Even though I use almost no iCloud storage, iCloud is preventing me from sending emails from my iPad with pictures attached. Instead, I get a dialogue box that says:

“Storage almost full.

To use Mail, free up storage space by deleting unused apps or files, and then try again. You can manage your storage in Settings.”

If I go to.... Settings>General>Storage & iCloud Usage ….I am advised that I have used 28.51 GB and have available Zero KB.

Below there is a list of all the apps on my iPad c/w their sizes.

Elsewhere I am told that I am using 10MB, and the bottom of the Storage & iCloud Usage screen confirms: “5.0 GB available of 5.0 GB on iCloud”. And yet, I get the above storage caution.

Anyone know what’s going on and how I fix iCloud’s mistake?

I read that warning as storage on your device, not iCloud storage.

Urquhart is interpreting the message correctly. One simple way to recover storage space on your iPhone is on the iPhone Storage window, select a seldom used application and instead of Deleting it, Offload it. This will retain the application data but delete the application itself. How much net memory gain you will see depends on the application. The app can always be downloaded from the App Store the next time is is needed.

There are several tricks available to reduce storage space requirements on iOS devices and transfer part of the storage load to iCloud but all impose at least some limitations/restrictions. Whether or not they are noticeceable depends on you normal usage pattern. If you are interested let me know and I will take a shot at listing them.

That’s a great idea. It’s be good to know how to do this and, I’m willing to bet, other FTMers would also like to know.


Messages is 5.32 GB and probably contains every message ever received or sent. I could use help with this one. I wanted to delete entire message strings but couldn’t figure out how.


Otherwise, the big ticket items for me are:

Photos and Camera, with the library using 3.81 GB.

The easy solution for this is to dump most of the photos (they’re all on my desktop with two backups), and I should manage the storage better in future. Except: The iPad won't let me delete older pictures. A bunch go back 10 years but, when selected, the Trashcan is not given as an option.

Mail is 1.67 GB and that’s fine

Music is 9.76 GB but I wouldn’t want it any of it where it wasn’t accessible any time, any place.

There's also that feature that joemike has mentioned that allows you to minimize the size of the photos stored on your iPhone while keeping them at original size in the cloud.

To delete the entire string with one person or group, go to the list of people in messages, not the listing of messages for one person, and swipe left on the person. An option in red to Delete should appear. Tap and poof! Gone.

Also, photos sent or received in Messages take up space. If you really want to keep the images, save them to Photos, then delete them from within the Message (tap and hold on the image in Messages, tap "More" and then Trash).

PHOTOS are typically the biggest consumers of storage space in iOS devices but not necessarily in that order. However if you are not allergic or otherwise opposed to iCloud Drive, Apple has help for you in the form of optimized images stored on your iOS device. An optimized image has been adjusted in size, color depth, image resolution, etc. for optimum display on the iOS device screen and if taken using iOS 11 & 12 may be in Apple's revolutionary HEIF format (smaller file higher resolution). The original full size image is stored on iCloud and when you edit, print, mail, that image from the iOS device the full size image on iCloud is used, not the optimized image. That is all totally transparent the the user.

To activate this feature:

• Go to Settings > Photos > Photos
• Turn on i Cloud Photos
• ✔ Optimize iPhone Storage
• Turn on View Full HDR (Recommended not required)
• this may take a few days to setlle but you may see 60% reduction on storage used on your iOS device with little or no noticeable reduction in functionality.

MESSAGES

Sometime this month or next Apple will release iOS 12 and in Messages in iOS 12 is a feature that allows you to delete an entire "conversation" of messages in one operation.

MUSIC

Music is neck and neck with Photos as a storage eater. The "trick" here is to turn on iCloud Music Library in Settings > Music. Then you can stream your tunes, playlists, etc as long as you have WiFi and if not you can download the ones you are interested in currently.

Maybe I'm not clear on what you mean, but it is possible to delete an entire "conversation" of messages in one operation now. See my post above; I do it all the time. with iOS 11.x.

A good idea although I am somewhat "allergic" to iCloud. As well, this would keep me from doing what I should do....Manage the content. i.e. turf a bunch of stuff that shouldn't be there.

That's correct. I've just picked up more than 3 GB using that method.

Very nice! Usually texts don't take up a lot of space, but if there were photos or other graphics associated with the texts, you will—and have—benefited.