How much iCloud storage do I need? A simple way to pick a plan

Apple gives you 5 GB of iCloud storage for free, and that is shared between your photos, device backups, files, mail and app data. Paid plans start with 50 GB and go up to terabytes. Picking by guesswork usually leads to one of two problems: paying for more than you use, or filling the plan and getting a full-storage warning. This guide shows how to measure what you use, which plan fits which person and how to change plans without losing anything.

Step 1: see how much iCloud storage you use

What counts toward your iCloud storage

• iCloud Photos: every photo and video you sync. Usually the biggest item.
• Device backups: one backup per device, which includes app data and settings, but not what is already in iCloud.
• iCloud Drive and app data: files, documents and data from apps such as Notes and WhatsApp backups.
• Messages in iCloud: texts, photos and videos in your conversations.
• iCloud Mail: emails and attachments from your iCloud address.

Things that do not use your iCloud storage include apps you bought, music you purchased from the iTunes Store, and much of the data in Health, Keychain and Wallet that Apple keeps separately. Shared albums do not count against the people who view them.

Which iCloud plan fits you?

A simple formula to pick a size

Does the whole family need its own plan?

No. Family Sharing lets you share a 200 GB or larger plan with up to five other people. Each person's photos, files and backups stay private and are not visible to the others, but they all count toward the same total. This is often cheaper than separate plans, as long as everyone does not use a lot. To turn it on, go to Settings › [your name] › Family Sharing › iCloud+, and invite members. Keep an eye on the total in Manage Storage, because one person's large video library can fill the plan for everyone.

How to use less iCloud storage

• Delete photos and videos you do not need, then empty Recently Deleted so the space comes back.
• Remove old device backups from phones and tablets you no longer own.
• Turn off backup for apps that store a lot of data and do not need it, in Manage Account Storage › Backups.
• Delete large attachments in Messages, from Settings › General › iPhone Storage › Messages.
• Move big files from iCloud Drive to a computer or an external drive.

If you are already at the limit and getting warnings, see what to do when iCloud storage is full. To clear space on the phone itself, read how to free up iPhone storage.

How to upgrade or downgrade your iCloud plan

The steps to export your library are in how to download all photos from iCloud, and how to back up an iPhone covers backing up to a computer.

Real-life examples

• Light user, one iPhone, few photos: 50 GB is enough. A year or two of photos plus a backup fits easily.
• Couple with two iPhones and ten years of photos: 200 GB shared through Family Sharing is the usual sweet spot.
• Parent with kids, many videos and several devices: 2 TB can be cheaper than several 200 GB plans, since everyone shares one pool.
• Someone who shoots a lot of video: start at 2 TB. Video fills a plan much faster than photos, and 4K clips are large.
• Someone who only uses iCloud for contacts and notes: the free 5 GB may do, if you back up to a computer.

Optimize iPhone Storage: what it means for your plan

If you turn on iCloud Photos, your iPhone can keep small versions of your pictures and store the full-size originals in iCloud. That saves space on the phone, but all the originals count toward your iCloud plan. Choose Optimize iPhone Storage at Settings › Photos if your phone is short on space, and make sure your plan has room for the full library. If you choose Download and Keep Originals, you need space on both the phone and in iCloud. Deleting a photo on one device deletes it from iCloud and from all your devices, which is not the same as a backup.

Does iCloud storage cover Android or Windows?

You can reach iCloud from a Windows PC with the iCloud for Windows app, and from any browser at iCloud.com, where you can view photos, notes, contacts and files. Android phones cannot back up to iCloud, so people who switch from iPhone to Android should download their photos and contacts first. Your storage plan stays tied to your Apple Account, so you can cancel it once you have moved your data. If you are making that switch, see how to transfer from iPhone to Android.

Is iCloud the best place to store everything?

iCloud works best for Apple users because it is built into the phone and syncs without setup. It is not the only option. Google Photos, Google One, OneDrive and Dropbox all offer cloud storage, and an external drive or a computer backup costs a one-time fee instead of a monthly one. A common mix is iCloud for device backups and iCloud Photos for convenience, plus a yearly copy of your photos on a drive at home. Whatever you choose, keep at least two copies of photos you cannot replace.