Learn how to keep your iCloud device backup smaller in size by manually selecting which iPhone or iPad apps can be included in the backup.
If you use iCloud for backing up your iOS device, then by default, all apps you install will be a part of your device backup file. This can be pretty handy in case you restore your iPhone or iPad from a backup because you won’t have to set up all your app preferences again. That said, there are some solid reasons to stop certain apps from backing up to iCloud.
First, if you’re running low on iCloud space, you can significantly reduce the device backup size by excluding specific apps. A small backup file also ensures it restores quickly when setting up a new or erased device.
You may also want to exclude a few sensitive apps if you have security concerns. Furthermore, it’s a good practice to block social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, X, and Reddit from the backup, as these apps already store everything on their servers. You can simply log in to their respective accounts to get all your data.
Select which iPhone apps can be a part of your iCloud backup
1) Open the Settings app, tap your name at the top, and go to iCloud > iCloud Backup.
2) Make sure Back Up This iPhone is enabled and tap an existing device backup. If you don’t already have an iCloud backup for this device, you’ll have to create one by tapping the Back Up Now button, and then follow the next step.
3) Tap Show All Apps, and you’ll see that the applications here are sorted by storage used, with the ones taking up the most cloud space at the top. iOS also notes how much data is backed up for each app, which gives you a good idea of how much space you can save. Tap the switch next to an app you want to exclude and confirm by hitting Turn Off. Repeat this process for other apps.
Typically, your photo library (if you don’t already use iCloud Photos) is among the apps that use the most storage. Turning off backup for your photo library is an easy way to regain tons of iCloud storage space. However, if you do so, remember to back up your photos elsewhere, whether on a different online storage service or locally on your computer.
If you have multiple iPhones or iPads, you’ll have to follow the above steps on each.
Further note that any new app you download will, by default, be a part of the next iCloud backup. So, make sure you follow the above steps periodically to prevent newly downloaded apps from backing up.
If the switch keeps turning back on
You may notice that even after you confirm by tapping “Turn Off,” the switch next to that app will be enabled once again. This bug has existed in iOS for a long time. But rest assured that the app is now excluded from your iCloud backup. You can force quit and reopen the Settings app, then make your way to this screen to find that the switches are off now.
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