iCloud question for the illiterate...

[ssledoux]

IF I have my messages off for iCloud storage, does that mean I won't get the messages across my devices?

And if I want to keep it turned on, so I do get messages across my devices, how do I keep it from storing so much? Like is there a limit on how long the messages will stay stored? Right now that is taking up 25 GB of my iCloud storage, which is ridiculous!

 

[jz0309]

IF I have my messages off for iCloud storage, does that mean I won't get the messages across my devices?

And if I want to keep it turned on, so I do get messages across my devices, how do I keep it from storing so much? Like is there a limit on how long the messages will stay stored? Right now that is taking up 25 GB of my iCloud storage, which is ridiculous!

I have it OFF and messages show up on all my devices ...

 

[VineRider]

IF I have my messages off for iCloud storage, does that mean I won't get the messages across my devices?

And if I want to keep it turned on, so I do get messages across my devices, how do I keep it from storing so much? Like is there a limit on how long the messages will stay stored? Right now that is taking up 25 GB of my iCloud storage, which is ridiculous!

If you have iCloud messages off, you will get messages on all your devices where you have iMessage turned on, and on devices you have Text Message forwarding turned on. However, if you delete a message on one device, it will not be deleted on the other devices.

Conversely, if you have iMessage in iCloud turned on, all your messages are in synch on all devices signed in to iCloud with iMessage in the cloud turned on. If you delete a message on one device, its deleted on all devices.

I am not 100% sure on the storage, but I think if you have iMessage in the cloud turned off, you will not use iCloud storage for messages, they will be stored on each device, but I may be wrong about that.

Personally, I have it turned on and I like having my messages synch across all devices.


EDIT - More on the storage from Apple Support site

If you turn off Messages in iCloud on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch your message history will be included in a separate iCloud backup. If you set up an Apple Watch for a family member, Messages in iCloud is the only way to back up messages.

Set up iCloud for Messages on all your devices

Learn how to set up iCloud and access your messages on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

support.apple.com

 

[ssledoux]

If you have iCloud messages off, you will get messages on all your devices where you have iMessage turned on, and on devices you have Text Message forwarding turned on. However, if you delete a message on one device, it will not be deleted on the other devices.

Conversely, if you have iMessage in iCloud turned on, all your messages are in synch on all devices signed in to iCloud with iMessage in the cloud turned on. If you delete a message on one device, its deleted on all devices.

I am not 100% sure on the storage, but I think if you have iMessage in the cloud turned off, you will not use iCloud storage for messages, they will be stored on each device, but I may be wrong about that.

Personally, I have it turned on and I like having my messages synch across all devices.


EDIT - More on the storage from Apple Support site

If you turn off Messages in iCloud on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch your message history will be included in a separate iCloud backup. If you set up an Apple Watch for a family member, Messages in iCloud is the only way to back up messages.

Set up iCloud for Messages on all your devices

Learn how to set up iCloud and access your messages on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

support.apple.com

Thank you! I like mine being sync'd, and they always have, but it's just using way too much iCloud storage. I guess I was wondering if maybe I had it to where it didn't save messages forever, it would use less space, but I have no clue how to adjust that, unless when I did it in messages under settings it would affect how the cloud stored them.

 

[VineRider]

Thank you! I like mine being sync'd, and they always have, but it's just using way too much iCloud storage. I guess I was wondering if maybe I had it to where it didn't save messages forever, it would use less space, but I have no clue how to adjust that, unless when I did it in messages under settings it would affect how the cloud stored them.

You can adjust the time messages are saved by going to settings/messages. Scroll down to the setting “keep messages“ and select either 30 days, 1 year, or forever.

 

[ssledoux]

You can adjust the time messages are saved by going to settings/messages. Scroll down to the setting “keep messages“ and select either 30 days, 1 year, or forever.

I noticed that. Pretty frustrating that there’s nothing between 30 days and a year. That’s a big difference.