How to Delete Old Backups on iCloud: A Complete Guide

Old iCloud backups can pile up over time, taking up valuable storage space and forcing you to upgrade to a higher iCloud plan. By manually deleting outdated backups from your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Windows PC, you can free up storage and keep only the data you actually need.

This guide explains how iCloud backups work, how to safely delete old backups, what data gets removed, how to avoid deleting important information, and how to manage iCloud storage more efficiently.

How to Delete Old Backups on iCloud?

1. Why Delete Old iCloud Backups?

iCloud automatically backs up your iPhone or iPad whenever the device is charging and connected to Wi-Fi. But over time, these backups accumulate—especially if you’ve used multiple devices or upgraded to new models.

Common reasons to delete old backups:

• You no longer use an old iPhone/iPad
• You need to free up iCloud storage
• You want to downgrade your storage plan
• You accidentally backed up the wrong device
• You want to remove duplicated or unnecessary backups

iCloud storage fills quickly, especially with photos, messages, app data, and large device backups. Removing old backups is one of the easiest ways to reclaim space.

2. What Happens When You Delete an iCloud Backup?

Before deleting anything, it’s important to understand what will be removed:

Deleting a backup removes:

• That device’s full system backup
• App data stored within the backup
• Settings, layout, and system configuration
• Home screen organization
• Old message and photo data (if included in backup, not iCloud Photos)

It does not remove:

• Photos stored in iCloud Photos
• Files stored in iCloud Drive
• Contacts, Calendars, Notes (stored separately in iCloud)
• Email in iCloud Mail
• Data synced with your Apple ID

📌 Important: Deleting a backup will not affect your current phone unless you delete the backup you actively rely on for restoring your device.

3. How to Delete Old iCloud Backups on iPhone or iPad

This is the most common method and works on all current iOS/iPadOS versions.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open the Settings App

Go to:

Settings → tap your name at the top

2. Select “iCloud”

Tap iCloud to see your storage and syncing options.

3. Tap “Manage Account Storage” or “Manage Storage”

This shows a breakdown of how your iCloud space is being used.

4. Tap “Backups”

You will see a list of all devices backed up to your iCloud account.

5. Select the Backup You Want to Delete

Old or inactive devices usually show messages like:

• “This iPhone is no longer being backed up.”
• “Backup from a previous device.”
• The device name of an older phone.

6. Tap “Delete Backup”

Confirm when prompted.

7. Turn Off Backup for That Device (Optional)

If the device is no longer used, you can disable future backup attempts.

4. How to Delete Old iCloud Backups on Mac (macOS Ventura or Later)

   1. Click the Apple Menu → System Settings

   Open System Settings.

   2. Click Your Apple ID → iCloud

   This opens your iCloud settings menu.

   3. Click “Manage”

   Under the iCloud storage bar.

   4. Select “Backups”

   A list of device backups will appear.

   5. Choose a Backup → Click “Delete”

   Confirm the deletion.

   5. How to Delete Old iCloud Backups on Windows

    

5. You can delete backups using the iCloud for Windows program.

   1. Download & Open iCloud for Windows

   Sign in with your Apple ID.

   2. Click “Storage”

   This opens a list of storage items.

   3. Select “Backups”

   You’ll see all backups stored in your iCloud account.

   4. Select a Backup → Click “Delete”

   Confirm deletion.

   6. How to Check Which Device a Backup Belongs To

   Sometimes you may see multiple backups with similar names. To avoid deleting the wrong one, check:

   • Model name (example: iPhone 11, iPad Pro)
   • Last backup date
   • Storage size

   General rule:

   If the backup has not been updated in months, it’s likely an old device.

   7. How to Disable iCloud Backups for Old Devices

   If you still own an old device but don’t want it backing up:

   On iPhone/iPad:

   1. Go to Settings
   2. Tap your name → iCloud
   3. Select iCloud Backup
   4. Toggle iCloud Backup off

   This prevents future storage use.

   8. How to Free Up More iCloud Storage After Deleting Backups

   Backups aren’t the only thing consuming space. You can free up even more storage by managing other data types.

   1. iCloud Photos

   If iCloud Photos is ON, images and videos take up the largest portion of storage.

   Options:

   • Delete large videos
   • Empty the Recently Deleted folder
   • Use “Optimize iPhone Storage”
   2. Messages in iCloud

   You can delete large attachments:

   • Images
   • Videos
   • Voice memos
   • GIFs
   3. iCloud Drive

   Remove old files or downloads.

   4. App Data

   Some apps store backups or documents in iCloud (e.g., WhatsApp, Notes, Voice Memos).

   9. Should You Delete Old Backups? (Best Practices)

   Do delete:

   ✔ Backups from old devices you no longer own
   ✔ Backups older than 6–12 months
   ✔ Duplicate device backups

   Do NOT delete:

   ✘ The only backup for your current iPhone
   ✘ Backups of a device you’re about to reset
   ✘ Backups of a device you plan to sell before erasing

   If you’re unsure:

   Check the “Last Backup Date.”
   Old or unused backups can usually be safely removed.