How to Clear iCloud Drive and Free Up Storage Space

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To clear iCloud Drive and free up storage space, you'll want to start by understanding how much storage you're using. According to Apple, iCloud Drive storage is shared with other iCloud features, such as iCloud Photo Library and iCloud Backup.

iCloud Drive automatically stores files from your Mac, iPhone, and iPad, including documents, images, and videos. This can quickly add up, especially if you have a large collection of files or a lot of high-resolution photos.

To get a sense of what's taking up space, check the "iCloud" section in your iPhone or iPad's Settings app. You'll see a breakdown of how much storage each feature is using, including iCloud Drive.

By regularly reviewing and managing your iCloud Drive storage, you can keep your storage space free and make sure you have enough room for all your important files and photos.

Why Clean Up?

Cleaning up your iCloud Drive is a must because it helps you free up valuable storage space. This is especially important since iCloud Drive offers a limited amount of free storage space.

Take a look at this: How to Clear Onedrive Space

Credit: youtube.com, 10 Hacks To Clear iCloud Storage Space — Apple Hates #9!

A cluttered iCloud Drive can slow down syncing between devices, which is frustrating. By cleaning up your iCloud Drive, you can optimize syncing and performance.

Cleaning up your iCloud Drive also improves organization, making it faster and easier to access the files you need. This is because organizing your files makes them more accessible, saving you time searching for specific files.

Here are the three main reasons why you should clean up your iCloud Drive:

  • Free Up Storage Space
  • Optimize Syncing and Performance
  • Improved Organization

Disable and Manage

To clear out some space in your iCloud Drive, it's essential to disable and manage your backups.

First, disable iCloud Drive by going to Apple ID > iCloud in the Finder sidebar.

To manage your backups, select the device you want to manage from the list.

Select Delete Backup and then Turn off & Delete to remove the backup from your iCloud storage and prevent new backups for that device from being created.

Clearing Files

Clearing files from iCloud Drive is a straightforward process. You can delete files from iCloud Drive on your iPhone or iPad using the Files app, which allows you to manage and access your iCloud Drive files.

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To delete files, locate the "Files" app on your iPhone or iPad, browse through your iCloud Drive folders, and select the file you want to delete. You can tap the "Select" button at the top right corner of the screen to delete multiple files at once.

If you want to delete multiple files at once, tap the "Select" button, choose the files you want to delete, and then tap the trash can icon at the bottom of the screen. When you delete files from iCloud Drive, they are moved to the "Recently Deleted" folder where they remain for 30 days before being permanently deleted.

To permanently remove files, go to the "Recently Deleted" folder, tap "Select" at the top right, choose the files you want to delete permanently, and then tap "Delete" at the bottom right.

For another approach, see: Share Files on Icloud Drive

Permanently on

Permanently deleting files from iCloud Drive is a simple process. You can log in to your Apple ID on iCloud.com and access your iCloud Drive files.

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To permanently delete files, go to Recently Deleted > Delete All. This will remove files from iCloud, freeing up valuable storage space. You can also use this method to clean up your iCloud Drive and make space available for other iCloud services.

A cluttered iCloud Drive can slow down syncing between devices and reduce overall performance. By deleting unnecessary files, you can ensure smoother syncing and faster file access. This is especially important if you have a lot of files stored in iCloud Drive.

Here are some compelling reasons to clean up iCloud Drive:

  • Free Up Storage Space: By deleting unnecessary files, you can free up valuable space to store important documents, photos, and backups.
  • Optimize Syncing and Performance: A cluttered iCloud Drive slows syncing between devices and reduces overall performance.
  • Improved Organization: Organizing and deleting files makes it faster and easier to access the items you need, which improves productivity and saves time searching for specific files.

Clean Up on iPhone/iPad

To clean up on your iPhone or iPad, you can use the Files app to delete files from iCloud Drive. This will free up storage space and keep your iCloud Drive organized.

The Files app is usually found on the home screen or in the App Library, and it has a blue folder icon. You can also access it by tapping on the "Browse" tab and selecting "iCloud Drive".

Credit: youtube.com, How to clean up memory and cache on iPhone and iPad

To delete a file, browse through your iCloud Drive folders, tap on the file you want to delete, and then tap the trash can icon at the bottom of the screen. If you want to delete multiple files, you can tap the "Select" button at the top right corner of the screen, select the files you want to delete, and then tap the trash can icon.

When you delete files from iCloud Drive, they are moved to the "Recently Deleted" folder, where they remain for 30 days before being permanently deleted. To permanently remove files, go to the "Recently Deleted" folder, tap "Select" at the top right, choose the files you want to delete permanently, and then tap "Delete" at the bottom right.

Alternatively, you can access the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad, navigate to your Apple ID settings, and then select "iCloud" to manage your storage. From there, you can locate and tap "Manage Storage", and then choose "iCloud Drive" to access the files stored in iCloud Drive. Review the list of files displayed, swipe left on any file you wish to remove, and tap the "Delete" button to confirm the deletion of the file.

To clear up iCloud storage without losing important data, you can also tap "Edit" at the upper right corner of the screen and hit "Delete All" to confirm the deletion of all documents and data.

Free Up on Mobile/Website

Credit: youtube.com, How To Delete iCloud Storage Easily! (2022)

To free up iCloud Drive on your mobile device, you can delete files from iCloud Drive, which will move them to the Trash on your Mac.

You can delete photos from iCloud storage by going to the Photos app, selecting all photos to delete, tapping the "Trash" button, and hitting "Delete [number] Photos".

When iCloud Photo Library is disabled, you can delete photos from iCloud by selecting all unwanted photos and videos, tapping the Trash button, and tapping "Delete [number] Items".

To permanently delete files, click on the Trash icon in the Dock and then click "Empty" in the upper-right corner of the Trash window.

You can also delete items from iCloud by navigating to "Settings" > [your name] > "iCloud" > "Manage Storage" > "iCloud Photo Library", tapping "Disable and Delete", and hitting "Delete" on the confirming dialog.

Remember to empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete the iCloud Drive files.

Files on Multiple Platforms

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To clear iCloud Drive on multiple platforms, you'll first need to disable iCloud Drive to stop syncing files to the cloud. This is crucial because iCloud Drive will continue to sync files even if you don't turn it off first.

You can disable iCloud Drive on your iPhone, Mac, or Windows device, allowing you to delete files from iCloud Drive. To delete files on your iPhone or iPad, open the Files app and select iCloud Drive.

Here are the steps to delete files from iCloud Drive on your iPhone or iPad:

  1. Open the Files app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Click Browse then select iCloud Drive.
  3. Look through the files and choose the ones you want to delete, then tap the Trash at the bottom.
  4. Click Back to Locations, and tap Recently Deleted, and choose Select to delete them permanently.

Cleaning Windows PC

Cleaning up your files on a Windows PC can be a breeze. You can remove files from your iCloud Drive to free up space by navigating to the iCloud Drive folder in Windows File Explorer.

To get started, open Windows File Explorer and find the iCloud Drive folder. From there, select the specific files and folders you want to delete.

Right-click the selected items and choose the Delete option from the context menu. This will remove the files from your iCloud Drive and free up space in your storage.

For your interest: Google Drive Uninstall

Files on Multiple Platforms

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You can delete files from iCloud Drive on your iPhone or iPad using the Files app. This app allows you to manage and access your iCloud Drive files.

To delete files, first open the Files app on your device. Then, click Browse and select iCloud Drive to view your files. Next, look through the files and choose the ones you want to delete by tapping Select, then tap the Trash at the bottom.

If you want to delete multiple files at once, you can do so by tapping the Select button at the top right corner of the screen. Select the files you want to delete by tapping on their icons, and then tap the trash can icon at the bottom of the screen to delete the selected files.

After deleting files, they are moved to the Recently Deleted folder where they remain for 30 days before being permanently deleted. To permanently remove files, go to the Recently Deleted folder, tap Select at the top right, choose the files you want to delete permanently, and then tap Delete at the bottom right.

Smiling Woman with Headset Holding Files at Work
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You can also delete files from iCloud Drive by accessing the Settings app on your iPad or iPhone and navigating to your Apple ID settings. From there, you can locate and tap Manage Storage, and choose iCloud Drive to access the files stored in iCloud Drive. Then, review the list of files displayed and swipe left on any file you wish to remove, and tap the Delete button that appears to confirm the deletion of the file.

If you're having trouble deleting files, make sure you've disabled iCloud Drive first. This will stop syncing files to iCloud Drive, allowing you to delete files without any issues.

Files on Windows

You can access your iCloud Drive files on Windows by opening iCloud Drive in Windows File Explorer or File Explorer.

Sign in to your account using your Apple ID and password.

Browsing your iCloud Drive folder is the next step.

To delete files, single-click the folders or files you want to delete and select the Delete option from the top menu or press the Delete key on your keyboard.

Always double-check your files before deleting them, as deleted files are moved to the Recycle Bin.

Curious to learn more? Check out: Icloud Drive Windowws

Part 2: Photos and Data

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You can delete photos and videos from iCloud using the Photos app on your device.

To delete items from iCloud when iCloud Photo Library is turned on, open the Photos app and select all photos to delete from iCloud, then tap the "Trash" button.

The deleted photos will be moved to the "Recently Deleted" album, from where you can delete them permanently.

If iCloud Photo Library is disabled, you can delete photos from iCloud by selecting them in the "Camera Roll" album and tapping the Trash button.

Disabling iCloud Photo Library completely is the ultimate way to delete items from iCloud, which can be done by navigating to "Settings" > [your name] > "iCloud" > "Manage Storage" > "iCloud Photo Library" and tapping "Disable and Delete".

You can also delete photos and videos from iCloud on Windows and Mac via iCloud.com.

Deleting items from the "Documents & Data" sector in iCloud will erase them from your device, similar to deleting from iCloud Photo Library.

Download and Cleanup

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To download and clean up your iCloud Drive, you'll want to start by evaluating your current storage space. This will help you identify which files are taking up the most space.

FoneTool is a great tool to help you manage your iCloud Drive and photos. You can use it to download your files directly to your Windows PC, freeing up storage space.

To get started, launch FoneTool and access the My iCloud section. Sign in using your Apple ID credentials and click Manage iCloud.

Locate the icons for Photos and click on it to select the photos you want to delete. Then, click the Download button to download your iCloud photos to your PC.

Deleting unnecessary files is a crucial step in cleaning up your iCloud Drive. You can use FoneTool to selectively delete files from iCloud with ease.

For your interest: How to Use Cloud Drive

Jennie Bechtelar

Senior Writer

Jennie Bechtelar is a seasoned writer with a passion for crafting informative and engaging content. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for distilling complex concepts into accessible language, Jennie has established herself as a go-to expert in the fields of important and industry-specific topics. Her writing portfolio showcases a depth of knowledge and expertise in standards and best practices, with a focus on helping readers navigate the intricacies of their chosen fields.

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