“Your iCloud storage is almost full.” You’ve probably received an email with these words at one point or another if you’ve used the same Apple account on multiple devices or if you’ve been an Apple user for years. This email from Apple will take you directly to a set of instructions on how to manage your storage and subscribe to iCloud+. If you just want access to more iCloud storage than the 5GB you get for free, you can simply pay for an iCloud+ subscription. But if you use Apple’s other services, you might want to consider Apple One, the company’s bundle of subscription services.
By the way, what is iCloud+?
First, let’s talk about what iCloud is. This 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 older device to a newer one. This is why you can access your iPad and access photos you took on your iPhone, as long as you used the same Apple ID for both. On non-Apple devices, you can sign in to the iCloud website and see your files and data synced.
iCloud+ expands your cloud storage allowance for Apple’s sync service, and the subscription 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 on Safari. Its Hide My Email feature can generate random email addresses to secure your real email address, and you’ll also be able to personalize your iCloud email address with a domain name you already own. It’s worth noting, however, that some questions have been raised about whether Hide My Email will actually 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 mentioned above, plus HomeKit Secure Video support for one camera. Cameras connected to HomeKit will store images on iCloud, which you can then view anywhere.
For $3 a month, you’ll get 200GB of storage, all the features we’ve mentioned, and HomeKit support for five cameras. $10 per month will get you access to 2TB of cloud storage, $30 per month at 6TB, and $60 per month at 12TB. All plans that cost $10 and up include HomeKit support for unlimited cameras.
And Apple One?
Meanwhile, Apple One bundles iCloud+ with the company’s other subscription services. For $20 per month, you’ll get access to 50GB of iCloud+ and all its features, plus Apple TV, Music, and Arcade. The $26 per month Family tier includes all of these services and 200GB of iCloud+ storage. To get 2TB of iCloud+ storage, all of the aforementioned services, a subscription to Apple Fitness+ ($10 per month) and News+ ($13), you need to pay for the Premier plan at $38 per month. You can share the Family and Premier tiers with up to five family members.
So which one should I choose?
A standalone iCloud+ plan is obviously the more affordable option between the two. If additional cloud storage is all you need, this is definitely the best choice. You’ll even get all the extras that come with it. But if you still pay for Apple’s other subscription services, Apple One could save you money.
The $20 Apple One tier can save you $12, for example, since the iCloud+ 50GB option costs $1 per month, Apple TV $13, Music $11, and Arcade $7. Individually, all of these will cost you $32. The $38 per month Premier plan will save you $32, as it comes with the 2TB iCloud+ plan that costs $10, TV, Music and Arcade, as well as the $10 Fitness+ and $13 News+ subscriptions.
Simply put: Get an iCloud+ subscription if you just need extra storage so you can continue accessing your latest photos, videos, and files across devices. Choose Apple One if you’ve paid 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 across all devices, but that’s not the case. need to pay for a subscription. However, in order to stay within the 5GB limit for free iCloud storage, you may need to make a lot of deletions.
Apple isn’t sure what it will do to your data if you stop paying for iCloud+, but you won’t automatically lose everything as soon as you miss a payment. In its support pages, the company states that if your files exceed the storage capacity of your new plan, iCloud will stop syncing your information. It will only start syncing and making backups again after you delete excess content or pay for more storage.
The company doesn’t explicitly state how long it will keep your iCloud data intact. In the iCloud terms and conditions, it states that if a device has not backed up to iCloud for 180 days, Apple “reserves the right to delete all backups associated with that device.”
Here are some steps you can take to remove files from your iCloud, so you can either pay for a lower iCloud+ tier or cancel your subscription altogether:
- You can copy files directly to a Mac computer by navigating to the iCloud Drive folder in the sidebar of a Mac computer. Researcher window before deleting them from the cloud.
- You can also copy files to your phone. Open it Files application, tap the icon Browse menu and choose iCloud Drive below Locations. Press the ellipsis button in the upper right corner, then Select to select the files you want to copy. Press the ellipsis button In the lower right corner, tap Copy then go to On my iPhone below Locations. Long press on your screen and tap Stick.
- It is also possible to copy files to your iPad by following the same steps above.
- You can also just go to the iCloud website, sign in and copy files from there.
For photos and videos:
- Open the Photos app on your Mac and copy and paste them to your computer before deleting them from your iCloud.
- On a non-Apple device or computer, you can go to the iCloud website, click the button Pictures application, then copy the images and videos you want to save.
- Connect an external storage device to your iPhone or iPad. Open Settingsfaucet your namefaucet iCloud and then Pictures. Select Download and keep the originals. In the Pictures application, select the photos and videos you want to copy, tap the icon Share button then Export unmodified original. Tap your external storage under Locations and then To safeguard.
Remember that you can also delete messages and emails with large file attachments, as well as voice memos. You can also go to Settings > iCloud > iCloud Backup then select a specific device under All device backups. From there, you can uncheck any apps you don’t want backed up and delete their data from iCloud. Note that you might lose automatic logins 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 to downgrade or cancel iCloud+.
