How to Cancel iCloud Storage in 3 Ways – Updated Jan 2024
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If you have found another way to store your iPhone or any other Apple device’s storage, you will want to know you can cancel your iCloud storage in three ways.
While cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox are satisfactory for storing data, iCloud often provides better security and insurance for owners of Apple devices.
How to Cancel iCloud Storage on iPhone
Cancelling the iCloud storage subscription on your iPhone is easy. Just follow these easy steps:
1. Open the Settings App on your iPhone and Tap on your Apple ID.
2. Tap on iCloud
3. Tap on Manage Account Storage (might be Manage Storage in some other versions of iOS)
4. Tap on Change Storage Plan
5. Tap on Downgrade Options (you may have to enter the password of your Apple ID)
6. Select 5GB Free plan.
That’s it.
How to Cancel iCloud Storage on Mac OS?
If you are looking to to cancel iCloud storage using your Mac operating system, then you may do the following steps listed below:
1. Click on the Apple menu (apple icon) and go to System Settings (Might be System Preferences in macOS Monterey or devices older than that).
2. Click on the iCloud option, and after that, choose Manage.
3. Click on Manage.
4. Click on Change Storage Plan.
5. Click on Downgrade Options just below the new window (you may be prompted to enter your Apple ID and password).
6. Select 5 GB Free Plan to cancel.
7. Click on Done.
That’s it.
With this, you should be able to cancel your iCloud storage without further trouble on your macOS system.
If you have a Windows OS, on the other hand, then you may read further below to learn how to cancel iCloud storage on Windows PC:
How to Cancel iCloud Storage on Windows OS
If you are currently using neither macOS nor an iPhone device. In that case, you should cancel your iCloud storage on a Windows device. To do so, you may follow the steps below:
1. Open iCloud software on your PC and click on your Apple ID.
2. Click on Storage
3. Click on Downgrade Options
4. Click on Downgrade Options
5. Enter your Apple username and password
6. Select 5 GB Free plan to cancel.
7. Click on Done.
That’s it.
With this, you should know how to cancel iCloud storage on different devices in three ways.
What Happens If I Cancel My iCloud?
When you remove your iCloud Storage plan, you will be reduced to the default free 5GB plan. Therefore, if your iCloud data exceeds this limit, you will likely find that the software is no longer syncing or updating your information.
So, you cannot send and receive messages to your iCloud email address, nor can you back up your device to the cloud or even access documents from the drive and edit them.
In addition, if your device requires additional space to save the data, it will not sync or back up onto the cloud. The existing photos, videos and documents will remain intact on the iCloud, but they are still left if you add some new ones.
However, in 30 days, you can still use your photos, videos and documents from iCloud Photo Library and iCloud Drive even after your subscription is disabled. If you have more than 5GB of data in iCloud, Apple typically retains it for an additional 30 days.
What Happens to Data Synced with iCloud After cancellation?
If you downgrade your iCloud storage, your existing data on iCloud remains intact. However, you won’t need to upgrade your storage capacity to sync the most recent data or update information.
Considerations Before Cancelling iCloud Storage
- App Dependencies: Cancelling iCloud storage might affect apps that rely on it, such as Find My iPhone. Ensure you have alternative solutions in place.
- Web Browser Cancellation: The article doesn’t cover cancelling iCloud storage through the web browser, which is another option available for users.
- Remaining Free Storage: Mention that the free 5GB of iCloud storage remains even after cancellation, allowing users to store primary data like contacts.
How to Manage Your iCloud Efficiently and Avoid cancellation
Effectively managing your iCloud storage is essential, as a complete iCloud account can hinder your ability to back up your device or access files quickly. While purchasing additional iCloud storage is an option, it’s only sometimes necessary. Clearing clutter and optimising storage can free up space.
- Identify Storage-Consuming Files: Check what files occupy the most space in your iCloud. Navigate to the Settings app on your device, go to iCloud, and then Manage Account Storage. A bar graph will indicate the space occupied by file types like backups, photos, and messages.
- Optimising Photo Storage: Photos often take up considerable space in iCloud. Use the ‘Optimise iPhone Storage’ option in the iCloud Photos settings to replace full-resolution photos with smaller versions, saving space. Regularly review your photo collection to delete duplicates and unwanted images.
- Managing Messages and Attachments: Text messages, especially with numerous emojis and pictures, can accumulate more than a gigabyte of data in iCloud. Delete old messages and attachments directly from the Messages app on your iPhone to free up space.
- Deleting Old iCloud Backups: Unused or old backups in iCloud can consume much space. To delete these, go to the Settings app, tap on your Apple ID, select iCloud, and then go to Manage Account Storage. From there, you can access and delete old backups.
- Cleaning iCloud Drive: Review the files stored in iCloud Drive and delete unnecessary ones. You can perform this by going to your iOS device’s Settings app or a Mac’s System Settings. There is also a way to manage the iCloud applications on your Mac and turn off its usage for specific apps.
- Managing Email Attachments: For people with an iCloud email address, their emails are saved, including the attachments, to your Apple account storage. By deleting emails that are not necessary, especially those with large attachments, one can free up lots of space.
Utilising Third-Party Apps for iCloud Management:
Explore these third-party apps to enhance iCloud management:
- Gemini: Scans and removes duplicate photos.
- CloudMounter: Integrates multiple cloud storage services, expanding your storage capacity.
- DropShare: Offers additional cloud storage options.
- AnyTrans: Provides flexibility with selective backups and data management.
Conclusion
In summary, this guide walks you through the steps to cancel your iCloud storage subscription, covering methods for iPhone, Mac OS, Windows OS, and even through the web browser. Before cancelling, consider app dependencies like Find My iPhone and be aware that your account reverts to the free 5GB plan, impacting syncing, backups, and document access.
After cancellation, existing data remains for 30 days, but additional items won’t sync. Effective iCloud management includes identifying space-consuming files, optimising photo storage, managing messages, deleting old backups, and using third-party apps for enhanced management.
All our iCloud Backup and Restore articles.
