My iPhone is running low on space

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Level 1

4 points

My iPhone is running low on space

Hello to all. I am running out of space for a good reason. My new grandson is using up all of my picture and video space. he just turned 6 months old and through our son sending us many pictures and videos and us taking our own videos - my iPhone is very low on space. I was told by apple that I need to move the pictures to another device- like my computer's external hard drive OR to a USB stick. Because if I delete any pics from my iPhone- then it ALSO deletes from the iCloud as well so I will lose anything I delete permanently.? I am a little afraid to move them to a USB stick because on earlier occasions I have noticed that some USB sticks get "stale" after quite some time and NO longer can read or show what was put onto them.!

That is problem # 1- I need to save these pics onto my hard drive I guess- if that is correct please let me know.

My next problem- is that whatever picture we take with our iPhone is ALSO being put onto my Google Photos app ALSO? and believe it or not my Google Drive also? I need to STOP this from happening BECAUSE I just an e-mail from google- stating that I am LOW on space on my Google account. So I think I need to stop the pictures I take with my iPhone from also going onto Google Photos and Google Drive??? Is there any EASY step-by-step way I can be given to do this?? And if so please let me know- and also how to UNDO this if I want to in the future... Google told me that if I run out of space then my Google E-mail will not function either since they are all connected???

So I need to do a couple of things here as you can see.

Lastly- maybe someone can explain to me in layman's terms- the following--- how is Google Photos Different from Google Drive??/ and WHICH is BETTER and allows more space to be held in them. maybe if I can delete them from one of those "systems" will clear up some space??? But not losing the pics permanently either??

What can you people tell me the best method to save space and delete pics from one or the other while still keeping and taking more pics in the future.

This is steamrolling for me as I keep receiving pics on a daily basis from my son and his wife on my grandson's daily activities etc and I need to keep them but it is a lot of pics and vids.

I hope I explained myself well- I am also confused- but read carefully and take your time people- I really appreciate it.

So I need to I guess un sync the apple photos from google photos and OR google drive( and also be able to turn it back on when I need to)

And I need to know which is the better of the two-Google photos or Google Drive?

And if you think it is better to move my existing pics to an external hard drive OR a USB stick(with my concern mentioned above about USB sticks?)

Thank you people so very much.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Nov 1, 2021 6:37 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

SravanKrA

Community+ 2024

Level 10

411,058 points

Nov 2, 2021 12:26 AM in response to fmoffilmland

You cannot increase the storage of an iPhone. However, you can optimize 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

You can buy iCloud Storage. --> Buy more iCloud storage - Apple Support

You can manage your storage --> How to check the storage on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Manage your Storage --> Manage your photo and video storage - Apple Support

Your photos are always available for both iPhone and iCloud. You delete it on the iPhone it is gone from iCloud and vice-versa. To save space on your iPhone use optimized iPhone storage. Remember, if you delete in one it is deleted everywhere.

Get started with iCloud Photos:

Tap Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos.

Turn on iCloud Photos.

Select Optimize iPhone Storage to save space on your device.

With Optimize Storage, smaller, space-saving photos and videos are kept on your device while all of your original, full-resolution versions are stored in iCloud. And as long as you have enough space in iCloud, you can store as many photos and videos as you want.

How to check the storage on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

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Answer 2

Nov 2, 2021 12:29 AM in response to fmoffilmland

fmoffilmland wrote:

And I need to know which is the better of the two-Google photos or Google Drive?

There are three major advantages of having iCloud Storage

iCloud syncs your iPhone data and keeps backup safely for future use if your iPhone is damaged or lost. The data is safe on iCloud
You can save space on your iPhone by keeping low-resolution photos on your iPhone and keep the originals on iCloud. Whenever you open a photo on your iPhone it will fetch the original photo from iCloud and display it to you, provided you have internet. --> Manage your photo and video storage - Apple Support
You get more space on iCloud Drive and keep any file on it safely, Also you can view and delete them from any device.

iCloud Drive is part of iCloud Storage. What you store in iCloud Drive counts against your storage limit.

See the pic below. These are things which you can view. There are many things that you can't view such as messages, backup, message attachments etc..

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Answer 3

fmoffilmland Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 4, 2021 9:15 AM in response to Yeet_Boy_FRESH

my reply was far from snarky- I just wanted to see if anyone had another answer more conforming to my original question. Do not read too deep into my previous reply. it was not meant to disturb you.

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Answer 4

Nov 2, 2021 12:28 AM in response to fmoffilmland

fmoffilmland wrote:

And if you think it is better to move my existing pics to an external hard drive OR a USB stick(with my concern mentioned above about USB sticks?)

Import all your data to PC/MA and then to USB Stick or

Upload to iCloud and download to an USB Stick using PC/Mac

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Answer 5

fmoffilmland Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 2, 2021 11:48 AM in response to SravanKrA

Thanks for your reply- BUT- as I mentioned it has happened more than once to me that the older a USB stick gets- the greater the chance that it gets "stale"??- if you know what i mean and when I plug it into USB port- the stick says it is empty??? Why does that happen and tat is why I asked if you thought it better to just move the pics and videos onto an EXTERNAL hard drive?? Please let me know what you think now.

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Answer 6

fmoffilmland Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 2, 2021 11:53 AM in response to SravanKrA

I do understand that - as mentioned I spoke with an Apple rep on the phone and we also came to the conclusion that if I delete ANYTHING from the iPhone- it also gets deleted from the iCloud. Schucks!!

But the jist of my question was not that at all- about the iCloud storage and all- I already have my iPhone set up for optimization on iCloud etc. But I tell you I am taking so many pics of my grandson and videos that even the 50Gb will be used amazingly quick.

But again the jist of my question was as follows-- Now my Google account is running low on space also because every pic I take on the iPhone is ALSO going into Google Photos and Google Drive-- I need to know how to STOP that from happening. I don't need the videos and pics in BOTH systems?? And the second part of the question is - which is better or has more space or is just a better app to keep files like pics in IF needed?--- Google Photos OR Google DRIVE??

Thanks again and I hope to hear back from you again

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Answer 7

fmoffilmland Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 6, 2021 8:19 AM in response to Yeet_Boy_FRESH

I wish I could-- they are I think not as reliable with customer support as Apple or its communities is. You people are very helpful- But Google- Not so sure about that? I also went through some of my pictures on google photos and whatever I thought I could delete I started that tedious process- and lo and behold guess what happened-- that same picture was ALSO deleted from the photos app on my iPhone? Wow-- this is no good-- And then lastly-- as I mentioned earlier-- I went through my USB sticks and saw that over the years I also have many duplicates on different sticks-- so I deleted some and move other pictures from a smaller USB stick to a larger one that could hold all of my pictures--- I had 2 explorer windows open and I checked the new stick as I did it and saw that the pictures DID in fact get transferred to the larger stick- Ant then I deleted them off the Smaller size storage stick-- BUT guess what happened then-- I ejected both sticks safely as it were-- and then went back into the larger stick to CHECK the new pictures I just transferred and the folder said-= EMPTY?? See what I mean- now I lost those pictures since I deleted them from the smaller stick? And lastly- when I did get a NORMAL transfer I was checking some of the pictures and the error message I receive is this file cannot be opened due to the software?HUH?? This is getting quite hairy for me -- and I see no proper way to get the pics onto a USB drive safely?? Or to move previous pics from an older smaller USB stick onto a newer larger GB size stick and not have some kind of problem.

Iknow its a lot of words- But if you know what I am talking about- please let me know what you think

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Answer 8

fmoffilmland Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 6, 2021 9:43 PM in response to fmoffilmland

hey people-- it is me again. This is what I am up to-- I am getting nowhere :( I opened my google photos and My Google drive app and I tried to drag and drop the pictures INTo my external hard drive and I also tried to upload them as well into that external hard drive and nothing seems to work?- That is all I am trying to do is MOVE these pictures Off Of Google Photos and Googe Drive Drive and then off the Apple photos app and have them ALL on my external hard drive and then I will be free to start using the space I regained by doing so. I just saw my grandson tonight and took more pics and videos of him and I am truly running out of time and space. Please try to help

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