How To Manage iOS Device Storage and iCloud on Apple Devices

Select Language:

If you’re wondering about expanding your iPhone or iPad storage, the truth is, you can’t. The internal storage capacity stays the same from the moment you buy your device. However, you can purchase iCloud+ storage, which works like a rental service. This storage isn’t used to increase your device’s internal space; instead, it helps you back up your data and sync information across your devices.

Here’s how it works: iCloud+ serves two main functions—Backups and Syncing. Even though they share similar names, they operate separately. To access these features, go to Settings, tap on your name, then choose iCloud. You’ll see various toggle switches for different types of data. If you’re using iOS 16 or later, you might need to tap “Show All” to see all options.

Turning on a switch activates syncing for that specific data type. For example, enabling photos, contacts, or calendars will keep these items updated across all your devices using the same Apple ID. If you do this on multiple devices, your data will appear on all of them automatically.

You can also enable iCloud Backups. When you do this, your device will automatically keep a backup every night, provided your phone is connected to Wi-Fi, plugged in charging, and locked. Keep in mind, since these are separate functions, anything you sync via the first method won’t be included in your backups—they are designed to avoid unnecessary duplication and save space.

iCloud+ also offers extra perks beyond storage management. These include:

Hide My Email: Create unique, random email addresses for signing up on websites, protecting your personal email and reducing spam.
Private Relay: Think of this as a lightweight, privacy-enhanced VPN that keeps your browsing activities more secure and anonymous.
Custom Email Domain: You can set up a personalized email address (for example, [email protected]) that forwards to your main Apple ID email.

By understanding and using these features, you can better protect your data and manage your online presence while utilizing iCloud+ effectively.