iPhone (iOS) · Storage & Backup
Upgrade or change your iCloud storage subscription
iCloud+ is Apple's paid storage subscription, offering tiers beyond the free 5 GB along with extra features like Private Relay, Hide My Email, and HomeKit Secure Video support.
How to open iCloud+ Storage Plan
- Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
- Tap iCloud, then Manage Account Storage or Upgrade to iCloud+.
- Review current usage and available plans.
- Select a new plan and confirm payment.
What you should know
- Found in Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage, or Settings > [your name] > Subscriptions.
- Paid tiers commonly include 50 GB, 200 GB, and 2 TB, with larger shared plans available.
- Storage can be shared with family members through Family Sharing on 200 GB plans and above.
- Downgrading is possible anytime, but data exceeding the new limit becomes read-only until reduced.
Why it matters
The free 5 GB iCloud tier fills up quickly for anyone using iCloud Photos, device backups, and app data syncing simultaneously, making an iCloud+ plan effectively necessary for most active iPhone users. Because storage is billed as a subscription rather than a one-time purchase, choosing the right tier avoids both the frustration of a perpetually full account and the waste of overpaying for unused capacity. Family Sharing on higher tiers also means one subscription can back an entire household, which is often more efficient than each person buying separate storage.
Best practices
- Check current usage in Manage Account Storage before choosing a tier to avoid under- or over-buying.
- Use Family Sharing on a 200 GB or larger plan if multiple people in a household need extra iCloud storage.
- Reduce data usage first, such as clearing large backups, before assuming a bigger plan is the only option.
Common problems and fixes
- iCloud storage is full despite a paid plan.
- Review Manage Account Storage to see which category, such as backups or Photos, is consuming the most space, and clean it up or upgrade further.
- Data became read-only after downgrading.
- Delete or move enough data to fit within the new, smaller tier to restore full write access.
Tips and tricks
- Check whether an existing Apple One subscription already includes iCloud+ storage before buying it separately.
Frequently asked questions
Can iCloud+ be canceled anytime?
Yes, though data exceeding the free 5 GB limit will stop syncing new content until it's reduced or a paid tier is restored.
Does iCloud+ include features beyond storage?
Yes, tiers unlock Private Relay, Hide My Email, Custom Email Domain, and HomeKit Secure Video, depending on the plan.
Related settings
- Manage iCloud StorageThis screen breaks down exactly what's consuming your iCloud storage plan — Backups, Photos, individual apps, Mail — so you can free up space, buy more, or change your iCloud+ plan without guessing.
- iCloud BackupiCloud Backup automatically saves a copy of your photos, app data, device settings, and more, so you can restore everything on a new or reset device.
More Storage & Backup guides for iPhone (iOS)
- iPhone StorageiPhone Storage shows exactly what's using space on your device and offers one-tap recommendations — like offloading unused apps or reviewing large attachments — to free up room.
- Offload Unused AppsOffload Unused Apps is a toggle in App Store settings that automatically removes an app's binary — not its documents or data — when the iPhone is low on storage, so you can reinstall and pick up right where you left off.
- Optimize iPhone Storage (Photos)When iCloud Photos is on, 'Optimize iPhone Storage' keeps smaller, space-saving versions of your photos and videos on the device while the full-resolution originals stay safely stored in iCloud, downloading full quality only when needed.
- Back Up via Finder or iTunesiPhone can be backed up to a computer's local storage using Finder on macOS or iTunes on Windows, as an alternative or supplement to iCloud Backup.
- Music & Podcast DownloadsSongs, albums, and podcast episodes downloaded for offline listening take up local storage separate from Photos and app data, and can be managed or automatically cleared to save space.
- Keep Messages DurationThe Keep Messages setting controls whether Messages retains conversations forever or automatically deletes messages, photos, and attachments after 30 days or one year, directly affecting how much storage Messages consumes.