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iCloud storage problem

I'm getting messages saying my iCloud storage is almost full.

So I went System Prefs > iCloud and it says I have 208.8 MB of 5 GB available.

But over 2 Gb of what I've used is Mail.

So I opened Mail on my Mac, selected a load of old email messages, (many with big attachments), and moved them to the trash. I then opened trash selected them again and hit the delete key, then I went Mailbox > Erase Deleted Items > In all accounts.

So they should be pretty well deleted!

I then went System Prefs > iCloud, and nothing has changed; I still have 208.8 MB available.

I went back into Mail, deleted a load of Sent messages (many with big attachments) and did the same.

Then I deleted some Junk mail (there wasn't much).

Then I opened Safari, went to www.iCloud.com - opened my Mail account and did the same again.

SO after all this I still have 208.8MB of storage available.

Can someone explain how I free up some space by reducing Mail stoirage please?

Thanks,

Paul

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.1), LaCie and Starck external HDs

Posted on Dec 29, 2013 4:40 AM

65 replies

Dec 31, 2013 2:01 AM in response to Winston Churchill

It's really confusing!!!

I've obviously set something up incorrectly in the past...

If I go to System Prefs > Internet Accounts, it shows my Facebook and two other accounts, iCloud (active) and an email address of mine (call it xxx@me.com) as inactive.

But if i gointo Mail > Preferences, it shows the original name of my iCloud account (call it yyy@me.com) as enabled, and iCloud as not enabled.

The email address I use (which is xxx@me.com) is an alias of my yyy account, and it's also the address showing under my (not-enabled) iCloud account in Mail.

I am currently able to send and receive emails with xxx@me.com, so I don't actually have a Mail problem!

Dec 31, 2013 8:20 AM in response to Paul Richards4

There is a really simple way of freeing up a ton of space that no one discusses because it is hidden yet so obvious. Your text messages and iMessages and all the photos and videos sent and received in them are hogging a ton of space. I deleted all mine and went from using 4.9 GB of space to 232 MB.

Go to you messages app and delete as many text messages and iMessages as possible. I deleted them all, but if you want some, delete as many as you can. At the moment, with ios7 there is no way to delete all at once, so you have to manually delete each thread. Just hit edit at the top and starts deleting.

Then go back into your icloud settings and see how big the backup will be. You'll be shocked. Another additional step is to delete your backup and save a new one immediately. That's just me though because I like to start from scratch. Just make sure you are connected to wifi and can plug in while doing this.

Let me know how it goes?

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Dec 31, 2013 8:22 AM in response to Simsonic11

Text messages are very very small, deleting about a million of them might make a difference, but not much.

Dec 31, 2013 10:11 AM in response to Csound1

That's not true. Every text message embeds the picture or video along with it. icloud then saves all of them. Test it for yourself.

Dec 31, 2013 10:19 AM in response to Simsonic11

ok i'll give it a go, but are will this reduce the E-Mail storage??

My problem is not storage overall, it's just that my E-mail storage is stuck at 2.1 GB even though I've deleted all my e-mails.

If Text messages with videos and photos are part of that 2.1 GB then I'll give it a go, if you're sure it's worth it?

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Dec 31, 2013 10:22 AM in response to Simsonic11

If you embed a video in every text message you could use up a lot of space, that's true.

So don't.

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Dec 31, 2013 10:34 AM in response to Paul Richards4

I don't think that SMS messages are stored in iCloud at all, I see no location for them in storage. Perhaps Simpsonic can provide a KB article on that, I have had no success verifying it.

Dec 31, 2013 10:44 AM in response to Paul Richards4

If you are concerned about saving your info then load a program on your Mac called phoneview and save all your text messages and archive them and when you delete them off your phone you won't have to worry about ever losing information you may have needed.

For email storage, you should be using IMAP instead of Pop so that everything is saved on the server and not your phone. A quick google search can fix that.

Dec 31, 2013 10:46 AM in response to Csound1

Yes, icloud backs all of it up...texts, SMS, iMessages, videos and photos send, etc...it's a storage hog.

Backing up with iCloud

iCloud automatically backs up to iPhone daily over Wi-Fi, when it’s connected to a power source and is locked. The date and time of the last backup is listed at the bottom of the Storage & Backup screen. iCloud backs up your:

Purchased music, TV shows, apps, and books

Photos and videos in your Camera Roll

iPhone settings

App data

Home screen and app organization

Messages (iMessage, SMS, and MMS)

Ringtones

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12519?viewlocale=en_US

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Dec 31, 2013 10:48 AM in response to Simsonic11

Please do some research.

Imap systems store the data on the server, and cache a local copy on the client, POP systems store the data in the client, and can also retain it on the server if you choose to.

Switching from POP to Imap will not reduce the amount of storage used by the account, or any of the clients.

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Dec 31, 2013 10:54 AM in response to Simsonic11

I was not referring to Backups, please read the post again.

Dec 31, 2013 11:20 AM in response to Csound1

This whole thread is about iCloud storage, so I'm it sure what you are referring to. Deleting texts and iMessages saves iCloud space because they are all backed up.

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Dec 31, 2013 11:57 AM in response to Simsonic11

Simsonic11 wrote:

This whole thread is about iCloud storage, so I'm it sure what you are referring to. Deleting texts and iMessages saves iCloud space because they are all backed up.

Please read the thread, you have no idea what is going on, backups have already been covered and deleting Texts will MAKE NO DIFFERENCE to the size of the backups, or to the amount of Mail storage (which is the problem)

I applaud your wish to help, but please research and test your suggestions, and read the thread before posting them.

Dec 31, 2013 12:10 PM in response to Csound1

I really have no idea why you are being obstinant. The number of Messages absolutley makes a difference in the size of backups. Did you not read the link FROM APPLE that I posted above? Messages ((iMessage, SMS, and MMS) are saved with backups. Take your hostility elsewhere.

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Dec 31, 2013 12:12 PM in response to Simsonic11

Simsonic11 wrote:

I really have no idea why you are being obstinant. The number of Messages absolutley makes a difference in the size of backups.

Last time

Deleting Messages (or anything else except the backup tself) will not change the size of the backups in the account. If you can't understand why an existing backup file does not change size when you delete something else I can't help you.

Have a nice day.

iCloud storage problem