---
id: icloud.how-do-i-make-my-iphone-icloud-backup-smaller
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-make-my-iphone-icloud-backup-smaller
category: "iCloud & iCloud Photos"
subcategory: "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."
tags: ["icloud backup", "iphone", "reduce size"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-delete-old-device-backups-from-icloud", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/does-deleting-an-icloud-backup-delete-my-photos", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/does-my-iphone-icloud-backup-use-space-on-my-mac"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

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

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.

Other big contributors:

- **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.

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](https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/where-are-iphone-backups-stored-on-a-mac).