Delete inactive back ups from 2 old devices?

Hi!

Looking for some advice here please before I do something wrong.

In the recommended area of my iCloud storage, it shows the storage that’s being taken up by my 2 old devices and about removing them.

Please can someone let me know what will happen to the data on those devices no longer being used? I’m worried about losing pictures, music, files etc on iCloud from them and not sure what to do before removing them.

I’d be grateful for any advice please? It gets a tad confusing!

iPhone 15, iOS 18

Posted on May 22, 2025 01:50 PM

Reply
2 replies

May 22, 2025 02:04 PM in response to MissusW

If the data was migrated to your current devices, or if the data is stored in iCloud Photos or synced using your Apple Music subscription, or similar, then the data will remain available.


Backups store what is local to the device, and don’t store what is stored in iCloud, or stored elsewhere.


If you are already using what you need and have access to all of what you need, then you do not need the contents of those backups.


If you are concerned about this, you can also download some or all of the contents of those backups from iCloud, and archive that data elsewhere.


https://robots.net/how-to-guide/how-to-download-icloud-backup/

May 23, 2025 05:15 AM in response to MrHoffman

Hi,


Thank you for your reply!


I did kind of have an idea that because everything has already migrated onto my new devices, that all I’m doing is stopping the back ups. Which I only need from this device now.


But I didn’t want to chance it just in case I was right/wrong.


Great, off to free up some much needed storage space.


Thank you again and thank you for the link.

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Delete inactive back ups from 2 old devices?

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