iCloud storage full, unable to delete

Question

iCloud storage full, unable to delete

I've gotten the "iCloud full" message (after expiratin of my free 20 GB of space as a former MobileMe user) , and I must either free up space or buy more in order to keep using my mac.com @ddress which has been my primary address for years. But when I go to "Manage" and select Mail (only Mail and Calendar are options that are backed up to iCloud) the only choice is to delete messages in the Trash and Junk folders. There were only a few messages, far fewer than there should have been, in these folders, and deleting them from all accounts did not help.

I am one of those who keeps email forever if it involves anything I might want to look up later. Apparently now I must either delete things from my Mac, then they will be deleted from iCloud, or pony up for more iCloud space in order to keep using my primary email address.

What gives? What options do I have?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7), refurb 2/2011 model,+ 2007 MBP 10.6

Posted on Oct 8, 2013 12:21 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 8, 2013 12:28 PM in response to Cynthia Cheney

Okay, sorry, instructions were unclear to me. And I don't actively use iCloud for anything so had perhaps nver even loggen in since the first time. But I did, and now I can delete stuff. I am testing to be sure this does not (as one instruction page implied) also delette the items from my Mac---what kind of storage or backup would that be??)

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

207,367 points

Oct 8, 2013 3:26 PM in response to Cynthia Cheney

what kind of storage or backup would that be??)

The following is from this Apple document: iCloud: iCloud storage and backup overview

What iCloud backs up

You have important information on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. iCloud automatically backs up your device over Wi-Fi every day while it’s turned on, locked, and connected to a power source. With your device information backed up in iCloud, you can easily set up a new device or restore information on one you already have.

Here’s what iCloud backs up:

Purchased music, movies, TV shows, apps, and booksYour iCloud backup includes information about the content you have purchased, but not the purchased content itself. When you restore from an iCloud backup, your purchased content is automatically downloaded from the iTunes Store, App Store, or iBookstore based on iTunes in the Cloud availability by country. Previous purchases may be unavailable if they have been refunded or are no longer available in the store.

Photos and videos in your Camera Roll

Device settings

App data

Home screen and app organization

iMessage, text (SMS), and MMS messages

Ringtones

Visual Voicemail

OT

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Answer 3

Oct 8, 2013 4:16 PM in response to Cynthia Cheney

The short answer seems to be, as I feared, that I must either buy more space on iCloud or move big portions of my email database out of Mail. I did buy more space, to give me some time to figure this out, then deselected "Mail" in the System>Prefs>iCloud pane——I thought this would halt the backup of mail to the iCloud space.

BAD idea, 12,800 messages disappeared from my Mac. I panicked & called Apple, who told me nicely to check that box again in the iCloud prefs.

And buy more space every so often, or export big chunks of messages out of Mail. Not so handy for finding that old email with a registration number or instructions on finding someone's house…

I do not have an iOS device to sync, so iCloud is not too useful to me, and I am a bit miffed that I must buy space, purge email, or give up my mac.com @ddress.

Oh well. Someday there will be cell service where I live and then maybe I'll join the wonderful world of cell phones.

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