Running out of iCloud storage can be frustrating, especially when your precious photos and videos are involved. If you've received that dreaded "iCloud Storage Full" notification, don't worry! This guide will walk you through practical steps to free up your iCloud Photos storage and manage your space effectively.

Let's dive into the solutions that will help you reclaim your iCloud storage without losing your important memories.

Understanding Your iCloud Photos Storage Situation

Before jumping into solutions, it's helpful to understand exactly how much space your photos are taking up and what's causing the storage issue.

How to Check Your Current iCloud Storage

On iPhone or iPad:

• Go to Settings
• Tap on your name at the top
• Select "iCloud"
• Tap "Manage Storage" or "iCloud Storage"

On Mac:

• Click the Apple menu
• Select "System Preferences" or "System Settings"
• Click "Apple ID" then "iCloud"
• Click "Manage" next to the storage bar

On Windows:

• Open iCloud for Windows
• Click "Storage" or check the storage bar

What's Taking Up Your Space?

When you check your storage, you'll see a breakdown of what's using your space. Photos and videos are often the biggest culprits, but backups, apps, and mail can also consume significant space.

Quick Solutions to Free Up iCloud Photos Storage

Let's start with some immediate actions you can take to free up space in your iCloud Photos.

1. Delete Unwanted Photos and Videos

The most direct way to free up space is to remove content you no longer need:

• Open the Photos app
• Go to the "Recently Deleted" album first and empty it (these still count against your storage)
• Review your library for screenshots, duplicates, and poor-quality photos
• Select unwanted items and tap the trash icon
• Remember to empty "Recently Deleted" again after this cleanup

2. Remove Large Videos

Videos take up much more space than photos. A few minutes of 4K video can use more storage than hundreds of photos.

• In Photos app, tap "Albums"
• Scroll down to "Media Types" and select "Videos"
• Tap "Select" and choose videos you can delete or save elsewhere
• Delete them and clear your "Recently Deleted" album

3. Turn Off iCloud Photos for Specific Devices

If you don't need all your devices syncing to iCloud Photos:

• On iPhone/iPad: Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos > Toggle off "iCloud Photos"
• On Mac: System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud > Uncheck "Photos"

Just remember that turning this off means photos taken on that device won't automatically upload to iCloud, and you won't see your iCloud Photos library on that device.

Advanced Methods to Manage iCloud Photos Storage

1. Use "Optimize iPhone Storage" Option

This feature keeps full-resolution photos and videos in iCloud while storing smaller versions on your device:

• Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos
• Select "Optimize iPhone Storage" instead of "Download and Keep Originals"

This won't reduce your iCloud storage usage but helps manage device storage.

2. Export and Delete Photos in Batches

For long-term storage of older photos:

• Select photos from a specific time period (like last year's vacation)
• Export them to your computer or external drive
• After confirming the backup is complete, delete them from iCloud

3. Use Google Photos or Another Cloud Service as a Backup

You can use another service to store some of your photo library:

• Download Google Photos or another cloud storage app
• Upload selected photos to this service
• Once uploaded, delete them from iCloud

Managing Your Photos Library More Efficiently

Find and Delete Duplicate Photos

Duplicate photos waste precious storage space. On newer iOS versions and macOS, you can easily find duplicates:

• Open Photos app
• On iOS 16+: Go to Albums > Duplicates
• On macOS: Photos > Duplicates
• Review and merge or delete duplicates

Remove Screenshots and Screen Recordings

These files often pile up without us noticing:

• Go to Albums > Media Types > Screenshots (or Screen Recordings)
• Select ones you don't need anymore
• Delete them

Clean Up Your "Hidden" and "Recently Deleted" Albums

Both of these still count against your storage quota:

• Check the "Hidden" album for photos you no longer need
• Always empty the "Recently Deleted" album after cleaning up

Organizing Photos with Albums to Make Deletion Easier

Creating a good organization system makes it easier to decide what to keep or delete:

Create Smart Albums on Mac

On a Mac, you can create Smart Albums that automatically gather photos based on criteria:

• Open Photos app on Mac
• Click File > New Smart Album
• Set criteria (like "Date is before [old date]" or "Photo is screenshot")
• Use these collections to review and delete unwanted content

Use the "Select All" Trick for Bulk Deletion

To delete many photos at once:

• Open an album with photos you want to review
• Tap "Select" in the top right
• Tap one photo, then drag your finger down to select multiple photos
• Tap the trash icon to delete all selected photos

Upgrading Your iCloud Storage Plan

Sometimes the best solution is simply getting more storage:

Available iCloud+ Storage Plans

Plan	Storage Space	Approximate Monthly Cost
Free Basic	5GB	Free
iCloud+ 50GB	50GB	$0.99
iCloud+ 200GB	200GB	$2.99
iCloud+ 2TB	2TB	$9.99
iCloud+ 6TB	6TB	$29.99
iCloud+ 12TB	12TB	$59.99

How to Upgrade Your Storage Plan

On iPhone or iPad:

• Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage or iCloud Storage
• Tap "Change Storage Plan" or "Buy More Storage"
• Select your desired plan and follow the prompts

On Mac:

• Apple menu > System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud > Manage
• Click "Buy More Storage" or "Change Storage Plan"
• Choose a plan and complete the purchase

Using iCloud Photo Library Alternatives

If you prefer not to upgrade, consider these alternatives:

Google Photos

Google Photos offers 15GB of free storage (shared with Gmail and Google Drive):

• Download the Google Photos app
• Sign in with your Google account
• Enable backup and sync
• After photos are backed up, you can delete them from iCloud

Amazon Photos

Amazon Prime members get unlimited full-resolution photo storage:

• Download the Amazon Photos app
• Sign in with your Amazon account
• Enable auto-save to back up your photos

Dropbox, OneDrive, or Other Cloud Services

These services offer various storage plans and features:

• Dropbox: 2GB free, paid plans start at 2TB
• OneDrive: 5GB free, paid plans start at 100GB
• Both have automatic photo upload features

Comparison of Cloud Photo Storage Options

Service	Free Storage	Paid Options	Special Features
iCloud Photos	5GB	50GB, 200GB, 2TB+	Seamless Apple device integration
Google Photos	15GB (shared)	100GB, 200GB, 2TB	Advanced search, AI features
Amazon Photos	5GB (Unlimited photos with Prime)	100GB, 1TB, 2TB	Unlimited photos for Prime members
Dropbox	2GB	2TB, 3TB+	Strong file sharing capabilities
OneDrive	5GB	100GB, 1TB (with Microsoft 365)	Integration with Windows and Office

Local Storage Solutions for Your Photos

External Hard Drives

A reliable way to keep your photos safe without monthly fees:

• Connect an external drive to your computer
• Export photos from Photos app or iCloud.com
• Organize them into folders by year or event
• Once backed up, delete them from iCloud

Network Attached Storage (NAS)

Create your own personal cloud at home:

• Set up a NAS device on your home network
• Many NAS systems have photo backup apps
• Access your photos from anywhere while keeping them private

Using the Files App for Local iPhone/iPad Storage

You can store photos locally on your device:

• Select photos you want to keep but remove from iCloud
• Share them to the Files app
• Create folders to organize them
• Delete the originals from Photos app

Preventing Future iCloud Storage Issues

Regular Photo Library Maintenance

Make photo management a regular habit:

• Set a monthly reminder to review recent photos
• Delete screenshots and unwanted photos promptly
• Empty the "Recently Deleted" album regularly

Be Selective About What Syncs to iCloud

Not everything needs to be in iCloud:

• Turn off iCloud Photos on secondary devices
• Use "My Photo Stream" instead (doesn't count against storage)
• Be selective about which apps can use iCloud storage

Use iCloud Shared Photo Library Wisely

If you use Family Sharing:

• Be mindful that shared photos count against the storage quota of all participants
• Periodically review and clean up shared albums
• Consider who needs access to which photos

What Happens When You Delete Photos from iCloud?

Understanding the Deletion Process

When you delete photos from iCloud Photos:

• They move to the "Recently Deleted" album for 30 days
• They still count against your storage during this time
• After 30 days (or when you empty the album), they're permanently deleted
• If iCloud Photos is enabled on all devices, deletions sync everywhere

How to Recover Accidentally Deleted Photos

If you delete something by mistake:

• Open the Photos app
• Go to Albums > Recently Deleted
• Select the photos you want to recover
• Tap "Recover" to move them back to your library

Step-by-Step Guide to Free Up Space Today

One-Hour Quick Clean Strategy

If you need space immediately, follow these steps:

Step 1: Empty "Recently Deleted" First

• Open Photos app
• Go to Albums > Recently Deleted
• Tap "Select" > "Delete All"

Step 2: Delete Large Videos

• Go to Albums > Media Types > Videos
• Sort by size if possible (on Mac)
• Select and delete the largest ones you don't need

Step 3: Clear Out Screenshots

• Go to Albums > Media Types > Screenshots
• Select all or most and delete them

Step 4: Check "Hidden" Album

• Go to Albums > Hidden
• Review and delete unnecessary items

Step 5: Empty "Recently Deleted" Again

• Return to Recently Deleted
• Delete all items

Weekend Project: Complete iCloud Photos Cleanup

For a more thorough cleanup:

Day 1: Backup Important Photos

• Export precious photos to external storage
• Consider using a secondary cloud service
• Create a system for organizing your archive

Day 2: Systematic Review by Year/Album

• Go through each year or album
• Keep only the best photos from each event
• Delete similar shots, blurry images, etc.

Day 3: Set Up a Sustainable System

• Create albums for easy future management
• Set up automated backups for important photos
• Create a schedule for regular maintenance

Quick Tip to ensure your videos never go missing

Videos are precious memories and all of us never want to lose them to hard disk crashes or missing drives. PicBackMan is the easiest and simplest way to keep your videos safely backed up in one or more online accounts. 

Simply download PicBackMan (it's free!), register your account, connect to your online store and tell PicBackMan where your videos are - PicBackMan does the rest, automatically. It bulk uploads all videos and keeps looking for new ones and uploads those too. You don't have to ever touch it.

Conclusion

Hitting your iCloud Photos storage limit doesn't have to be a crisis. With the strategies outlined in this guide, you can free up space quickly and create a sustainable system for managing your photo library going forward.

Remember that the best approach combines immediate cleanup actions with long-term management strategies. Whether you choose to delete unwanted content, move photos to alternative storage, or upgrade your iCloud plan, you now have the tools to take control of your digital photo collection.

Regular maintenance is the key to preventing future storage issues. By spending a few minutes each month reviewing and organizing your photos, you can avoid the frustration of running out of space at critical moments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting photos from my iPhone also delete them from iCloud?

Yes, if you have iCloud Photos enabled, deleting photos from your iPhone will also delete them from iCloud and any other devices using the same Apple ID with iCloud Photos turned on. The photos will move to the "Recently Deleted" album for 30 days before being permanently removed.

What happens to my photos if I turn off iCloud Photos?

If you turn off iCloud Photos, the photos currently in iCloud will remain there for 30 days. You'll be given the option to download a copy to your device. After 30 days, the photos will be removed from iCloud but will remain on any devices where you've downloaded them.

Can I selectively choose which photos sync to iCloud?

Unfortunately, iCloud Photos is an all-or-nothing feature. You can't select specific photos to sync. However, you can use features like Shared Albums or My Photo Stream as alternatives for syncing selected photos without using your iCloud storage quota.

Do videos take up more space than photos in iCloud?

Yes, videos typically take up significantly more space than photos. A single minute of 4K video can use hundreds of megabytes of storage, while a high-resolution photo might only use a few megabytes. Focusing on removing unnecessary videos is often the quickest way to free up substantial iCloud storage.

Is it safe to use third-party apps to manage my iCloud Photos?

While there are third-party apps that claim to help manage iCloud Photos, it's generally safest to use Apple's official tools. Third-party apps might require access to your entire photo library and could potentially compromise your privacy. If you do use third-party solutions, research them thoroughly and only use reputable services with strong privacy policies.