How to stop paying for iCloud storage (without losing photos)

How to stop paying for iCloud+

1. See what uses iCloud. Open Settings > your name > iCloud. Photos and device backups are usually the biggest.
2. Clear the junk first. In Photos, open Albums > Utilities > Duplicates (iOS 16 and later) and merge. Then delete screenshots, burst extras and large videos you don't need.
3. Empty Recently Deleted. Deleted photos still count for up to 30 days. Open Albums > Recently Deleted and delete all to free the space now.
4. Keep a copy elsewhere. If your library won't fit, download it to a computer or an external drive before downgrading.
5. Change the plan. Settings > your name > Subscriptions > iCloud+ (iOS 18.4 and later), then Cancel Subscription or See All Plans to pick a smaller one.

If I stop paying for iCloud, will I lose everything?

No. Apple doesn't delete your photos when you downgrade. The change takes effect after the current billing period ends. If your content is then larger than the free 5 GB or the smaller plan, iCloud stops syncing and updating, and iCloud backups won't complete. Hide My Email and Private Relay go away on the free plan.

How much does iCloud+ cost?

A 200 GB plan is $35.88 a year and 2 TB is $119.88 a year in the US. That is every year, for as long as the library keeps growing.

What happens when iCloud storage is full?

• Your iPhone stops backing up to iCloud.
• New photos and videos stop uploading to iCloud Photos.
• iCloud Drive and other apps stop syncing.
• You can't send or receive email at your iCloud address.

What should I delete first to fit in a smaller plan?

1. Old device backups: Settings > your name > iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Backups. Delete backups of phones you no longer have.
2. Duplicates: the free Duplicates album merges exact and near-exact copies.
3. Large videos: in Photos, search for or sort videos and remove long clips you won't watch again.
4. Screenshots and burst extras: the Screenshots album and Bursts album in Utilities.
5. Recently Deleted: empty it last, or nothing changes for 30 days.

Can an app help me stop paying for storage?

On iPhone, the free tools above cover most of it. Many iPhone cleaner apps charge a weekly subscription, which can cost more than the storage plan you are trying to drop; see photo cleaner apps without a subscription.

On Android, GalleryJury is coming soon to Google Play: it keeps the best shot from every burst and clears copies, junk screenshots and forwards on the phone, before they are backed up. Stop paying for extra storage. Pay once instead: 50 free photos to try, then $5 for 5,000 photos. Nothing renews. No subscription. An iPhone version is planned later.