iPhone7 iCloud problems and sync problems

Thank you. Yes, I had tried that already. 4.8 GB in phone back-ups. But how can I find what is being backed up in those back-ups and how do I reduce it?

Still struggling to sync my phone with my MacBook.

Thank you. Sorry, I didn't click on the right arrows and pursue it further. I have done now. Most of the data = photos. This is weird and this is why it confused me, because under iCloud, “Apps using iCloud” > “Photos” is “off”. So I was wondering what was taking up all that storage space. However, a few days ago I logged into iCloud via a web browser and could not access any photos.

Anyway, this brings me to my second problem. I need to download photos from my iPhone, but: When I connect my iPhone to my MacBook, it won’t connect. A box appears asking, “Do you want to allow this computer to access information on ‘[my] iPhone’?” I click on “continue” and the same box appears…repeatedly…  :-(

Thank you very much for this.

I see, so if not sending photos to iCloud by choice, the iPhone will send everything to the cloud anyway! (Like a discussion I'm having on another thread, iPhones seem to make these decisions for us! It's driving me crazy. I don't want my phone backed up to the cloud except my phone numbers. Full stop. Think I'm going to rely on my iPhone camera less, and start using my Nikons again. Fewer headaches, more control. Okay, less portable)

Presumably, if I turn Photos > iCloud to "on" then they won't back up because I don't have enough space in iCloud and would need to pay for more.... (Apple, you are annoying me!)

Hi. Thanks very much Winston, however:

“No, if you don't use iCloud photos you have the choice whether to back your photos up or not”. This seems to totally contradict your previous comment, “Ok, so in the first instance, you likely have all your photos on your phone in the backup if you don't have iCloud photos enabled”. And it was that comment that I was referring to when I wrote, “I see, so if not sending photos to iCloud by choice, the iPhone will send everything to the cloud anyway! iPhones seem to make these decisions for us!” To which you replied, “Obviously, they don't”.

I wrote, “I don't want my phone backed up to the cloud except my phone numbers”. To which you replied, “Simple enough, just disable all cloud services except for contacts, it takes less time than typing this response”. But actually this is how iCloud is set up on my phone. I’ve already worked that much out! What I don’t understand is why my phone is backing up to iCloud separately from what is showing in iCloud settings.

This brings me to your last suggestion: “If you don't want your photos in the cloud either as part of iCloud photos or as part of a backup, just disable both options”. Okay, so I know how to disable photos > iCloud, but I don’t know how to disable photos > backup (on iCloud). Please can you advise me further? 

Thanks very much for your help. Have a great day.