iCloud storage problem

I was having this same problem with documents that wouldn't delete. I had iCloud storing items on the desktop (which is usually empty) so when I moved a bunch of large files to my desktop after removing from an old hard drive, it started storing them automatically. I put them back on the old hard drive and deleted them from my desktop. Still had no affect and my iCloud storage was full.

Solution:

What I had to do, which might be the solution for the Mail iCloud storage issue, is completely empty my trash. OS X seems to keep everything counted toward storage (whether on your local drive or iCloud) unless you empty the trash. As soon as I did that, it removed the deleted iCloud storage from my iCloud account in about 10 or so seconds.

I would try emptying the trash on your computer(s).

Hope that helps!

I came here because after deleting ordinary files in my icloud drive (confirmed have been removed) however the space on the icloud drive has not freed up. However, I may as well offer some insight here from my day's as a mail administrator.

There are two angles in this thread that are complimentary which I will clarify below.

1 - icloud storage is shared among all services being backed up which includes many things including text messages even though these are typically too small to worry about. This is why you can only buy extra storage globally and not e.g. an extra 2GB just for mail. What others in this thread were trying to suggest, is you can free space in other applications which would allow you to have extra free space for mail. Of course, that's not quite the question being asked here, but could give some breathing room while you figure out the mail.

2 - The way mail and databases work, you can delete files and not see the space come back. This is quite typical. The databases for technical reason's still see the space contained within them (free or used) as used from a file system point of view. So as a database grows, typically it doesn't shrink. That is, until you do a rebuild. Which is what was done above and solved the issue I believe. One caveat to this is if you use a mail server (like yourname@icloud.com). Predominantly, in this case the process should be both on the server and on your client and could be a little more complicated. However, a rebuild should fix your end of any issue.

I hope that helps. There are always exceptions, but that is what I have found with email and the databases that it's stored in over the last 20 years or so of working in IT support shops. Of course I've over simplified it, but you'll get the idea.

Backup your mail and then delete it all, how much space do you recover?

Post the Manage Storage view (from iCloud Preferences) here, this page please.

Any thoughts?

Only one, this is not working right!

But it's not a useful thought.

I will seek assistance from others, give it a little time.

(OK, one thought, it is possible that there is a delay before the changed status of the storage appears, hours maybe? I can't imagine that it could be longer than that)

Let me get more eyes on this one.

Might this explain things...

About storage buffering

It certainly may, thanks Mr Churchill.

I think the article is basically saying that you might not see the space that was occupied by mail reclaimed until you add some more.

paul you must delete old mails and attachmets that make increase the space of ur free icloud storage, make sure you do no have long videos and thousands of pictures get another app to storage videos and pictures i do recomend skydrive app from outlook.com just create an account of hotmail.com live.com or outlook.com or if u have one just download the app there you have more storage space.

Ok Paul when u create an apple id and if u go to icloud settings and turn on MAIL that will create another email address using the same name of ur apple id but with @icloud.com that boths belongs you so, i do remend you use the one with icloud.com and delete or just turn off the mail account you have set it on the mail app, weird that show u you are almost full of ur free 5 gb, like i said before make sure you do not have long videos and tons of junk mails and music not in the app i mean in the messages app and mail app, because that decrease the icloud storage

Are these 2 accounts using the same mail address. What do you see at system preferences > Internet accounts.