iCloud Storage Full? Your Mail Shares 5 GB With Everything
Apple gives every iCloud account just 5 GB of free storage. What most people do not realize: this storage is shared between iCloud Mail, Photos, iCloud Drive, device backups, and app data. Your emails and attachments compete for space with your iPhone backup and photo library. Instead of paying for iCloud+, you can archive old emails locally and free up space for the things that matter.
5 GB for Everything — Why It Is Never Enough
5 GB sounds small — and it is. For comparison: a single iPhone backup can use 2-3 GB. Add your photos, videos, documents in iCloud Drive, and emails on top of that. Most active Apple users hit the limit within months.
Apple offers iCloud+ starting at $0.99/month for 50 GB. But if you just want to manage your email storage, you do not need a subscription — you need a local archive.
What Shares the 5 GB?
| Service | What Uses Storage? |
|---|---|
| iCloud Mail | Emails and attachments |
| iCloud Photos | Photos and videos in original quality |
| iCloud Drive | Documents, Pages, Numbers, Keynote files |
| Device Backups | iPhone and iPad backups |
| App Data | WhatsApp backups, game saves, etc. |
| Messages | iMessage history with attachments |
When you see the "iCloud Storage Full" warning, it is rarely caused by just one service. It is the combination of all of them. Emails with large PDF or image attachments can take up a surprisingly large share.
The Hidden Email Problem
Many iCloud users focus on deleting photos or managing backups when they see the storage warning. But emails are often the overlooked culprit. If you have used your @icloud.com or @me.com address for years, your mailbox may contain hundreds of megabytes of attachments — invoices, shipping confirmations, documents, and photos sent by friends and family.
By archiving these emails locally, you free up iCloud storage for backups and photos — the services that actually need cloud storage to function properly.
How to Free Up iCloud Storage
Create an App-Specific Password
Go to appleid.apple.com and create an App-Specific Password for IMAP access to your iCloud mailbox.
Download mailriva
Download mailriva for free and install the app on your Windows PC or Mac.
Connect iCloud Mail as source
Select iCloud as the source provider and sign in with your Apple ID and the App-Specific Password.
Archive emails locally
Export older emails to a local archive. Folder structure and all attachments are preserved.
Delete archived emails
Delete the backed-up emails in iCloud Mail and empty the Trash. The freed storage is immediately available for Photos, Backups, and Drive.
Benefits of Local Archiving
- No data loss — all emails preserved as local copies
- No iCloud+ subscription needed
- Freed storage immediately available for Photos and Backups
- Folder structure preserved during export
- Attachments included in the backup
- Local emails searchable anytime, even without internet
iCloud+ Pricing vs. Local Archiving
| Option | Storage | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| iCloud Free | 5 GB (shared) | Free |
| iCloud+ 50 GB | 50 GB | $0.99/month |
| iCloud+ 200 GB | 200 GB | $2.99/month |
| iCloud+ 2 TB | 2 TB | $9.99/month |
| Local archiving with mailriva | Unlimited (your hard drive) | Free |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much free iCloud storage do you get?
Apple provides 5 GB of free iCloud storage. This is shared between Mail, Photos, iCloud Drive, device backups, and app data.
Do emails really count against iCloud storage?
Yes. All iCloud Mail messages and their attachments fully count toward your iCloud storage limit. Large attachments can fill up storage quickly.
Does iCloud Mail support IMAP?
Yes. iCloud Mail fully supports IMAP. You need an App-Specific Password, which you can create at appleid.apple.com.
What happens when iCloud storage is full?
When your iCloud storage is full, you cannot send or receive emails with your iCloud address. Additionally, iCloud Backups, Photo sync, and iCloud Drive stop working until you free up space.