“Your iCloud storage is almost full.” You’ve probably received an email with those names at one time if you’ve used the same Apple account across multiple devices or if you’ve been an Apple user for years. That email from Apple will link you directly to a set of instructions on how to manage your storage and how to sign up for iCloud+. If you really want to access more iCloud storage than the 5GB you get for free, you can simply pay for an iCloud+ subscription. But if you use other Apple services, you might want to consider Apple One, the company’s bundle of subscription services.
What is iCloud+ anyway?
First, let’s talk about what iCloud is. Apple’s sync service that automatically makes your photos, videos, files and notes available across devices. iCloud even backs up your device settings and app organization, making it easy to move from an old device to a new one. It’s the reason you can log into your iPad and access photos you’ve taken on your iPhone, as long as you use the same Apple ID on both. For non-Apple devices, you can go to the iCloud website and see your synced files and data.
iCloud+ extends your cloud storage allowance for Apple’s sync service, and subscriptions can be shared with up to five family members. It also gives you access to iCloud Private Relay, which hides your IP address and encrypts your web traffic in Safari. Its Hide My Email feature can generate random email addresses to keep your real one safe, and you’ll be able to personalize your iCloud email address with a domain name you already have. It’s worth noting, however, that some questions have been raised over Hide My Email’s ability to protect your information.
How much do iCloud+ plans cost?
The cheapest iCloud+ plan will cost you $1 per month for 50GB. It comes with all the features we mentioned above, as well as HomeKit Secure Video support for one camera. Cameras connected to HomeKit will save video to iCloud, which you can view anywhere.
For $3 a month, you’ll get 200GB of storage, all the features we mentioned, and HomeKit support for five cameras. $10 per month will give you access to 2TB of cloud storage, $30 per month to 6TB and $60 per month to 12TB. All plans costing $10 and up come with HomeKit support for an unlimited number of cameras.
What about the Apple One?
Meanwhile, Apple One includes iCloud+ and the company’s other subscription services. For $20 a month, you’ll get access to 50GB of iCloud+ and all its features, as well as access to Apple TV, Music and Arcade. The $26 per month Family tier comes with all those services and 200GB of iCloud+ storage. To get 2TB of iCloud+ storage, all the services mentioned above, subscription to Apple Fitness+ ($10 per month) and News+ ($13), you have to pay for the Premier plan of $38 per month. You can share both Family and Premier classes with up to five family members.
So which should I choose?
The standalone iCloud+ plan is obviously the more affordable option between the two. If more cloud storage is all you need, it’s definitely a better choice. You will get all the extras that come with it. But if you pay for other Apple subscription services, Apple One can save you money.
A $20 Apple One tier can save you $12, for example, as the iCloud+ 50GB option costs $1 a month, Apple TV $13, Music $11 and Arcade $7. Each, all of that will cost you $32. The $38 per month Premier plan will save you $32, because it comes with a $10 2TB iCloud+ plan, TV, Music and Arcade, and a $10 Fitness+ and $13 News+ subscription.
It’s easy: Get an iCloud+ subscription if you just need more storage to keep access to your latest photos, videos and files across devices. Choose Apple One if you’ve been paying for the company’s other subscription services.
Do I really need iCloud+? What happens if I stop paying?
iCloud+ is worth paying for if you have more than 5GB of content on all devices, but you don’t the need to pay for registration. To stay within the 5GB limit of free iCloud storage, however, you may have to do a lot of deleting.
Apple isn’t exactly clear on what it will do with your data if you stop paying for iCloud+, but you won’t automatically lose everything when you miss a single payment. On its support pages, the company says that if your files exceed the storage capacity of your new system, iCloud will stop syncing your data. It will only start syncing and backing up again after you delete excess content or pay for additional storage.
The company doesn’t explicitly say how long it will keep your iCloud data untouched. According to the iCloud terms and conditions, it states that if a device has not been backed up to iCloud for 180 days, Apple “reserves the right to delete any backups associated with that device.”
Here are some things you can do to delete files from your iCloud, so you can pay for a lower tier of iCloud+ or cancel your subscription altogether:
- You can copy files directly from a Mac computer by accessing the iCloud Drive folder in the sidebar of Finder window before removing them from the cloud.
- You can also copy files to your phone. Open the Files application, press the button Browse through menu and select iCloud Drive below Places. Tap that ellipsis button in the upper right corner then Select to select the files you want to copy. Tap that ellipsis button in the lower right corner, press Copy then go to On My iPhone below Places. Long press on your screen and tap Paste it.
- It is also possible to copy files to your iPad using the same steps above.
- You can also go to the iCloud website, log in and copy the files there.
For pictures and videos:
- Open the Photos app on your Mac and copy and paste them to your computer before removing them from your iCloud.
- On a non-Apple device or computer, you can go to the iCloud website, click the button Pictures app and copy the photos and videos you want to save.
- Connect an external storage device to your iPhone or iPad. Open it Settingspress on your namepress on iCloud then Pictures. Select Download and Save Original. Of Pictures application, select the photos and videos you want to copy, press the button Share it button then Download the Original Unmodified. Tap your external storage at the bottom Places then Save it.
Don’t forget that you can also delete Messages and emails with large files attached to them, as well as voice memos. You can also go to Settings > iCloud > iCloud Backup and select a specific device below All Device Backups. From there, you can uncheck all the apps you don’t want backups of and remove their data from iCloud. Be aware that you may lose the automatic login and saved preferences for the apps you choose. Once you’re done backing up and deleting files and photos, you can follow Apple’s instructions on how to downgrade or cancel iCloud+.
