How to Delete iCloud Backups From Your Device

Why You Might Want to Delete iCloud Backups

iCloud backups take up space, and that space comes with a cost if you exceed Apple's free tier. Apple offers 5 gigabytes of free iCloud storage to every account holder. For many people, this fills up faster than expected. When your iCloud storage gets full, your device stops creating new backups automatically, which means recent photos, messages, and app data aren't being protected.

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Beyond storage limits, you might have backups from old devices you no longer use. If you've owned multiple iPhones, iPads, or iPod Touches over the years, each one may have created its own backup in iCloud. These old backups sit there indefinitely, consuming storage space even though you'll never need them. A person who upgraded from an iPhone 8 to an iPhone 14, for example, might have backups from both devices still taking up room in their iCloud account.

Another reason to delete backups involves privacy and data management. If you're selling an old device or giving it to someone else, you might want to remove its backup from your account to keep that data separate. Some people also delete older backups when they've made significant changes to their device setup and want a fresh start with only recent backups.

Storage costs add up quickly if you pay for additional iCloud storage. Apple charges $0.99 per month for 50 gigabytes, $2.99 for 200 gigabytes, and $9.99 for 2 terabytes. If you're paying for a higher tier but most of that space is occupied by backups you don't need, deleting unnecessary backups could let you downgrade to a cheaper plan and save money over time.

Takeaway: Before deleting any backups, think about which devices you actually need backed up and whether you're paying for storage you could reduce.

Understanding What's in Your iCloud Backups

An iCloud backup is a snapshot of your device at a specific point in time. When your device backs up to iCloud (usually automatically when plugged into power, connected to Wi-Fi, and locked), it captures a wide range of data. Understanding what gets backed up helps you decide which backups to keep and which to remove.

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iCloud backups include your app data, photos and videos stored in the Photos app, messages and attachments, contacts, calendars, reminders, notes, voice memos, health data, and device settings like your home screen layout and notification preferences. Essentially, if you created it or set it up on your device, there's a good chance it's in your backup.

Importantly, iCloud backups do not include some categories of data. Apps themselves aren't backed up; instead, the backup contains information about which apps you had installed, and the App Store reinstalls them when you restore from a backup. iCloud Photos (formerly iCloud Photo Library) has its own separate storage system and doesn't count against your backup storage in the same way. Similarly, files stored in iCloud Drive are separate from device backups. Mail, Contacts, Calendar, and Reminders that sync with iCloud also use their own storage.

This distinction matters because when you delete a backup, you're deleting a stored snapshot. You're not deleting the live data on your device. If you delete an old backup from an iPhone you no longer own, you won't lose data currently on your active device, because that data is protected by your current device's backup.

One thing to know: a backup from one type of device (like an iPad) is separate from a backup of a different device (like an iPhone). If you have five devices, you potentially have five different backups in iCloud, each one taking up its own storage space.

Takeaway: Know which backup belongs to which device before you delete anything, and remember that deleting an old backup doesn't affect data on your current devices.

How to View and Identify Your iCloud Backups

Before you can delete a backup, you need to see what backups you have. This process differs slightly depending on whether you're using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, but the general concept is the same: you access iCloud settings and look at your backup information.

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On an iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app. At the top of the settings menu, tap your name and Apple ID. You should see your profile information. Next, tap "iCloud." In the iCloud menu, look for an option called "Manage Storage" or "Manage Account Storage" (the exact name depends on your iOS version). Tap this option. You'll now see a breakdown of what's taking up space in your iCloud account. Look for an item labeled "Backups." Tap on it, and you'll see a list of all devices that have backups stored in your iCloud account.

Each backup entry shows the device name, the date the backup was created, and how much storage space that backup is using. For example, you might see "Sarah's iPhone" (234 MB), "Sarah's iPad" (112 MB), and "Sarah's Old iPhone 8" (567 MB). These names come from what you named the devices in your settings, so if you have unclear device names, the list might be confusing. If you see a device you don't recognize, you can determine which one it is by checking the device name setting on each of your active devices (Settings > General > About > Name).

On a Mac, the process is similar. Click the Apple menu, go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions), click your Apple ID account, then click "iCloud." Look for "Manage Storage" and click it. You'll see the same backup information displayed.

Pay attention to the storage size listed for each backup. The largest backups are usually the ones worth examining first, since deleting them will free up the most space. A backup that's several gigabytes in size is probably worth reviewing before deletion, whereas a small backup of a device you rarely used might be safely deleted without much impact.

Takeaway: Navigate to Manage Storage in your iCloud settings to see all your backups listed by device and size. This list tells you exactly what you're working with before making any deletions.

The Step-by-Step Process for Deleting Backups

Once you've identified which backup you want to delete, the actual deletion process is straightforward, though irreversible. Make sure you're absolutely certain about which backup to delete, because once it's gone, you cannot recover it directly from iCloud (though you may have other copies of your data elsewhere).

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Starting from the Manage Storage menu where you've already viewed your backups, tap on "Backups." You'll see the list of device backups again. Now tap on the specific device whose backup you want to delete. A detailed view appears showing you information about that backup, including the backup date and what's included in it (apps, photos, messages, etc.). At the bottom of this screen, you'll find a button that says "Delete Backup" or "Turn Off and Delete Backup" depending on your iOS version.

Tap this button. A confirmation message appears asking you to confirm that you want to delete this backup. The confirmation message warns you that this data will be deleted from iCloud and cannot be recovered. Read this message carefully to make absolutely sure you're deleting the right backup. You'll see the device name clearly stated in the confirmation. After reading the confirmation, tap "Turn Off and Delete" or "Delete" (wording varies by iOS version) to proceed.

The backup deletion happens within seconds. Once it's complete, that device will no longer appear in your Backups list. Your iCloud storage usage will immediately decrease, though the updated storage total may take a moment to recalculate and display. If you're subscribed to a paid iCloud storage plan and are now using significantly less storage after deleting backups, you have the option to downgrade to a lower-cost tier (though this must be done in a separate settings area).

One important detail: deleting a backup does not delete the live files and data on that device if the device still exists. If you delete the backup of your current iPhone, your iPhone still has all the same files, photos, and apps on it. What you've deleted is just the stored copy in iCloud. Your device will create a new backup the next time automatic backup conditions are met (plugged in, connected to Wi-Fi, with screen locked).

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