How to Cancel iCloud Storage in 3 Ways – Updated July 2024

If you have found another way to store your iPhone or any other Apple device’s storage, 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 Apple device owners.

If you’re looking to learn how to cancel storage plan on iPhone. Just follow these easy steps:

1. Open the Settings App on your iPhone and tap 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 the 5GB Free plan.

That’s it.

With this, you should know how to cancel iCloud backup storage on iPhone or similar Apple devices. If you are not using an iPhone, then follow the steps below for a different method:

If you are looking 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 (It 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 need to enter your Apple ID and password).

6. Select the 5 GB Free Plan to cancel.

7. Click on Done.

That’s it.

With this, you have learned how to cancel your iCloud storage subscription 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 Apple iCloud storage on a Windows PC:

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 the 5 GB Free plan to cancel.

7. Click on Done.

That’s it.

With this, you should know how to cancel Apple storage on different devices in three ways.

Unfortunately, you cannot cancel your iCloud storage plan without using an Apple device or a Windows PC with the iCloud app installed. If you’re wondering why can’t I cancel my iCloud storage plan directly, it’s because Apple requires users to manage their iCloud subscriptions through their devices or the iCloud for Windows app. This restriction is in place for security and account verification purposes.

What happens if you cancel iCloud storage? You will be reduced to the default free 5GB plan when you remove your iCloud Storage 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 data, it will not sync or back up onto the cloud. The existing photos, videos, and documents will remain intact on the iCloud but will be left if you add some new ones.

However, after your subscription is disabled, you can still use your photos, videos, and documents from iCloud Photo Library and iCloud Drive for 30 days. If you have more than 5GB of data in iCloud, Apple typically retains it for an additional 30 days.

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.

• 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.

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. In the iCloud Photos settings, select ‘Optimise iPhone Storage’ to replace the original high-resolution photos with space-saving ones. Meanwhile, looking at the photo album and deleting unwanted and repetitive photographs is essential.

• 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, including the attachments, are saved to their Apple account storage. Deleting unnecessary emails, especially those with large attachments, can free up space.

Explore these third-party apps to enhance iCloud management:

• Gemini: Scans and removes duplicate photos.

• Gemini: Scans and removes duplicate photos.

• DropShare: Offers additional cloud storage options.

• AnyTrans: Provides flexibility with selective backups and data management.

By following these strategies and utilising third-party apps, you can efficiently manage your iCloud storage and avoid the need to cancel. This approach optimises your existing storage space without compromising essential data and functionality.

To avoid these mistakes and ensure a smooth process, keep the following in mind: To avoid these mistakes and ensure a smooth process, consider the following:

• Not Backing Up Your Data: In this regard, you need to transfer local data and store a backup of your essential data on a local hard drive or another cloud storage, depending on the necessity of canceling iCloud storage.

• Misunderstanding the Free 5GB Plan: Know how the iCloud free 5GB working strategy affects sending through the messaging component of the application. If your data exceeds this limit, it has to opt for something else or delete files.

• Ignoring App Dependencies: Some apps depend on iCloud, especially for synchronising data and some aspects of the app. Cancelling your storage could negatively influence the functionality of such apps.

• Skipping the Downgrade Option: It is always advisable to select the “Downgrade Options” rather than cancelling the plan. You should regularly check your iCloud usage and remove unnecessary files, such as messages, attachments, and backups.

It also must be understood that what happens to the data after cancelling the paid iCloud storage is essential. Here’s what you need to know: Here’s what you need to know:

• Data Retention: Generally, Apple retains your data for 30 days upon cancelling your iCloud storage plan. Data retention allows you some time to run a recovery should you need it.

• Data Loss: You must download or transfer your data within thirty days to keep it.

• Recovery Options: If required, consider getting backups using Time Machine or similar instruments to recover the lost data.

To make the most of your free 5GB iCloud storage, consider these tips: To make the most of your free 5GB iCloud storage, consider these tips:

• Review and Delete Regularly: You should regularly check your iCloud usage and remove unnecessary files, such as messages, attachments, and backups.

• Optimise Photo Storage: With iCloud Photo Library on, use the “Optimise Storage” feature to save space. It stores smaller versions of the images on your device.

• Utilise Other Cloud Storage: Use other less-used cloud storage services for files you will open infrequently.

• Manage App Data: Some apps store data in iCloud occasionally. Reviewing these apps and clearing unneeded data is recommended to gain disk space.

• Backup Selectively: You should decide which devices and data to back up on iCloud since you can quickly run out of space.

You can employ these tips so you do not need to shift to paid iCloud services.

In summary, this guide walks you through the steps to cancel iCloud 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.