How to Delete Old iCloud Backups to Free Space
To delete an old iCloud backup, open Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Backups, tap the backup you no longer need, and choose Turn Off and Delete from iCloud. iCloud keeps a separate backup for every device ever signed into your Apple Account, so backups from phones you traded in years ago can still sit there using several gigabytes. This guide is for anyone whose iCloud is full and who wants to reclaim that space safely, without touching the backup of the phone they actually use.
TL;DR
- The backup list lives in Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Backups (or Manage Storage on iOS 16 and earlier).
- Old backups from retired or sold devices are the single most common iCloud space waste.
- Use Turn Off and Delete from iCloud on backups for devices you no longer own.
- Deleting a backup does not delete anything on the phone that backup came from, and never touches a device you still use.
- iCloud has no duplicate or junk cleanup, so a tool like Cleanor helps you sync and back up less in the first place.
How do I find and delete an old iCloud backup?
iCloud lists every backup tied to your account, with its device name, size, and last-backup date, so you can spot retired devices at a glance.
- On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud > Manage Account Storage (called Manage Storage on iOS 16 and earlier).
- Tap Backups to see every device backup in your account.
- Tap the backup for a device you no longer use, identified by its name and last-backup date.
- Tap Turn Off and Delete from iCloud, then confirm with Turn Off and Delete.
On a Mac, the same list is under System Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage > Backups. On Windows, open the iCloud for Windows app, click Storage, select Backup, then Delete. The backup is removed from the cloud immediately and the freed space appears within a few minutes.
Which iCloud backups are safe to delete?
The golden rule: delete backups for devices you no longer own or use, and leave the backup for your current device alone. The list shows each backup's last-backup date, which is the clearest signal.
| Backup type | Last backup date | Safe to delete? |
|---|---|---|
| Retired/sold/traded-in device | Months or years ago | Yes, this is the main win |
| Old iPad you stopped using | Long ago | Yes |
| A device you reset but still own | Recent | Only if you don't need that snapshot |
| Your current iPhone | Today or yesterday | No, keep it |
A backup from a phone you no longer have is just a frozen snapshot of a device that is gone, so deleting it costs you nothing while often freeing the most space. The one to be careful with is your active device's most recent backup, since that's your safety net if the phone is ever lost or damaged. For the bigger picture of what else fills your account, see what is taking up my iCloud storage.
How do I shrink my current backup instead of deleting it?
If the largest backup belongs to the phone you still use, don't delete it, trim it. iCloud lets you exclude bulky apps from the backup so it takes less space without losing the backup entirely.
- Open Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Backups.
- Tap your current device's backup.
- Under Choose Data to Back Up, review the apps sorted by backup size.
- Toggle off large apps whose data is already stored elsewhere (for example a streaming app, or a chat app you back up separately).
Apps that already keep their own cloud copy don't need to be re-backed-up by iCloud. Photos are usually the heaviest item, but if iCloud Photos is on, your library syncs separately and isn't part of the device backup, so excluding the Photos app here may have no effect. To understand that distinction, read how to delete photos from your phone but keep them in the cloud.
What if I want to keep a backup before deleting it?
If you're nervous about losing a snapshot, capture a fresh local copy before clearing cloud backups.
- Connect the iPhone to a Mac and open Finder (or to a Windows PC and open the Apple Devices app or iTunes).
- Select the device, choose Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac/computer, and optionally tick Encrypt local backup to include passwords and health data.
- Click Back Up Now and wait for it to finish.
- With a verified local backup in hand, you can safely delete the corresponding iCloud backup to free cloud space.
This is the best of both worlds: your data is preserved on a computer you control while your iCloud plan stops paying to store it. A local backup also restores faster and isn't limited by your iCloud quota.
Is it safe to delete an iCloud backup?
Yes, with one clear caveat about your current device. Here's the honest breakdown of native behavior versus what a cleaner adds.
What iOS does natively: Deleting a backup in Manage Account Storage removes only the cloud snapshot, never the data on the phone that backup came from. Turn Off and Delete from iCloud also stops that device from backing up to iCloud going forward, so re-enable it if you delete your active device's backup by mistake. iOS keeps each backup independent, so deleting an old iPad's backup has zero effect on your iPhone.
What Cleanor adds: iCloud has no concept of duplicate photos, near-identical bursts, or oversized clips, it backs up and syncs whatever is on the device. Cleanor scans your photo library on the phone for exact duplicates, similar shots, and large videos, then lets you review and remove them in batches before they ever sync up, so both your phone and your iCloud stay leaner. Deletion runs through Apple's standard, permission-gated flow.
What no app can do: No third-party app, Cleanor included, can reach into Apple's server-side iCloud backups to read, trim, or delete them, Apple does not expose that to apps, and none can expand your free 5 GB. The real levers are the native Manage Account Storage controls plus smarter local housekeeping. Be wary of any tool that asks for your Apple Account password to "clean iCloud", legitimate cleaners never need it. For more on this, see the truth about cleaner apps: are they safe to use.
FAQ
Does deleting an iCloud backup delete the data on my phone?
No. A backup is a separate cloud snapshot, so deleting it removes only that copy in iCloud and leaves everything on the actual device untouched. The only thing you lose is the ability to restore from that specific snapshot later.
Will deleting an old backup turn off backups for my current phone?
Only if you delete the backup belonging to the phone you're using, in which case Turn Off and Delete from iCloud also disables future backups for that device. Deleting an old or retired device's backup has no effect on your current phone's backups at all.
How do I know which backup is from an old device?
Each backup shows the device name and the date of its last backup. A backup that hasn't updated in months or years almost always belongs to a phone or iPad you no longer use, making it safe to delete. Your current device's backup will show a recent date.
Why is one backup so much bigger than the others?
Backup size depends on how much app data, settings, and non-synced content that device held. A heavily used phone with lots of app data backs up larger than a lightly used tablet. You can shrink a current backup by excluding large apps under Choose Data to Back Up.
Where to start
If an "iCloud Storage Full" alert sent you here, open Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Backups and delete the backups for any devices you no longer own, that alone usually reclaims several gigabytes for free. Then trim your current backup by excluding apps that store their own cloud copy. For the highest-impact order of operations, see storage full: what should I delete first.
The longer-term fix is backing up and syncing less clutter in the first place. Cleanor scans your library for duplicate and near-identical photos and oversized videos so you can clear them before they upload, keeping both your iPhone and iCloud lighter. See how it works on the clean up phone storage solution page, or get the app from the Cleanor for iOS page. Let iCloud store what matters, and stop paying to back up devices you no longer own.