What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? - Apple Support (2024)

Device storage is the available storage on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or other Apple device. iCloud storage keeps your photos, files, notes, and more, up-to-date and available across all your devices.

Device storage

An Apple device like an iPhone, iPad, or Mac comes with a set amount of storage. The more storage your device has, the more music, apps, photos, and other content you can store on that device. If your device storage is almost full or full, you might get an alert.

Here's how to check the amount of device storage you've used and, if needed, how to optimize and manage your storage space.

Check the device storage on your iPhone or iPad

  1. Open the Settings app.

  2. Tap General.

  3. Tap iPhone Storage or iPad Storage to check the amount of device storage that you've used.

    What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? - Apple Support (1)

If you want to free up storage space on your iPhone or iPad:

Check the device storage on your Mac

In macOS Ventura or later:

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings.

  2. In the sidebar, click General.

  3. Select Storage to check the amount of device storage that you've used.

    What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? - Apple Support (2)

In macOS Monterey or earlier:

  1. Choose Apple menu  > About This Mac.

  2. Select Storage to check the amount of device storage that you've used.

Learn how to free up storage space on your Mac

iCloud storage

To access your content on any device and help optimize your storage, you can also use iCloud storage. You can use iCloud storage to keep photos, videos, device backups, and more, and keep this content up-to-date across your devices. When your iCloud storage is almost full or full, you might get an alert and you can buy more.

If you want to free up iCloud storage space:

Check your iCloud storage on your iPhone or iPad

  1. Open the Settings app.

  2. Tap your name.

  3. Tap iCloud to check the amount of iCloud storage that you've used.

    What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? - Apple Support (3)
  4. Tap Manage Account Storage for more details about your iCloud usage.

Check your iCloud storage on your Mac

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings or choose Apple menu  > System Preferences.

  2. Click Apple ID.

  3. Select iCloud to check the amount of iCloud storage that you have left.

    What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? - Apple Support (4)
  4. Tap Manage for more details about your iCloud usage.

Published Date:

What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? - Apple Support (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? - Apple Support? ›

Device storage is the available storage on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or other Apple device. iCloud storage keeps your photos, files

files
Files allows users to browse local files stored within apps, as well as files stored on cloud storage services including iCloud, Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and more. Users are able to save, open, and organize files, including placing files into structured folders and sub-folders.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Files_(Apple)
, notes, and more, up-to-date and available across all your devices.

What is the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? ›

iPhone Storage: Security & Data Backup. iCloud Storage takes the lead in terms of security and data backup. With end-to-end encryption and automatic backups, your data is safeguarded from data loss due to device damage or theft.

How do I use device storage instead of iCloud storage? ›

About This Article
  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap iCloud.
  3. Tap Photos.
  4. Disable iCloud Photo Library.
  5. Tap Download and Keep Originals.

Why is my iPhone storage full when I have iCloud storage? ›

Why is iPhone Storage Full When I Have iCloud? Here's the key distinction: iCloud doesn't automatically remove everything from your phone. It acts as a backup and offloading service, allowing you to choose what gets stored remotely and what stays on your device.

Will buying more iCloud storage give me more storage on my phone? ›

You are under the mistaken belief that paying for more iCloud Storage gives you more storage on your iPhone. It does not, because it cannot. Buying mores space in the cloud, let's you sync more data with the cloud, such as photos, messages, backups, etc.

Does iCloud storage free up device storage? ›

By default, your photos and videos are stored on your device in their original, high-resolution version. This means that they use a lot of space on your iPhone and iPad. With iCloud Photos, you can make more space available on your device and still have access to your entire full-resolution collection wherever you go.

Does deleting photos from iPhone delete from iCloud? ›

However, if you have enabled iCloud Photos (previously known as iCloud Photo Library), deleting a photo from your iPhone will also remove it from iCloud and all other devices connected to your iCloud account. This ensures that your photos are synced across all your devices.

Why do I need iCloud when I have storage? ›

To access your content on any device and help optimise your storage, you can also use iCloud storage. You can use iCloud storage to keep photos, videos, device backups and more, and keep this content up to date across your devices.

Are photos stored on iPhone or iCloud? ›

Your original photos and videos are stored in iCloud and space-saving versions are kept on your device. Your library is optimized only when you need space, starting with the photos and videos you access least. You can download the original photos and videos over Wi-Fi or cellular when you need them.

Which iPhone storage is best? ›

Choosing your iPhone 14 storage
Advantages
128GBCheapest option, ideal for most users
256GBPerfect for downloading a few movies/shows. Space for lots of games/apps and photos
512GBRoom for plenty of films and loads of space for photos, games and apps
1TBAbsolutely no need for iCloud storage
Mar 27, 2024

What to do when iPhone says not enough iCloud storage? ›

If an alert says that there's not enough iCloud storage
  1. In iOS or iPadOS, go to Settings > [your name].
  2. Tap iCloud. ...
  3. Tap Manage Account Storage or Manage Storage.
  4. Tap Backups, then tap the device you're using. ...
  5. If your backup needs more space than the amount you have available in iCloud, you can:
Nov 8, 2023

Why is my iCloud storage more than my phone storage? ›

It's all about the cloud. Think of iCloud as a giant, invisible hard drive in the sky that's bigger than your iPhone's local storage. It's like your personal digital locker, stashing all your stuff up there. You see, the storage on your iPhone is what's physically inside your device, limited by the hardware.

Do I need bigger iPhone storage if I have iCloud? ›

The point of buying a phone with 128GB or 256GB is to have more storage on your device. iCloud has nothing to do with it. Is 128 GB memory enough for iPhone? Yeah, it should be enough and even if you shoot 4K videos you can easily transfer it to external hard drive/Laptop.

What is the difference between iCloud storage and device storage? ›

Device storage is the available storage on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or other Apple device. iCloud storage keeps your photos, files, notes, and more, up-to-date and available across all your devices.

How to avoid paying for iCloud storage? ›

You can free up storage in iCloud by deleting content that you're not using:
  1. Check Recommended for You.
  2. Reduce the size of your iCloud Backup.
  3. Delete photos in iCloud Photos.
  4. Delete folders or files in iCloud Drive.
  5. Delete texts and attachments in Messages.
  6. Delete messages and manage Mail.
  7. Delete voice memos.

Why do I still not have storage after buying iCloud storage? ›

If you are seeing the new storage size, and it is still showing as full, it could be an issue with an overwhelming amount of data on your device. For instance, you have 60+GB of photos, and have upgraded to the 50GB account, and have iCloud photos turned on.

Is iCloud different to phone storage? ›

What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? Device storage is the available storage on your iPhone, iPad, Mac or other Apple device. iCloud storage keeps your photos, files, notes and more up to date and available across all of your devices.

What are the disadvantages of iCloud storage? ›

iCloud Disadvantages: Limitations and Drawbacks

Storage limitations can be a real pain point. Performance issues are another common complaint. iCloud can be slow at times, especially when syncing large files or dealing with a lot of devices.

How to increase device storage? ›

How to Free Up Storage on Your Phone
  1. First, See What You're Storing. Both Android and iOS make it easy to see exactly what's on your phone and how much space it takes up. ...
  2. Next, Optimize Your Storage. ...
  3. Move Your Files to an SD Card. ...
  4. Optimize Your Photos. ...
  5. Clear Your Cache. ...
  6. Delete Old Files. ...
  7. Pare Down Your Apps.
Jun 26, 2023

How to get more device storage on iPhone? ›

How to upgrade on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro
  1. Go to Settings, then tap your name.
  2. Tap iCloud, then tap Manage Account Storage or Manage Storage. ...
  3. If you already subscribe to iCloud+, tap Buy More Storage or Change Storage Plan.
  4. Choose a plan and follow the onscreen instructions.
Feb 6, 2024

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