Free Up 50GB+ of iCloud Storage in 30 Minutes
Stop paying Apple $120/year for storage you don't need. This guide shows you exactly how to compress your videos and reclaim massive amounts of iCloud space.
How Apple is Costing You $120/Year
Here's what's happening:
Your Videos are Huge
- • 1 minute 4K video = 375MB
- • 10 minutes = 3.75GB
- • 1 hour = 22.5GB
Apple's Storage Pricing
- • 5GB free (fills up in days)
- • 50GB = $0.99/month
- • 200GB = $2.99/month
- • 2TB = $9.99/month
The Solution: HEVC Compression
Here's how you save money:
Before (H.264)
- • 1 minute 4K = 375MB
- • 100 videos = 37.5GB
- • Need $9.99/month plan
- • Annual cost: $120
After (HEVC)
- • 1 minute 4K = 112MB
- • 100 videos = 11.2GB
- • Fit in free 5GB plan
- • Annual cost: $0
Step-by-Step: Free Up Your iCloud Storage
Check Your Current Storage Usage
First, see how much space your videos are actually using:
- Open Settings on your iPhone
- Tap your name at the top
- Tap "iCloud"
- Tap "Manage Account Storage"
- Look at how much space "Photos" is using
Pro tip: Photos includes both photos and videos. Videos typically use 10x more space than photos.
Download HEVCut
Get the tool that will compress your videos:
Download HEVCut from App StoreFree trial available: No hidden fees. Download and start compressing immediately.
Start with Your Largest Videos
Get the biggest storage savings by starting with your largest files:
- Open your Photos app
- Go to "Albums" → "Videos"
- Look for videos longer than 1 minute
- Prioritize 4K videos (they're the biggest)
- Start with vacation videos, concerts, or sports events
Quick wins: One 10-minute 4K video compressed can free up 2.6GB of space instantly.
Compress Your Videos
The actual compression process is simple:
- Open HEVCut
- Tap "Select Videos"
- Choose the large videos you identified
- Tap "Compress" and wait 30-60 seconds
- Save the compressed version
- Delete the original large file
Quality check: Always watch the compressed video first to make sure you're happy with the quality before deleting the original.
Check Your Savings & Cancel Upgrades
See how much space you've freed up:
- Go back to Settings → Your Name → iCloud → Manage Account Storage
- Check your new storage usage
- If you're now under 5GB, cancel your iCloud subscription
- Go to Settings → Your Name → Subscriptions
- Tap your iCloud plan and cancel
Money saved: Canceling the $9.99/month plan saves you $120/year. That's real money back in your pocket.
Real Results from Real Users
"Compressed 85GB of vacation videos down to 25GB. Cancelled my $9.99/month iCloud plan and I'm saving $120/year now. This app literally paid for my next vacation!"
"Had 50GB of sports videos taking up space. Compressed them all and freed up 35GB. Quality is identical but now I can keep recording without paying Apple."