial internal flash drive formatting.

Minus approx. 6.5 GBs for iOS/iPadOS leaves 231.0 GBs.

Minus 3-6 GBs, for iOS/iPadOS system operational reserve, that MUST BE MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES, to ensure/insure normal, expected operation of iOS/iPad OS, leaves approx. between 224-228 GBs of initial, actual, usable data storage space.

So, you have used almost 40 GBs of internal data storage space out of the actual, usable data amount of 228 GBs.

That 40 GBs is used up inside of your iPad for internal data storage and NOT iCloud.

Best of Luck to You!

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Answer 3

djjcarroll Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 14, 2021 12:10 PM in response to MichelPM

Thursday, October 14, 2021, 4:07 p.m. Thanks Michel for the very timely response. Ok, for my clarification, I have used according to you about 40 GB thus are you implying that the storage space taken up by those 188 apps I have on my iPad are within that 40 GB? If so, than I was not provided the correct answer at my local electronics store when I was told all my iPad apps are stored in the cloud?

Don J J C

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Answer 4

MichelPM

Level 10

81,535 points

Oct 14, 2021 1:11 PM in response to djjcarroll

The only things that can be stored and found in Apple's iCloud IF you set this up for individual apps, is tbe app data stored in each app.

The data stored in each app can be stored, if either setup in the Settings apps in the various app settings OR within an app, itself, to store the app/s data to Apple iCloud or other “cloud” data storage/backup services, like Google Drive/Docs/Photos, BOX, DropBox, Amazon Cloud services, Flicker ( for photos and videos ) and other similar services.

App/sdata CAN be actually stored in Apple's iCloud in your own personal iCloud storage plan under your own Apple ID info.

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Answer 5

djjcarroll Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 14, 2021 3:06 PM in response to MichelPM

Thursday, October 14, 2021, 7:04 p.m. - OK Michel, I think I know what's up, a great big thanks to you. I also learned a few things from your replies, much appreciated.

Don J J C

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Ipad Storage - How do I know what is stored on my device and what is not?

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