Benway1
Level 1 (4 points)
iCloud

Q: iCloud backups / file management / freeing up space

I'm having difficulty with managing the space-usage in my icloud account.

I find it very un-intuitive, and difficult to understand exactly what I am being prompted to do while managing the settings.

 

That is , I find some of the options very unclear.

 

Signing into icloud on my mac , through chrome browser , I am told I am using 4.4gb  / 5gb .

 

It is indicated that most of this is in my ipad.

I suspect most of it is backups of my actual apps.

There is nothing else that I backup through iCloud,

and I don't even save most of the data through the apps.

I usually back up to my mac and delete actual data from apps to save space on my pad.

 

I have tried deleting a few of the backed up app-data ,

but this has freed up only a few kB.

 

When , on the ipad, I go to :

Settings --> iCloud --> Manage Storage

 

and turn off a few of the app backups, as I said, no useful space is freed up.

 

All this used up space could be due to numerous entire system back up of the iPad.

 

But there seems to be no options to delete individual backups , only to stop the iPad backing up entirely, and to delete the ENTIRE contents of all my backups [or, to "buy more space" --- "conveniently"   ):  ]

 

Also, it seems to be impossible to manage this through iCloud.com on my browser on mac osx.

It seems I have to use my iPad, which also is unhelpful in this matter .

I would prefer to manage it through my computer, using keyboard and mouse, and an actual respectable file-management interface ; rather than some stodgy, uninformative, difficult to navigate, near-useless , icon-business, such as it is.

 

If anybody can help me in diagnosing exactly what space is being used,

and how I can free up disk space without having to stop backing up my entire system and deleting all the entire existing backups in order to have space [which seems completely redundant and purpose defeating ]

 

.... I would strongly appreciate any such advice.

 

As a side-note criticism ; I really find the whole iOS interface file system management , with it's "fun icon" approach, but almost zero-control and usefulness in terms of file management, to be very tedious / frustrating / tiresome .

 

Why not just give me "finder" style access to file systems ; so I can see clearly what is taking up space , what I can delete , etc.

 

Sorry if it's pointing out the obvious ; but ; there are no such problems at all with android, and google drive.

MacBook Pro (15-inch Late 2011), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8)

Posted on May 21, 2016 11:48 PM

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Benway1

Q: iCloud backups / file management / freeing up space

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  • Helpful answers

  • by LACAllen,Helpful

    LACAllen LACAllen May 22, 2016 8:06 PM in response to Benway1
    Level 5 (4,643 points)
    iCloud
    May 22, 2016 8:06 PM in response to Benway1

    iOS has been closed like this since day one. If you want/need a filesystem, you'll have to use an Android device. Your side note has no value here. Apple does not take it's direction from comments made here.

     

    You can send feedback to http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

     

    iCloud.com is not designed to manage files, content only.

     

    From your iPad itself, go to Settings >  General > Storage & iCloud Usage > iCloud > Manage Storage and look in the Backups section. There you should see any backups you have created, and its size, on iCloud for your iPad. Tap on your iPad and there is an option to delete the backup there.

     

    Your apps are not in your backup. They are stored on the App store where they can be downloaded again if necessary. Toggling off App Data backup has dubious value as that is only data an app creates, not the app itself. If you share an Apple ID with anyone or any other device, their content goes to iCloud as well. the 5GB allowance is per Apple ID, not per device.

  • by Benway1,

    Benway1 Benway1 May 22, 2016 8:21 PM in response to LACAllen
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iCloud
    May 22, 2016 8:21 PM in response to LACAllen

    Hi.

    Thanks for that.

    That was an excellent answer , though not completely answered yet.

    [it also echoes my complaint a bit more succintly,

    which is useful if I want to give feedback to developers, which I think I will].

     

    But I will say however that your instructions are more or less what I was following from another document,

    but this is where it is problematic for me before my post - As per your instructions  :


    Settings >  General > Storage & iCloud Usage > iCloud > Manage Storage and look in the Backups section


    When I am in the "Storage and iCloud usage" section :
    It gives me an option of "Backups" where I can choose my iPad or Phone.

    [The Pad is taking almost 5gb backup].


    So I select it , and it gives me a screen with the following list of info + options .

    :::::::::::::::::::

    "My iPad"

    Latest Backup 5/5/2016

    Backup size 4.9Gb


    Backup options ; Choose the data you want to back up

    Next backup size 9.4 Gb


    [a list of apps with size of apps , and size of apps]


    DELETE BACKUP


    :::::::::::::::::::::::::


    If I select "Delete Backup" at the bottom of this list of "options"

    It gives me the option

    "Turn off and Delete

    Do you want to turn off backup

    and delete all backup data for this iPad from iCloud?"


    This is where it seems problematic to me !!!

    It seems like it will delete ALL data from iCloud

    [I have no idea if , for example my Pages documents and "Notes" will all be deleted ]

    ....and it states that iCloud will cease backing up altogether.

    [I'm sure it can be turned on again.... but still... and will my notes etc. remain?]


    This seems like a very "All or nothing ! Or pay money for extra backup ! With ZERO selection options" type of approach.

    [Which I guess you remarked upon].


    To be honest, the only things of importance I want to ensure are safe and backed up are  ;

    My notes, my pages documents, voice recordings, and photos.


    I really don't have anything much else saved with many other apps [even though I have a lot of apps]!!


    So in a way , I'm unsure why the backup is so big.

    I have no idea how many backups I have, what is taking up space,

    and it seems I can't delete individual backups ; Just " DELETE EVERYTHING !!!! or buy more space which you are also not allowed to manage."


    So really, if I just select this "delete all" type option, I have no real idea what will be deleted, if it can be retrieved,

    or whatever.


    I might actually be inclined to buy more space, if I were allowed any control or management options over the space I actually have and own!!! [Both on MY device, and in the cloud .]

    [I'm going to forward dev. feedback a link to this thread, so hopefully it doesn't seem like I am complaining into thin-air here].


    I will try and find time to back all this up externally, but it seems like a very unreasonably half-a****d and scary backup "tool" on apples part >:(

    My apologies for the complaints, but I'm sure you understand.


    Thanks again for your answer , I appreciate it.

  • by LACAllen,

    LACAllen LACAllen May 22, 2016 9:11 PM in response to Benway1
    Level 5 (4,643 points)
    iCloud
    May 22, 2016 9:11 PM in response to Benway1

    I will acknowledge there a few Apple dialogs that are ... ummm obtuse. This is one of them.

     

    It should simply say it will delete/remove that backup, as that's all it does. It is overly worded.

     

    Keep in mind, most of the content items you mention are "backed up" or more accurately, synced in real time on an ongoing basis.

     

    If you look through the series of toggles at Settings > iCloud... those are the items that have their own space on iCloud over and above and separate from an iCloud backup. Only if they are enabled. Pages docs are kept on iCloud Drive, which is again, its own space and not related to a backup. The biggest caveat to me about iCloud restores is the length of time they can take. Being dependent on your wifi speed and traffic can be an issue.

     

    Voice Memos are not singled out, but I assure you they are backed up to iCloud.

     

    Do you have iCloud Photo Library enabled? If not, any photos on your device are included with your backup.

     

    No need to apologize really.

     

    Think of it as I do... Apple is Lego while other OS's are Meccano. Similar but very different.

  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz May 22, 2016 9:34 PM in response to Benway1
    Level 7 (20,294 points)
    iTunes
    May 22, 2016 9:34 PM in response to Benway1

    If I select "Delete Backup" at the bottom of this list of "options"

    It gives me the option

    "Turn off and Delete

    Do you want to turn off backup

    and delete all backup data for this iPad from iCloud?"


    This is where it seems problematic to me !!!

    It seems like it will delete ALL data from iCloud

    [I have no idea if , for example my Pages documents and "Notes" will all be deleted ]

    ....and it states that iCloud will cease backing up altogether.

    [I'm sure it can be turned on again.... but still... and will my notes etc. remain?]

    The message is very clear. All BACKUPS will be deleted, not your data.

    About backups in iCloud and iTunes - Apple Support

     

    iCloud is a multi-faceted service. It's where you can backup your devices (iPhones, iPads), store documents (Pages, Numbers), store music and photo files (if you choose to do so) and be a conduit for syncing your devices (Calendar, Contacts, Notes, etc).

     

    iCloud 50 GB plan is $1 per month.

  • by Benway1,

    Benway1 Benway1 May 22, 2016 11:47 PM in response to LACAllen
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iCloud
    May 22, 2016 11:47 PM in response to LACAllen

    Thanks LACAllen !

     

     

    That really cleared things up a lot.

     

    Yeah, I'm aware they are backed up on an ongoing basis.

     

    I just wasn't clear exactly what it would wipe by selecting "delete all" :

    an option which I think any semi-sensible / conscious user would be cautious of.

    ....But you've helped me understand that better in this case.

     

    [I have lost lots of data on OSX years ago when I first became an owner, through the still-poor finder dialogs,

    so I've always been cautious of this, as have many other windows --> mac converts.

    I still reckon they need to fix the finder, but that said , I'm running ML with finder plugins and a windows 7 virtual-box and HTFS/NTFS conversion tools to manage my manual mac backups using windows , so I don't know what finder in Yosemite is like. Windows 7 had the best copy/merge/replace dialog options IMO].

     

    I back my iPad files up manually occasionally using "iFunBox" ,

    and I have found a few other direct-access tools which I haven't had time to play with much...

    .....but I don't get time to do this that very often.

     

    Anyway, it sounds like I'll be fine going by what you've said.

    Cheers !

  • by Benway1,

    Benway1 Benway1 May 22, 2016 11:55 PM in response to Rysz
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iCloud
    May 22, 2016 11:55 PM in response to Rysz

    Thanks Rysz  !

    However, I will have to strongly disagree that the message is NOT "very clear" !
    [ If it was "VERY clear", I wouldn't need to ask.

    And as I mentioned above to LACAllen, years ago I have lost data through dodgy Mac OSX finder dialogs , as have a LARGE population of users I've seen on forums ;  so I'm very cautious with Apple dialogs when it comes to data and file management ; They are definitely not always clear and sensible!! ]

     

    Also note : You say "The message is very clear. All BACKUPS will be deleted, not your data."

    But I ask you ; what is it that we backup ?

    Answer ) DATA !

     

    It's definitely ambiguous, and I don't like crucial things like that to be ambiguous ! (:

     

     

    Thanks very much for the link !!

    That was definitely informative, and clarifies what they mean with their [ambiguous!] use of the language.

     

    ;::::::::::::::::::::

    To really labour the point ;

    The fact is, the statement :

    "Turn off and Delete -

    Do you want to turn off backup

     

    and delete all backup data for this iPad from iCloud?"

    .....is VERY GENERAL and not at all specific [and sounds a bit worrying ! ] .
    Therefore I had to do some searching on the internet,
    AND write these forum posts in order for you to kindly give me a link that clarifies what this statement is truly indicating.

     

    That's not "clear"