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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

Ozzie1910

Level 4

2,488 points

Dec 31, 2013 1:02 PM in response to Csound1

You had set it another emails address before? i had the same problem and i have to set the old email address which was witl the 150 mb storage in the inbox i delete all then the trash and after that i remove the email address from there and bingo mail storage on icloud was 00 mb only show my last back up

Csound1

Level 9

59,985 points

Dec 31, 2013 1:08 PM in response to Ozzie1910

Why do you keep replying to me, do you even realize that you are?

I do not have any iCloud Storage Problems.

Is that clear?

Jan 1, 2014 4:47 AM in response to Paul Richards4

Happy New Year everyone!

So, to clarify...

I'm using Mail (7.1) on an iMac (os10.9.1).

It's my iCloud account (which is IMAP, not POP), which has the standard 5GB of storage, because i haven't purchased more (and don't want to).

The email account is accessed from my iMac, from my iPhone 5s, from my iPadAIr, and from my old iPad1.

The issue that everyone seems to be missing is that there is a lump of Email storage clogging things up - i.e. I get emails from Apple saying that my Storage is almost full and I need to buy more or clear some out. As I said, I don't want to / shouldn't need to buy some more, because my storage is not really full. The 2.1GB of email storage shown below is false / a mistake / erroneous / whatever you like to call it, and I JUST NEED TO CLEAR IT!!!!!

For anyone that didn't see the screenshot in my earlier post, here is an update...

and also, for anyone that didn't read my earlier posts, I have now deleted ALL MAIL from my iMac, deleted the Backups (shown above as 2.2GB) and remade them, and also made small changes to other apps and programs that store stuff in the cloud, in an attempt to dislodge that Email storage.

anyway, if someone could send me a nice New Year's present - i.e. a solution, without more disagreement, that would be great.

Happy New year and Peace to all men!

;-)

Csound1

Level 9

59,985 points

Jan 1, 2014 6:04 AM in response to Paul Richards4

How much mail is on the iCloud website, please check and post the answer (it should be the same as the client on your Mac)

Please stop referring to your mail storage as a backup, it is not, and it is very confusing to the peanut gallery.

Ahem...

I really appreciate the input everyone, but getting back to the thread...

One big lump of immovable email backup on the cloud. 2.1 gb of it, which doesn't seem to reduce, or even change, even though I have deleted all my emails!

So, is this your email, or a backup of your email, they are 2 different things.

I have asked this before and you deigned to answer, please answer now. Answer in a new thread started for the purpose, this one is trashed.

Once you have a new thread we'll try a procedure to reduce storage.

Jan 1, 2014 7:09 AM in response to Csound1

i've been trying hard to keep this thread friendly and polite, but Csound1 appears to have a different strategy.

How much mail is on the iCloud website, please check and post the answer (it should be the same as the client on your Mac)

in my first post, at the top of this thread, I said I had deleted a load of my Mail, but even though I had done so, the Mail storage showing on iCloud shows 2.1GB. that's what this thread is about.

the number of messages is currently the same on my iPhone, on my iMac, on the website, on my iPad and on my old iPad. there are currently seven messages in the Inbox, none with attachments, nothing in Sent, nothing in Junk and nothing in Trash.

Please stop referring to your mail storage as a backup, it is not, and it is very confusing to the peanut gallery.

i have posted three screenshots. I think it's pretty clear what we are talking about here, and I struggle to see why it is that you are asking these questions. If the word 'backup' causes that much of a problem, can i suggest a workaround - ignore it.

So, is this your email, or a backup of your email, they are 2 different things.

i explained this at the beginning of the thread. you can see from my screenshots that there are 2.2gb of backups (of my iPhone, iPad and my old iPad), with which I have no problem. And you should be able to see that there is 2.1gb of Mail, which does not reflect what is on my phone, on my iMac, on the website, on my iPad or on my old iPad.

I have asked this before and you deigned to answer, please answer now. Answer in a new thread started for the purpose, this one is trashed.

you presumably mean that I deigned not to answer, and please do not tell me what to do.

Correct, I had intended not to answer because your manner is rude and offensive.

I won't be starting a new thread.

You may, if you wish, consider this thread to be 'trashed', I don't.

If anyone else has any polite suggestions for solving my problem I'd be pleased to hear them.

Ozzie1910

Level 4

2,488 points

Jan 1, 2014 10:28 AM in response to Csound1

Paul i have to say you are wrong, whatever mails you have received into ur devices with any email address you had before still keep storage those 2.3 GB, example if u delete ur email address from ur device and start using another one when you had the old one icloud backup saved all the inbox storage from another email address i am being polite look my screenshot is 12.3 MB of mails i had in one of my email address which i delete but i do not remember what was that email address and keeping using storage from the icloud storage of 5gb look the icloud control panel and my iphone i call apple CS to ask how delete that and they tell me exactly what i am telling you

Jan 1, 2014 10:36 AM in response to Ozzie1910

Ozzie,

thanks for the input but..

... if u delete ur email address from ur device and start using another one ...

i didn't.

my email address has not changed. i still use the same email address.

one week ago i had 10,000 email messages in my Inbox to my current email address.

My Mail storage was showing as 2.1 Gb (see screenshots I have posted previousy).

then i got messages from apple saying my storage is almost full.

so when i saw 2.1 GB of Mail i looked at apple's advice and they say delete messages from junk and trash.

i deleted everything. all 10,000 messages, (i backed them up to my desktop first ;-))

and i deleted junk.

and i deleted trash.

no effect. it still says 2.1GB Mail storage.

Ozzie1910

Level 4

2,488 points

Jan 1, 2014 10:43 AM in response to Paul Richards4

I understand that but i did few testings seting up other email adress and i sent then few videos pictures etc.. to increase about 800 mb, well i went to check the mail storage to my icloud settings and increase from 12.3 to 812.3 mb, so i back to the mail app deleting all those mails and the MB decrease back on 12.3 mb and still i am trying to remember what other email address i was using and forgot to delete all the mails

Jan 1, 2014 1:30 PM in response to Paul Richards4

Paul, given that you have done the things I'd suggest you try a couple of times already (namely double checking all folders in all locations and adding back a chunk of email), I think your best bet is to call AppleCare.

Contact AppleCare (or Apple ID Support), upon speaking to an operator you should explain that your problem is related to your Apple ID, this way you will not be charged for assistance, even if you don’t have an AppleCare plan.

Jul 11, 2014 5:54 AM in response to Paul Richards4

Hi Paul

Did you ever resolve this problem? Your query and responses sounded perfectly reasonable to me as I have exactly the same problem. I got the 'icloud almost full' message and realised that I had 2.3G of mails backed up. (It seemed a **** of a lot to me as I get rid of mails frequently.) But I did what they suggested, moved them from iCloud on my Mac by archiving them, deleted junk and trash. When I access the original folders under 'iCloud' on my Mac and devices they say 'no mail.' Therefore I have hardly any emails in the 'iCloud' part of my email, but iCloud storage itself is suggesting that there's still 2.3G clogging up my storage. It's doing my head in!!! If you've any suggestions I'd really appreciate them!

Csound1

Level 9

59,985 points

Jul 11, 2014 5:56 AM in response to writergirl2

Have you looked to see what mail is stored in iCloud, by checking at www.cloud.com?

adam60

Level 1

5 points

May 25, 2015 11:11 AM in response to Paul Richards4

Paul, have you figured this issue out because I'm having the exact same problem and I cannot find a solution.

May 25, 2015 3:19 PM in response to adam60

iCloud seems to be structured for purchases of more storage.

Either buy the storage or delete backups of your phone over and over again.

Jun 7, 2015 10:16 AM in response to Paul Richards4

To those people who are struggling with this, I'm not sure if this will help but it worked for me:

First I went to System Preferences => iCloud on my Mac and ticked to enable Mail. (I'd previously turned this off when I'd noticed how big the Mail portion of my iCloud storage had become.)

Then I opened Mail on my Mac and in the column under Mailboxes/ Inbox I selected the iCloud Mailbox - which was empty as I had previously gone to iCloud.com and deleted all my mail as I'm sure everyone reading this thread has done.

I then did two things:

In Mail under Mailbox in the MenuBar I chose Erase Deleted Items => iCloud...

Then with the iCloud Mailbox still highlighted, under Mailbox in the MenuBar I chose Rebuild.

One of these did the trick and my Mail portion of iCloud storage has now dropped to 482 KB.

If anyone needs clarification on this, please let me know.

Best Wishes.

Jun 24, 2015 2:41 PM in response to Leddy Mountbatten

Paul Richards4 in December of 2013 identified a problem that has not yet been solved. Now, some 18 months later, I have the SAME problem:

The 2 GB of storage within the 5 GB of free iCloud storage never goes away. I tried Leddy's technique with no success. However, my conditions were not exactly identical to hers: There were messages in my iCloud account, whereas she had none. After all of this time, I am amazed that Apple hasn't addressed this issue - at least, to my knowledge. On the other hand, after being quite frustrated for a few days, reading this interesting thread has at least told me that I have not been alone!

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iCloud storage problem