All Out of Cloud Storage? Here’s How to Make More Room

Some of us can't look at our phones without constant reminders that we've run out of space in the cloud. Off-site digital storage services like iCloud and Dropbox allow us to save a lot more data than we could otherwise, but they're not limitless. To free up more room in the cloud (and get rid of those pesky notifications), here's what you should do.

According to Gizmodo, the best way to declutter your cloud storage depends on which service you use. If you're an Apple user, you can assess your situation by opening iCloud on your device (under Settings on iOS and System Preferences on Mac). You can also visit your iCloud page on a web browser and open Account Settings. From there, you have the option to clear up space manually by deleting individual files and old back-ups you no longer need. Anything you get rid of from one device will automatically disappear from the other devices connected to your Apple ID.

Dropbox works similarly. Just open the Dropbox folder on your device using Finder or File Explorer and go through items individually. If you're looking at your cloud storage through a web browser, you can click Modified and then select Size to see which files are eating up the most space. That way, you'll know which items to prioritize in your purge.

Google Drive also gives you the option to assess files by size. All you have to do is click Storage on the left side of your page and you'll see the files in your drive listed by size by default. Because Google Drive encompasses all of your Google accounts, remember to look for emails to delete as well as documents. Google suggests plugging the search phrase “has:attachment larger:5m" into your inbox to find emails with attachments that exceed 5MB.

Digital clutter can be easier to ignore than filth in real life, but that doesn't mean you should let it accumulate. Here are some tips for taming your inbox.