iPhone 7/Plus Backup failed

[Trevor Harris]

Hey all,

I'm getting a notification that there isn't enough room to back up my iPhone in my iCloud. I have 50 GB Purchased, and I'm currently using 29.5. This may be obvious, but do I actually need an additional 29.5 to back up the phone? Is opting to use iCloud to back up your phone essentially halving the space you can use?

TIA!
Trevor

 

[eyoungren]

I don't really have an answer for you, but here's what I do to reduce my backup size. Basically, I remove all app data from my backup for apps that I don't use much or really don't care about. Is it necessary to backup the data from a news app? A weather app? Stuff like that. iOS has always defaulted to including app data in a backup whenever you install a new app.

If you go through your apps (included in the backup) you can remove those you don't care about. It makes a significant difference.

 

[0128672]

When you view Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups > [your iPhone], it shows you the size of the current backup. Using the good advice from eyoungren above, you'll be able to see a before and after difference in the storage it will take.

If you're backing up multiple devices to iCloud, you can view the size of each backup, and can reduce the size of each device's backup on that device. Maybe, for example, it's not the iPhone data and documents that's using so much storage, but a larger iPad backup.

 

[Trevor Harris]

Thank you both for the reply! I've attached a screen shot of my space. It doesn't look like much is being contained in the apps beyond messages and photos. There aren't any backups currently taking up storage.

 

[0128672]

Thank you both for the reply! I've attached a screen shot of my space. It doesn't look like much is being contained in the apps beyond messages and photos. There aren't any backups currently taking up storage.

Your screen shot shows your used and available space, but if you tap on Manage Storage > Backups, what do you see there?

 

[Trevor Harris]

0 GB

 

[0128672]

OK, that's interesting. Do you have other devices using iCloud?

 

[Trevor Harris]

hmmmmm... I don't think so. I have a macbook and an apple watch. When I go to iCloud in my macbook's settings, I see the same numbers.

 

[0128672]

And this was the first time you tried an iCloud backup on your phone? If it was me, I'd go back to eyoungren's suggestion to reduce the backup size and see if you can get a successful backup if you want to stay with the 50GB plan. Do you get the same message if you try doing an iCloud backup via your Mac's Finder (assuming you're on Catalina)?

 

[Trevor Harris]

I am running Catalina. How did I backup via finder? I can't seem to find it in the help...

 

[Trevor Harris]

Alright, this is really weird. I just purchased the 200 gb and I'm getting the same error. I guess it's time to start a support ticket with apple.

 

[0128672]

I am running Catalina. How did I backup via finder? I can't seem to find it in the help...

here's a screenshot from a MacRumors article with the steps about how to use Catalina's Finder to backup your iPhone to your Mac and to iCloud:

How to Back Up Your iOS Device on a Mac Running Catalina

This article shows you how to back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your Mac using the new route in Catalina. How to Back Up Your iOS Device...

www.macrumors.com

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Alright, this is really weird. I just purchased the 200 gb and I'm getting the same error. I guess it's time to start a support ticket with apple.

Oh no, that is odd. I'd be interested to hear what Apple Support advises.

 

[cynics]

Goto Settings > AppleID > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups > Your iPhone (whatever you've named it). What will be backed up with storage size will be listed from largest too smallest. Unless I missed it it looks like you got right to that screen but didn't click on it.