Photos Taking Up Space on iPhone Even with iCloud: Tips to Free Up Storage

12/28/2024

How to store photos from iphone to another phone


Storing photos from an iPhone to another phone can be a bit tricky, but I've got some steps to help you do it successfully:

**Method 1: Using iCloud**

1. Make sure both phones have the same Apple ID and are signed in to iCloud.
2. On your iPhone, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos.
3. Enable "iCloud Photo Library" to store all your photos on iCloud.
4. On the other phone, sign in to the same Apple ID and open the Photos app.
5. You should see a folder named "Shared with you" containing the photos from your iPhone.

**Method 2: Using Google Drive**

1. Download and install the Google Drive app on both phones (if not already installed).
2. On your iPhone, create a new folder or use an existing one in Google Drive.
3. Select all the photos you want to transfer, then tap "Share" > "Google Drive".
4. Choose the folder you created earlier as the destination.
5. Wait for the upload process to complete on both phones.

**Method 3: Using AirDroid**

1. Download and install the AirDroid app on both phones (if not already installed).
2. On your iPhone, open AirDroid and create a new account or sign in if you already have one.
3. Tap "Share" > "Send Files" and select all the photos you want to transfer.
4. Choose the other phone as the recipient and wait for the upload process to complete.

**Method 4: Using Bluetooth**

1. Enable Bluetooth on both phones (Settings > Bluetooth).
2. On your iPhone, open the Photos app and select all the photos you want to transfer.
3. Tap "Share" > "Bluetooth".
4. Choose the other phone as the recipient and wait for the upload process to complete.

**Method 5: Using a USB cable**

1. Connect both phones to a computer using a USB cable (iPhone must be in "Camera" mode).
2. On your iPhone, open the Photos app and select all the photos you want to transfer.
3. Tap "Share" > "Save to Files" > "Copy" to copy the selected photos.
4. Go to the other phone's File app or equivalent and paste the copied photos.

Remember to always have a backup of your important files, including photos!


How to save Photos on iPhone not iCloud


There are several ways to save photos on an iPhone without using iCloud:

1. **Camera Roll**: The Camera Roll is a built-in album on your iPhone where you can store and organize your photos. To access it, go to the Photos app, then tap "Albums" at the bottom of the screen, and select "Camera Roll".
2. **Google Photos**: You can save your photos directly to Google Photos by installing the Google Photos app on your iPhone and setting up an account. Google Photos offers unlimited storage for your photos and videos, and you can also use it to organize and edit your media.
3. **OneDrive**: OneDrive is a cloud storage service from Microsoft that allows you to save your photos and access them from any device. You can install the OneDrive app on your iPhone and set up an account to start saving your photos.
4. **Dropbox**: Dropbox is another popular cloud storage service that allows you to save your photos and access them from any device. You can install the Dropbox app on your iPhone and set up an account to start saving your photos.
5. **External Hard Drive or USB Flash Drive**: If you prefer a more physical approach, you can transfer your photos to an external hard drive or USB flash drive using a cable or wirelessly through services like AirDroid or FileBrowser.
6. **Email**: You can also save your photos by emailing them to yourself or another email address. To do this, open the Photos app, select the photo you want to save, tap "Share", and then choose "Mail".
7. **FTP (File Transfer Protocol) Client Apps**: There are several FTP client apps available for iPhone that allow you to transfer files, including photos, between your device and a computer or another device.

To save a photo to one of these locations on your iPhone:

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Select the photo you want to save.
3. Tap "Share" (or "Export" in some apps).
4. Choose the location where you want to save the photo from the list of available options.
5. If prompted, enter your login credentials or follow the app's instructions to complete the transfer.

Remember to always be cautious when transferring files between devices and ensure that you are saving your photos to a secure and reliable location.


How to store photos from iphone for free


Storing photos from your iPhone can be a challenge, especially if you have a large collection. Here are some ways to store photos from your iPhone for free:

1. **Google Photos**: Google Photos is a great option for storing and organizing your photos. It offers unlimited storage for photos up to 16 megapixels and 1080p videos. You can also use the Google Photos app on your iPhone to upload your photos.
2. **Amazon Drive**: Amazon Drive offers 5 GB of free storage, which is enough to store a few thousand photos. You can also upgrade to a paid plan if you need more space.
3. **Microsoft OneDrive**: Microsoft OneDrive offers 15 GB of free storage, which is sufficient for storing many photos. You can also use the OneDrive app on your iPhone to upload your photos.
4. **Dropbox**: Dropbox offers 2 GB of free storage, but you can earn up to 16 GB by referring friends and completing certain tasks. You can also use the Dropbox app on your iPhone to upload your photos.
5. **Flickr**: Flickr is a popular photo-sharing platform that offers 1,000 free photos or videos per account. You can also upgrade to a paid plan for more storage.

To store your photos from your iPhone for free:

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone and select the photos you want to upload.
2. Tap "Share" and then choose the cloud storage service you want to use (e.g., Google Photos, Amazon Drive, etc.).
3. Sign in to your account or create a new one if you don't have one already.
4. Choose whether you want to upload the photos as high-quality or compressed files.
5. Wait for the uploading process to complete.

Tips:

* Make sure you have enough storage space on your iPhone before uploading your photos.
* Consider using a cloud storage service that integrates with other apps and services, such as Google Photos which integrates with Google Drive.
* Always check the terms of service for each cloud storage provider to ensure they meet your needs.
* If you need more storage space, consider upgrading to a paid plan or exploring alternative options.

Remember, storing your photos online is a great way to keep them safe and accessible across multiple devices. Just make sure to choose a reputable cloud storage service that meets your needs!


How to store photos from iphone to icloud


Storing photos from your iPhone to iCloud is a great way to keep your memories safe and accessible across all your devices. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

**Enabling iCloud Photo Library**

1. Go to your iPhone's Settings app.
2. Tap on [your name] at the top of the screen, then tap on "iCloud".
3. Scroll down and toggle the switch next to "Photos" to the "On" position.

**Uploading Photos from iPhone to iCloud**

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
2. Select the photos you want to upload to iCloud by tapping the "Select" button in the top-right corner, then choose the photos you want to upload.
3. Tap the "Share" icon (a box with an arrow) and select "iCloud Photo Library".
4. Wait for the photos to upload. This may take a few minutes depending on your internet connection.

**Verifying Your iCloud Photo Library**

1. Go back to the Photos app on your iPhone.
2. Look at the bottom of the screen, where it says "iCloud Photo Library". If you see a checkmark next to it, that means your photos have been successfully uploaded to iCloud.

**Accessing Your Photos from Other Devices**

1. Sign in to iCloud.com using your Apple ID and password on any device with an internet connection (e.g., Mac, iPad, Windows PC).
2. Click on the "Photos" icon.
3. You should see all your uploaded photos organized into albums. You can also search for specific photos using the search bar.

**Tips and Considerations**

* Make sure you have enough storage space in your iCloud account to upload your photos. You can check your storage usage by going to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Storage & Backup.
* If you're running low on storage, you can delete photos from your iPhone or free up space by deleting old memories.
* iCloud Photo Library also backs up your photos, so if something happens to your iPhone, you'll still have access to your photos on other devices.

By following these steps, you'll be able to store and access your iPhone photos in the cloud with ease!


How to Store photos from iPhone to external hard drive


Storing photos from your iPhone to an external hard drive is a great way to free up space on your device and keep your memories safe. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

**Method 1: Using the Files app**

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.
2. Open the Files app on your iPhone (it should be pre-installed).
3. Tap "Browse" and select the "DCIM" folder, which contains your camera roll photos.
4. Select all the photos you want to transfer by tapping the "Select" button and then selecting each photo or using the "Select All" option.
5. Tap the "Share" icon (a box with an arrow coming out of it) and select "Save to Files".
6. Choose the external hard drive from the list of available devices or storage locations.
7. Select a folder on the external hard drive where you want to save your photos, or create a new one.

**Method 2: Using iCloud Drive**

1. Make sure you have iCloud Drive set up on your iPhone and computer.
2. Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.
3. Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
4. Select all the photos you want to transfer by tapping the "Select" button and then selecting each photo or using the "Select All" option.
5. Tap the "Share" icon (a box with an arrow coming out of it) and select "Save to iCloud Drive".
6. Choose a folder on your computer's iCloud Drive where you want to save your photos, or create a new one.

**Method 3: Using a third-party app**

1. Download and install a photo transfer app like Wirelessly Transfer Photos (WTP) or Photo Transfer App from the App Store.
2. Open the app and follow the instructions to connect your iPhone to the app and your external hard drive.
3. Select the photos you want to transfer by tapping the "Select" button and then selecting each photo or using the "Select All" option.
4. Tap the "Transfer" or "Send" button to send the selected photos to your external hard drive.

**Tips:**

* Make sure your iPhone and computer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network for Method 2 (iCloud Drive).
* If you're using a third-party app, make sure it's compatible with both your iPhone and external hard drive.
* Consider using a cloud storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox in addition to an external hard drive for even more backup options.
* Always check the compatibility of your external hard drive with your iPhone before transferring photos.

By following these methods, you should be able to store your photos from your iPhone to an external hard drive with ease!


How to store photos from iPhone to Google Photos


Storing photos from your iPhone to Google Photos is a great way to back up and organize your memories. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

**Method 1: Using the Google Photos App**

1. Open the Google Photos app on your iPhone.
2. Sign in with your Google account (if you haven't already).
3. Tap the "Upload" button () at the bottom of the screen.
4. Select "Import from..." and choose "iPhone" as the source device.
5. Grant permission to access your iPhone's photos when prompted.
6. Choose which albums or folders you want to sync with Google Photos. You can select all, specific albums, or even create a new album for the synced photos.
7. Tap "Upload" to start transferring your photos.

**Method 2: Using iCloud and Google Drive**

1. Make sure you have iCloud set up on your iPhone and enabled for photo sharing (Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos).
2. On your computer, open Google Drive and sign in with the same Google account used for Google Photos.
3. Create a new folder or select an existing one to store your photos.
4. On your iPhone, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos and toggle "iCloud Photo Library" on (if it's not already).
5. Connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi and wait for the photo library to sync with iCloud.
6. Once synced, open Google Drive and select the folder you created in step 2.
7. Right-click (or control-click) inside the folder, then select "Upload files" and choose the photos from your iPhone's camera roll.

**Method 3: Using a Third-Party App**

1. Download and install a third-party app like Photo Transfer or Easy Transfer on your iPhone.
2. Open the app and follow its prompts to connect your iPhone to Google Photos.
3. Select which albums or folders you want to transfer, then confirm the upload process.

Tips:

* When using Method 1 or 2, you may be asked to grant permission for Google Photos to access your iPhone's camera roll. This is normal and allows the app to read and write photos from your device.
* You can also use the "Share" feature on your iPhone to share individual photos or albums with Google Photos. Just tap "Share" > "Google Photos" (or "Save to Google Photos") and follow the prompts.

By following these methods, you'll be able to store your iPhone photos in Google Photos, keeping them organized and easily accessible across all your devices!


Photos taking up space on iPhone even with iCloud


The age-old problem of photos taking up space on your iPhone, even when you're using iCloud!

Here's the thing: just because you're storing some or all of your photos in iCloud doesn't mean that they're not also being stored locally on your iPhone. This is because:

1. **iCloud isn't a replacement for local storage**: When you take a photo with your iPhone, it's still stored on your device, even if you're using iCloud to back up or store some of your photos online.
2. **Your iPhone keeps a copy of recently deleted photos**: Even when you delete a photo from your iPhone and it's synced to iCloud, your phone will keep a temporary copy of the file for a short period (usually around 30 days). This is because iOS needs to keep track of which files have been deleted, so it can properly clean up storage space.
3. **Some photos are stored locally for performance**: To improve performance and reduce latency when accessing your photos, some versions of iOS store certain images locally on your device. This includes thumbnails, preview images, and other metadata.

As a result, even if you're using iCloud to store most of your photos, you might still see significant storage usage on your iPhone. Here are some tips to help you manage storage space:

1. **Regularly review and delete old photos**: Go through your iPhone's Photos app and remove any unnecessary or duplicate photos.
2. **Use the "Optimize Storage" feature**: On iOS 15 and later, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Optimize Storage. This will help reduce local storage usage by storing lower-quality thumbnails and preview images in iCloud.
3. **Consider using a cloud-based photo management app**: Apps like Google Photos or Amazon Prime Photo can store your photos online and provide easy access from multiple devices.
4. **Free up space on your iPhone**: If you're running low on storage, consider deleting other files or apps, or upgrading to a larger storage plan (if available).

Remember that it's always a good idea to regularly review your iPhone's storage usage and manage your content accordingly to ensure you have enough space for new photos and data.


Why does my photos take up so much storage when I have no photos


A common frustration!

There are several reasons why your device's storage might be taking up more space than expected, even if you don't have many photos:

1. **Hidden files and system data**: Your device has various hidden files and system data that can take up a significant amount of storage space. These files are used by the operating system, apps, and other software to function properly.
2. **Cache and temporary files**: Many apps store cache and temporary files on your device. These files are used to improve performance and load times, but they can quickly add up in size.
3. **App data**: Even if you don't have many photos, your device's storage might still be filled with data from other apps, such as:
* Email attachments
* Documents and spreadsheets
* Music and video files
* Game saves and progress
4. **System updates and logs**: Your device stores system update files, log files, and crash reports, which can take up space over time.
5. **Other data types**: Your device might be storing other types of data, such as:
* Browser history and bookmarks
* Contact information and phone records
* SMS messages and MMS attachments

To free up storage space on your device:

1. **Clear app cache and data**: Regularly clear the cache and data for apps that you don't use frequently.
2. **Delete temporary files**: Use a file manager or built-in cleaning tool to delete temporary files and system logs.
3. **Uninstall unused apps**: Remove apps you no longer use to free up storage space.
4. **Offload or delete large files**: Identify and offload or delete any large files that are taking up unnecessary space.
5. **Use cloud storage**: Consider using cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud to store your files online and free up local storage.

To check which files and folders are taking up the most space on your device:

1. **Android:** Go to Settings > Storage > Internal Storage (or External Storage) to view a breakdown of file sizes.
2. **iOS:** Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud Storage > Manage Storage to see what's using up space.

By identifying and addressing these storage-hungry culprits, you can free up more space on your device and keep it running smoothly!