Next Backup Size is larger than actual items being backed up

[omro]

Hi,

Ever since I upgraded to 8.3, I have been receiving an error message telling me that my backup is larger than my available iCloud storage. It is claiming that I need 4.1gb for my next back up.

I have an iPhone 6 Plus and I have a lot of data on the phone, but I have the areas with the largest data disabled from backing up to iCloud. I don't have that many apps on the phone and everything else is claiming to be 10s of mb or less, so nothing should be that size needing backup.

Any thoughts would be gratefully appreciated.

 

[jpgr15]

I have run into this too. I think what happens is iCloud keeps a number of copies of previous back ups for an amount of time and until those are deleted or expire then they take up storage. This is my theory based on past experiences - whether or not this is what actually causes the space issue, I'm not sure.

What I have done in the past is turn off the back up completely and let it delete the old backups. I then turn back up back on and perform a new back up. This has relieved space issues in iCloud for me a number of times.

 

[sunking101]

Delete all backups, log out of iCloud, log back in and do a fresh backup. That always works.

 

[omro]

Delete all backups, log out of iCloud, log back in and do a fresh backup. That always works.

Tried that, didn't help.

I tried turning off iCloud and going back in, it consistently decided that the next back up size is 4.1gb.

 

[sunking101]

Tried that, didn't help.

I tried turning off iCloud and going back in, it consistently decided that the next back up size is 4.1gb.

Did you delete your backup though?

 

[omro]

Did you delete your backup though?

Yup and every other backup in iCloud.

What I want to find out is why the backup size is listed 4.1gb, when there isn't anything that size on the phone to backup that's selected.

 

[sunking101]

Yup and every other backup in iCloud.

What I want to find out is why the backup size is listed 4.1gb, when there isn't anything that size on the phone to backup that's selected.

Have you checked under storage/manage storage for any Whatsapp files etc?
I had this issue once before and ended up purchasing more storage to fix it! Once I had the increased storage and had completed a backup, everything went miraculously back to normal.

 

[omro]

Have you checked under storage/manage storage for any Whatsapp files etc?
I had this issue once before and ended up purchasing more storage to fix it! Once I had the increased storage and had completed a backup, everything went miraculously back to normal.

As you can see from the image in the original post, from storage/manage storage, which is organized by size, I have nothing else selected for backup that's large :-(

I have actually cleared the whole of the iCloud hoping that if I can complete a full backup, the backup size will go down. Fingers crossed!!

 

[OldFred]

I don't know if you've solved the problem or not. But I think one problem is Apple will back up things, whether you want it to or not. Like photo, are always backed, no choices.

 

[C DM]

I don't know if you've solved the problem or not. But I think one problem is Apple will back up things, whether you want it to or not. Like photo, are always backed, no choices.

You can always go into the backup and disable the things you don't want to be backed up.