icloud 50GB, 4000 photos yet still “occupied all space”

I understand your frustration with the iCloud storage issue. It seems like there might be a discrepancy between the actual size of your photos and the reported storage usage. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially free up space:

1. Check Recently Deleted Items: Sometimes, deleted photos and videos are not immediately removed from your iCloud storage. They are moved to the "Recently Deleted" album, where they are kept for 30 days before being permanently deleted. Make sure to check and empty this album if there are any items in it.
2. Optimize Storage: iCloud offers an option to optimize storage on your device. This means that full-resolution photos and videos are stored in iCloud, while lower-resolution versions are kept on your device. This can save a significant amount of space. To enable this, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos, and select "Optimize [Device] Storage."
3. Review Videos: Videos generally take up more space than photos. If you have a lot of videos, consider reviewing and deleting any that are no longer necessary. You might also want to upload longer videos to other cloud storage services or your computer to free up space.
4. Check Other App Data: Sometimes, other apps might be using iCloud storage for data like backups or documents. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and review which apps are using iCloud storage. You can manage their data individually.
5. Restart Your Device: Sometimes, iCloud storage usage reporting might be inaccurate. Try restarting your device, and then check the storage usage again after a while.
6. Contact Apple Support: If none of the above solutions work, it might be a good idea to reach out to Apple Support for assistance. They can look into your account and help diagnose any potential issues.
7. Manual Backups: If you're using iCloud for device backups, consider reviewing which apps are being backed up. You can manage this by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups. You might find apps that you don't need to include in the backup, which can save space.

Remember that iCloud storage usage can sometimes take time to update, so changes you make might not be immediately reflected in the reported usage. Also, keep in mind that the way photos and videos are compressed and stored can vary, leading to differences in storage usage between different users.

Maybe your messages or iCloud backups are using the rest of the space

Try calling Apple