Don't understand iCloud backups

[Bugeyeblue]

I just restored my iPhone 5 today (iOS 7) because I needed to get rid of 2gb of buried messages data. So I restored from my iCloud backup. It worked great.

Here's what I don't understand. Before I reset the phone, I tried to make an iCloud backup. It said I didn't have enough storage left to do that. So I just said forget it, reset the phone , and when I restored, I used the "restore from iCloud " and it pulled in all my notes, reminders, and email settings. All current. So if iCloud isn't backing up, how is it keeping this data that transferred back onto my iPhone? I really would like to use iCloud to keep my phone backed up, but it shows my storage is just about full.

 

[TC03]

I just restored my iPhone 5 today (iOS 7) because I needed to get rid of 2gb of buried messages data. So I restored from my iCloud backup. It worked great.

Here's what I don't understand. Before I reset the phone, I tried to make an iCloud backup. It said I didn't have enough storage left to do that. So I just said forget it, reset the phone , and when I restored, I used the "restore from iCloud " and it pulled in all my notes, reminders, and email settings. All current. So if iCloud isn't backing up, how is it keeping this data that transferred back onto my iPhone? I really would like to use iCloud to keep my phone backed up, but it shows my storage is just about full.

Dunno, seems weird dat it apparently does daily backups but will not allow manual ones.

Either way, time to check out your storage status. Go to Settings, iCloud, Storage and Backups, Manage Storage. See what it says there about available storage.

 

[wepiii]

I just restored my iPhone 5 today (iOS 7) because I needed to get rid of 2gb of buried messages data. So I restored from my iCloud backup. It worked great.

Here's what I don't understand. Before I reset the phone, I tried to make an iCloud backup. It said I didn't have enough storage left to do that. So I just said forget it, reset the phone , and when I restored, I used the "restore from iCloud " and it pulled in all my notes, reminders, and email settings. All current. So if iCloud isn't backing up, how is it keeping this data that transferred back onto my iPhone? I really would like to use iCloud to keep my phone backed up, but it shows my storage is just about full.

I could be wrong but I believe notes, safari bookmarks, contacts, email settings etc. are separate from your iCloud backup space. They are synced over the air, automatically as soon as they are altered. As far as your backups, you need to check to make sure you don't have any old backups being stored for a phone you don't have anymore.

Go to Settings, iCloud, storage and backup, and then manage storage. Delete any duplicate backups if they are there. If not, you can either manually free up some storage or purchase additional iCloud space.

Moving photos on to your computer and then deleting them off your phone should free up a lot of room.

As far as the backups, I think that mainly stores your apps, some system settings, photos etc.

 

[Bugeyeblue]

Dunno, seems weird dat it apparently does daily backups but will not allow manual ones.

Either way, time to check out your storage status. Go to Settings, iCloud, Storage and Backups, Manage Storage. See what it says there about available storage.

Ya it says I have about 445mb of storage left. I had a lot of pictures on my phone, and when I reset the phone I backed them up to the computer. So now it's just backing up whatever is on this new fresh install to iCloud.

 

[Tyler23]

...

 

[Bugeyeblue]

I could be wrong but I believe notes, safari bookmarks, contacts, email settings etc. are separate from your iCloud backup space. They are synced over the air, automatically as soon as they are altered. As far as your backups, you need to check to make sure you don't have any old backups being stored for a phone you don't have anymore.

Go to Settings, iCloud, storage and backup, and then manage storage. Delete any duplicate backups if they are there. If not, you can either manually free up some storage or purchase additional iCloud space.

Moving photos on to your computer and then deleting them off your phone should free up a lot of room.

As far as the backups, I think that mainly stores your apps, some system settings, photos etc.

There's only my current phone and my old iPad 2 on the list of devices using iCloud backups. I don't get it though, it shows the next backup sized at 2.2gb, but I only have 445mb left. But it's backing up! Before I restored, it said the current backup needed 3.9gb so it wouldn't back up. So confusing...

 

[Tyler23]

I just restored my iPhone 5 today (iOS 7) because I needed to get rid of 2gb of buried messages data. So I restored from my iCloud backup. It worked great.

Here's what I don't understand. Before I reset the phone, I tried to make an iCloud backup. It said I didn't have enough storage left to do that. So I just said forget it, reset the phone , and when I restored, I used the "restore from iCloud " and it pulled in all my notes, reminders, and email settings. All current. So if iCloud isn't backing up, how is it keeping this data that transferred back onto my iPhone? I really would like to use iCloud to keep my phone backed up, but it shows my storage is just about full.

I could be wrong but I believe notes, safari bookmarks, contacts, email settings etc. are separate from your iCloud backup space. They are synced over the air, automatically as soon as they are altered. As far as your backups, you need to check to make sure you don't have any old backups being stored for a phone you don't have anymore.

Go to Settings, iCloud, storage and backup, and then manage storage. Delete any duplicate backups if they are there. If not, you can either manually free up some storage or purchase additional iCloud space.

Moving photos on to your computer and then deleting them off your phone should free up a lot of room.

As far as the backups, I think that mainly stores your apps, some system settings, photos etc.

OP, this is your answer.

 

[Bugeyeblue]

...

Thanks everyone.

 

[cynics]

Doesn't the message data you were trying to get rid of stuck in the cloud or not?

 

[charlituna]

I just restored my iPhone 5 today (iOS 7) because I needed to get rid of 2gb of buried messages data. So I restored from my iCloud backup. It worked great.

Here's what I don't understand. Before I reset the phone, I tried to make an iCloud backup. It said I didn't have enough storage left to do that. So I just said forget it, reset the phone , and when I restored, I used the "restore from iCloud " and it pulled in all my notes, reminders, and email settings. All current. So if iCloud isn't backing up, how is it keeping this data that transferred back onto my iPhone? I really would like to use iCloud to keep my phone backed up, but it shows my storage is just about full.

Older backup. You may have just run out of space with this last attempt. Batch of photos or such. But for a while it was working. It's also possible that your notes were attached to an email service and came back when it logged back in.

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As far as the backups, I think that mainly stores your apps, some system settings, photos etc.

App data and the list of apps installed yes. Not the apps themselves. Settings, camera roll, list of purchased music and video, message archive.

 

[Bugeyeblue]

Doesn't the message data you were trying to get rid of stuck in the cloud or not?

Nope. It's on the phone. There's another thread about it somewhere. Since iOS 7, you can now see under usage in settings how much memory messages is taking. I needed that 1.5gb back since I have a 16gb iPhone.

 

[wepiii]

There's only my current phone and my old iPad 2 on the list of devices using iCloud backups. I don't get it though, it shows the next backup sized at 2.2gb, but I only have 445mb left. But it's backing up! Before I restored, it said the current backup needed 3.9gb so it wouldn't back up. So confusing...

My guess is that what you are actually seeing as "your current phone" is a backup that is from your phone before it was restored. It is seeing your current setup as a new phone. Try deleting your iPhone backup, and then do a manual backup. This will solve your problems.

 

[Bugeyeblue]

My guess is that what you are actually seeing as "your current phone" is a backup that is from your phone before it was restored. It is seeing your current setup as a new phone. Try deleting your iPhone backup, and then do a manual backup. This will solve your problems.

My only problem with doing that is it wants to delete my existing photos in iCloud, including shared photo streams. I have a few of those I don't want to get rid of.

 

[wepiii]

My only problem with doing that is it wants to delete my existing photos in iCloud, including shared photo streams. I have a few of those I don't want to get rid of.

Could you manually move the photstream photos to a computer for the time being? Just to have a backup incase?

 

[Dominicanyor]

So how often should we back up our phones?