How do I figure out how much iCloud storage I need?
Nearly everyone with an iPhone or iPad should be using some features of iCloud, and the sine qua non of those features should be iCloud Backup. You can back up your iOS device to to your Mac via iTunes, but that means you have to remember to do so. iCloud Backup is automatic, so please: just do it.
Another feature of iCloud that too many people overlook is iCloud Photo Library. Turn it on, and all your photos—in their full-resolution glory—will be synchronized between and available on all of your devices, including your Mac. It’s the best thing going.
With all that stuff on the service, most people will need more than the 5 GB (gigabytes) of storage that Apple includes with every free iCloud account. The tiers are: 50 GB for $0.99/month, 200 GB for $2.99/month, and 2 TB (terabytes) for $9.99/month.
The amount of iCloud storage you need is a combo of:
- Size of your photo library (often the biggest component)
- Storage used on your iPhone and iPad.
For #1, from Apple: On the Mac, open Photos and choose Photos > Preferences > General. Click the Show in Finder button to go to your Photos Library. After Finder opens, select your Photos Library, then choose File > Get Info. The number you want is “x GB on disk.”
For #2: On each device, go to Settings > General > Storage. Add the number of GB used to your total for iCloud. Apple’s article.
Add ’em up, then pay for the appropriate tier, and revel in knowing your data is safe and synced!
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