{"id":"icloud.how-do-i-make-my-iphone-icloud-backup-smaller","url":"/faq/icloud/how-do-i-make-my-iphone-icloud-backup-smaller","category":{"id":"icloud","title":"iCloud & iCloud Photos"},"subcategory":{"id":"messages-mail-backups","title":"Messages, Mail and device backups in iCloud"},"question":"How do I make my iPhone's iCloud backup smaller?","alt_questions":["Reduce iCloud backup size","Exclude apps from iCloud backup","Why is my iCloud backup so big?","iPhone backup taking all my icloud space"],"short_answer":"In the iPhone's iCloud settings, open the storage list → Backups → this iPhone and turn off backup for big apps that don't need it. Turning on iCloud Photos and Messages in iCloud also keeps photos and attachments out of the backup.","answer_markdown":"On the iPhone, open **Settings → your name → iCloud**, go to the storage list and **Backups**, select this iPhone and turn off backup for apps that don't need it — often big games, video apps and anything whose content is already in the cloud. Delete the next backup's largest items and it shrinks.\n\nOther big contributors:\n\n- **Photos** — if iCloud Photos is off, the camera roll goes into the backup; turning iCloud Photos on stores photos separately.\n- **Messages attachments** — if Messages in iCloud is off, they're in the backup.\n\nYour Mac can also back up the iPhone to its own disk or an external drive instead — see [where iPhone backups are stored on a Mac](/faq/mac-storage-basics/where-are-iphone-backups-stored-on-a-mac).","answer_html":"

On the iPhone, open Settings → your name → iCloud, go to the storage list and Backups, select this iPhone and turn off backup for apps that don't need it — often big games, video apps and anything whose content is already in the cloud. Delete the next backup's largest items and it shrinks.

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Other big contributors:

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Your Mac can also back up the iPhone to its own disk or an external drive instead — see where iPhone backups are stored on a Mac.

","answer_text":"On the iPhone, open Settings → your name → iCloud, go to the storage list and Backups, select this iPhone and turn off backup for apps that don't need it — often big games, video apps and anything whose content is already in the cloud. Delete the next backup's largest items and it shrinks.\n\nOther big contributors:\n\n- Photos — if iCloud Photos is off, the camera roll goes into the backup; turning iCloud Photos on stores photos separately.\n- Messages attachments — if Messages in iCloud is off, they're in the backup.\n\nYour Mac can also back up the iPhone to its own disk or an external drive instead — see where iPhone backups are stored on a Mac.","tags":["icloud backup","iphone","reduce size"],"related":[{"id":"icloud.how-do-i-delete-old-device-backups-from-icloud","question":"How do I delete old iPhone or iPad backups from iCloud on my Mac?","url":"/faq/icloud/how-do-i-delete-old-device-backups-from-icloud"},{"id":"icloud.does-deleting-an-icloud-backup-delete-my-photos","question":"Does deleting an iCloud backup delete my photos?","url":"/faq/icloud/does-deleting-an-icloud-backup-delete-my-photos"},{"id":"icloud.does-my-iphone-icloud-backup-use-space-on-my-mac","question":"Does my iPhone's iCloud backup take up space on my Mac?","url":"/faq/icloud/does-my-iphone-icloud-backup-use-space-on-my-mac"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"How do I make my iPhone's iCloud backup smaller? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"In the iPhone's iCloud settings, open the storage list → Backups → this iPhone and turn off backup for big apps that don't need it. Turning on iCloud Photos and Messages in iCloud also keeps photos and attachments out of the backup.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"iCloud & iCloud Photos","path":"/faq/icloud/"},{"name":"How do I make my iPhone's iCloud backup smaller?","path":"/faq/icloud/how-do-i-make-my-iphone-icloud-backup-smaller"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-make-my-iphone-icloud-backup-smaller","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I make my iPhone's iCloud backup smaller?","alternateName":["Reduce iCloud backup size","Exclude apps from iCloud backup","Why is my iCloud backup so big?","iPhone backup taking all my icloud space"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"On the iPhone, open Settings → your name → iCloud, go to the storage list and Backups, select this iPhone and turn off backup for apps that don't need it — often big games, video apps and anything whose content is already in the cloud. Delete the next backup's largest items and it shrinks.\n\nOther big contributors:\n\n- Photos — if iCloud Photos is off, the camera roll goes into the backup; turning iCloud Photos on stores photos separately.\n- Messages attachments — if Messages in iCloud is off, they're in the backup.\n\nYour Mac can also back up the iPhone to its own disk or an external drive instead — see where iPhone backups are stored on a Mac.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-make-my-iphone-icloud-backup-smaller"}}]},"fragment":"
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iCloud & iCloud Photos · Messages, Mail and device backups in iCloud

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How do I make my iPhone's iCloud backup smaller?

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Short answer: In the iPhone's iCloud settings, open the storage list → Backups → this iPhone and turn off backup for big apps that don't need it. Turning on iCloud Photos and Messages in iCloud also keeps photos and attachments out of the backup.

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On the iPhone, open Settings → your name → iCloud, go to the storage list and Backups, select this iPhone and turn off backup for apps that don't need it — often big games, video apps and anything whose content is already in the cloud. Delete the next backup's largest items and it shrinks.

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Other big contributors:

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  • Photos — if iCloud Photos is off, the camera roll goes into the backup; turning iCloud Photos on stores photos separately.
  • Messages attachments — if Messages in iCloud is off, they're in the backup.
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Your Mac can also back up the iPhone to its own disk or an external drive instead — see where iPhone backups are stored on a Mac.

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Last reviewed

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