iCloud storage full: what it means and what to do
iCloud storage is your online space (5 GB free); iPhone storage is the phone’s own capacity. With iCloud Photos on, your library counts against both, and deleting a photo removes it everywhere. The usual iCloud hogs are Photos, device backups and Messages — check Settings → [your name] → iCloud.
iCloud storage vs iPhone storage
| iPhone storage | iCloud storage | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The phone’s built-in capacity | Online space in your Apple Account |
| Where to check | Settings → General → iPhone Storage | Settings → [your name] → iCloud |
| Photos with iCloud Photos on | Originals or optimised versions | Always full originals |
| Deleting a photo | Removes it from the phone | With iCloud Photos on, removes it from all devices |
Free up iCloud space
- Clean up the photo library — duplicates, similar shots, screenshots and large videos. With iCloud Photos on, every deletion frees space in iCloud too (after Recently Deleted empties).
- Delete old device backups in Settings → [your name] → iCloud → Manage Account Storage → Backups.
- Trim Messages: set Settings → Apps → Messages → Keep Messages to 1 Year, or delete large conversations.
- Check iCloud Drive for large files you no longer need.
If the iPhone is full but iCloud isn’t
Turn on Settings → Photos → Optimize iPhone Storage. iOS keeps small versions on the phone and full originals in iCloud, downloading them when you open a photo. See also iPhone storage full: what to delete first.
Where Puri fits
Puri reviews the photo library on the iPhone. For photos stored only in iCloud it compares local previews, so finding duplicates doesn’t download your whole library. Deleting through Puri follows normal iOS rules: with iCloud Photos on, the deletion syncs to your other devices.
Frequently asked questions
If I delete photos from my iPhone, are they deleted from iCloud?
Yes, if iCloud Photos is on. The iPhone and iCloud share one library, so deletions sync everywhere.
Why is iCloud full when my iPhone isn’t?
iCloud also stores device backups, messages and iCloud Drive files, and it keeps full-size photo originals even when the phone keeps optimised versions.
Does Puri upload my photos to iCloud or elsewhere?
No. Puri analyses photos on the iPhone and doesn’t upload your library to its servers.