16-05-2025
The iCloud Photos UNLIMITED FREE Storage HACK
Managing your iPhone's storage can become increasingly difficult as your photo and video library grows. Apple's iCloud storage often fills up quickly, leaving users with the option to either purchase additional storage or find alternative solutions. Fortunately, Apple's 'Shared Albums' feature offers a clever and cost-free workaround. By using this feature strategically, you can store photos and videos in iCloud without it counting against your storage quota. While there are some limitations to consider, this method is a practical way to manage your digital media efficiently and avoid unnecessary expenses. The video below from Daniel About Tech gives us more details.
Watch this video on YouTube. Step 1: Disable iCloud Photos
The first step in using this method is to disable the 'iCloud Photos' feature. This feature automatically syncs your entire photo library to iCloud, consuming your storage allocation. Instead, you'll enable the 'Shared Albums' feature, which allows you to store photos and videos in iCloud without them counting toward your storage quota.
Here's how to adjust your settings: Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
app on your iPhone. Scroll down and tap on Photos .
. Turn off the iCloud Photos toggle.
toggle. Enable the Shared Albums toggle.
By disabling iCloud Photos, you avoid the need for paid storage upgrades while still using iCloud's capabilities. This step ensures that your media can be stored and shared without impacting your storage limits. Step 2: Create and Organize Shared Albums
Once 'Shared Albums' is enabled, you can begin organizing your photos and videos into these albums. This feature not only helps you save storage space but also allows you to categorize your media for easier access. For instance, you can create albums for specific events, vacations, or even by year.
Follow these steps to create and populate a shared album: Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
app on your iPhone. Tap the + icon to create a new shared album.
icon to create a new shared album. Give your album a descriptive name, such as 'Family Vacation 2023' or 'Holiday Memories.'
Invite others to view or contribute to the album if desired by adding their email addresses or phone numbers.
Select the photos and videos you want to include and upload them to the shared album.
Organizing your media into shared albums not only helps you save space but also makes it easier to locate specific files when needed. Additionally, shared albums can be a great way to collaborate with friends and family by allowing them to view or add their own photos and videos. Step 3: Free Up Space on Your iPhone
After successfully uploading your photos and videos to shared albums, you can delete the original files from your iPhone to free up valuable storage space. However, it's important to remember that deleted items remain in the 'Recently Deleted' folder for 30 days and still occupy storage until permanently removed.
Here's how to free up space effectively: Open the Photos app and delete the photos and videos you've already uploaded to shared albums.
app and delete the photos and videos you've already uploaded to shared albums. Navigate to the Recently Deleted folder and permanently delete the items to reclaim storage space.
Keep in mind that your iPhone may take some time to reflect the newly available storage. In some cases, the system may require several hours or even days to update the storage metrics fully. Key Considerations and Limitations
While the 'Shared Albums' feature is a powerful tool for managing your iPhone's storage, there are a few important factors to consider before relying on this method exclusively: Reduced Quality: Photos and videos uploaded to shared albums are compressed, which may result in a slight reduction in quality. If maintaining full resolution is essential, you may need to explore paid iCloud storage options or alternative cloud services.
Photos and videos uploaded to shared albums are compressed, which may result in a slight reduction in quality. If maintaining full resolution is essential, you may need to explore paid iCloud storage options or alternative cloud services. Upload Limits: Shared albums have hourly and daily upload limits. If you're transferring a large number of files, you may need to stagger the uploads over several sessions.
Shared albums have hourly and daily upload limits. If you're transferring a large number of files, you may need to stagger the uploads over several sessions. Privacy Concerns: Shared albums are designed for sharing, so any media you upload can potentially be viewed by others if you've invited them to the album. Be mindful of what you upload and who you share it with.
Shared albums are designed for sharing, so any media you upload can potentially be viewed by others if you've invited them to the album. Be mindful of what you upload and who you share it with. Limited Features: Shared albums lack some advanced organizational tools and search capabilities available in the full iCloud Photos service.
Despite these limitations, shared albums remain a valuable and cost-effective solution for managing your iPhone's storage. By understanding and working within these constraints, you can make the most of this feature. Final Thoughts
By disabling iCloud Photos and using the 'Shared Albums' feature, you can effectively manage your iPhone's storage while taking advantage of iCloud's unlimited shared album capacity. This method allows you to store, organize, and share your digital media without impacting your iCloud storage quota or incurring additional costs. While there are trade-offs, such as reduced quality and upload limits, the benefits of this approach make it an excellent option for users seeking a cost-free storage solution.
With a little planning and organization, you can keep your iPhone running smoothly, avoid storage-related frustrations, and enjoy the convenience of iCloud's shared album functionality.
Uncover more insights about iCloud storage in previous articles we have written.
Source & Image Credit: Daniel About Tech Filed Under: Apple, Apple iPhone, Guides
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