Cloud storage services allow us to free up space on our mobile phones or tablets and allow us to access information from any device. But the space there is not always enough and we are not always willing to pay for it. Can you get free space in iCloud? We analyze what are the options we have to expand space.
When you make an iCloud account you automatically receive a quantity of space. When you access and register, you get 5 GB of free storage for your photos, files or videos. But you will not be able to invite friends who will give you extra space, nor will you be able to “pass tests” or share on social networks to win some extra megabytes. Apple makes it much more difficult than other storage alternatives if you want to have more than serial storage …
Can you invite friends? No, Apple does not allow it. Nor can you share storage accounts that are free, so nobody can “give you” their 5 GB if they are not going to use them or with one of the family plans. Yes you can do it with the payment plans or you can get free space in iCloud by freeing it of documents, files or photographs that are there and “annoying” to save more.
iCloud Prices
If you want to pay, you can bet on any of the prices and plans of iCloud … In Spain, you can buy 50 GB, 200 GB or 2 TB plans that cost 0.99 euros per month, 2.99 euros per month or 9 , 99 euros per month.
| Plans | Price |
|---|---|
| 5 GB | Free |
| 50 GB | € 0.99 per month |
| 200 GB | 2.99 euros per month |
| 2 TB | 9.99 euros per month |
Both the 200 GB plan and the 2 TB plan allow us to share space with the family if you use “In family”, Apple’s plan for families . This can be a way to get free space in iCloud if you get a family member to “lend” part of those gigas to consume you too without having to pay for them. The 200 GB or 2 TB can be shared with up to five members so it is a good idea if a family member is using them but does not need so much space for himself.
It is also a more affordable way to get space in the Apple service since you can share the costs of 2.99 euros per month between five people and you will hardly pay about 50 cents per month to access 200 GB to distribute or about two euros between five people in the case of the 2 TB plan. It is not an option to get free storage in iCloud but it is the only thing that Apple allows us.
Manage space
If we want more space without paying absolutely nothing, not even fifty cents, we have it much more complicated. Not to say impossible. Apple does not allow anything unless you better manage the storage it offers you at no cost and make the most of it. Delete backup copies, for example, or avoid storing photos in iCloud or making them lighter and smaller than the original ones.
Manage the backup
Many applications automatically make backup copies and we don’t always need them. You can choose which ones do or which do not and delete existing copies.
From your mobile phone, iPod or iPad go to:
- Go to settings
- Click on your name
- Access iCloud
- Click on “Storage in iCloud”
- Choose Manage Storage
- Choose the device you are using
- Click on “Select the data you want to copy”
- Disable all applications you don’t want to copy
- Confirm and delete these applications
If you want to delete the copies already made:
- Go to iPhone, iPod or iPad settings
- Click on your name
- Access iCloud
- Click on “Storage in iCloud”
- Choose Manage Storage
- Choose the device you are using
- Click on Delete copy
- Tap on “Disable and remove”
Delete photos from iCloud
If you have photographs of years that you no longer use and do not want to have there, you can delete them. If you use iCloud Photos and delete a photo or video from your device, it is also deleted from others. It is possible that you store hundreds of images received by WhatsApp, memes or photographs and videos that are useless.
- Go to the photo app
- Touch “Photos” at the bottom of the screen
- Click on “Select”
- Choose the photos or videos you want to delete
- Click on the trash icon
- Tap on “Delete photo” to confirm
Delete emails
If you have the email account associated with iCloud, you can also delete them and they will not take up unnecessary space and you can have some more free storage on iCloud even if they are still your 5 GB.
- Go to the email inbox
- Swipe left over any utensils to remove it
- Touch in the Trash folder
- Click on “Edit”
- Tap on “Delete all” to delete all messages
