iCloud backups filling 2.5GBs but no backups

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iCloud backups filling 2.5GBs but no backups

On my MacBook Pro (2015), every few hours or so, I'll get a notification that my iCloud storage is full, asking me to manage or buy more space.

When I go into the iCloud settings, the storage bar looks like this:

So I would assume that the backups are taking a large chunk of the space, but when clicking on manage, the backup section looks like this:

So, taking up 2.6GB and empty. I wasn't sure if this was just a Mac issue, but the same thing shows up on my iOS devices.

I've checked my Mac and other iOS devices and none of them are backing up to iCloud. I did, however, have an older iPod touch that died recently that may have been backing up to iCloud, but I can't check it now that it's dead.

Not exactly sure what to do about any of this. I just would like to get that backup space back to avoid getting that notification multiple times a day without having to sacrifice photo storage.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015), macOS Sierra (10.12.4)

Posted on Jun 7, 2017 10:19 AM

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Answer 1

Jun 7, 2017 10:22 AM in response to reshaffer

I had a similar problem after my iOS update a few iOS's back. My back up wouldn’t complete, it showed up as 0 Kb, the next back up showed up as 0Kb and I didn’t get an option to delete my existing back up.

I turned back up off and whilst I didn’t then get an option to delete my previous back up, the previous back up (0 Kb) did disappear of it’s own accord. I was then able to turn back up back on, the 0 Kb back up did not reappear and I was able to start and complete a new back up.

Some have reported that after they turn back off, the previous back up (0 Kb) does not disappear or that if it does it reappears when back up is turned back on (although they are then able to make a new back up providing they have space).

It seems that in some case the 0Kb back up is corrupted data and does indeed take up space in the cloud and it doesn’t appear that this can be removed by the user, if this is what has happened in your case, contact Apple Support, (change country if necessary) they have been able to remove the corrupted data for some users. If this link doesn’t work for you, select ‘Support’ from the black menu at the top of the page and then choose ‘More Products’ on the page that appears.

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