Encounter the WhatsApp backup "not enough iPhone storage" error while backing up WhatsApp to iCloud? Don't worry! Here are 6 proven ways to quickly fix it and backup WhatsApp to iCloud without running out of space.
Not enough iPhone storage while WhatsApp backup on iCloud
I'm trying to create a WhatsApp backup of 32.99 GB to my iCloud where I currently have over 100 GB of free space available, but I'm getting the following error "Not enough iPhone storage". This is confusing and frustrating, why do I need the free space on my phone when the backup is going straight to iCloud? I will still get the same error. Is there anything I can do, please? Many thanks.
- Question from Apple Community
Have you tried to backup WhatsApp data to iCloud but keep seeing the "Not Enough iPhone Storage" error, even though you have enough iCloud free space? Many iPhone users have encountered this frustrating problem, and it is difficult to understand why the free iCloud space is not enough.
When backing up WhatsApp data to iCloud, your iPhone will temporarily store part of the data in local storage. Apple recommends that your iPhone and iCloud have at least twice the backup capacity to ensure a smooth backup process. So, even if you have enough iCloud storage space, your iPhone still needs space to process the backup data.
Luckily, you don't need to panic. In this article, we will take you through 6 simple and effective fixes to help you fix the not enough iPhone storage when WhatsApp backups, and backup WhatsApp with ease.
Let’s learn about 6 proven fixes to get your WhatsApp backup working again.
Before digging into other solutions to iPhone Whatsapp backup but not enough space, it is important to check if you have enough free iCloud storage to back up your data
Step 1. Go to the Settings on your iPhone. Tap on [Your Name] at the top.
Step 2. Select iCloud and check both available and used storage.
Step 3. If you need to upgrade your iCloud storage when it's running low, tap Manage Storage from this page > Upgrade.
If your iPhone has insufficient storage space, you may receive an error message of "Not Enough iPhone Storage". Fortunately, there are several ways to free up and manage iPhone storage:
• Offload unused apps:
Go to iPhone Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Check any unused apps and select Uninstall apps. This will delete the app but retain its data.
• Clear Safari cache:
To clear cache files in Safari, open Settings on your iPhone > Locate and choose Safari > Tap on Clear History and Website Data.
• Delete old WhatsApp media:
Go to WhatsApp, click Settings > Storage & Data > Manage Storage, and then delete large or unnecessary files, including old videos and photos.
You may still have some free space in iCloud but still, it is not enough for WhatsApp to backup to iCloud. Without paying for extra iCloud space, you can choose to delete old iCloud backups to free up some space.
Step 1. Go to Settings > Tap [your name] > iCloud > Click Manage Storage.
Step 2. Click Backups and select any old or unnecessary backups. Tap Delete Backup to free up space.
In order to avoid the backup function not working properly due to possible exceptions in the WhatsApp application, try to force quit WhatsApp and reopen it again.
Step 1. On the iPhone with Face ID, swipe up from the bottom of the screen, or double-click the Home button.
Step 2. Find WhatsApp in the App Switcher and swipe up to close it.
Not enough iPhone storage to backup WhatsApp may also result from software glitches on your iPhone. It may be helpful to force restart your iPhone to refresh it.
Step 1. Press and release the volume up button, then press and release the volume down button.
Step 2. Press and hold the side key until the Apple logo appears.
Step 3. Then release the side button to restart your iPhone.
If your WhatsApp backup still doesn't work properly, an effective way is to try to back up only important data to reduce storage usage. For example, you can unback up videos or archive old chat history to save space.
• Archive Unnecessary Chats: Long-press on a chat and select Archive. Archived chats won't be included in your next backup, reducing the storage required.
• Exclude Videos from Backup: Videos can take up a significant amount of space. To exclude them from the backup, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup, then toggle off Include Videos.
If you don't want to take risk of losing media files in your WhatsApp chat, you can also try other methods to backup your WhatsApp chat history. The next part will offer you a powerful tool to make it.
If none of the above solutions work, you can use a third-party tool, FoneTool, the best WhatsApp backup and transfer tool, to backup WhatsApp without worrying about storage issues on iPhone or iCloud anymore.
100% Secure
Follow the steps below to back up WhatsApp chats with freeware phone tools without effort.
Step 1. Connect your iPhone to PC via USB > When prompted, you need to tap Trust on your iPhone.
Step 2. Open FoneTool, click WhatsApp Manager > Backup WhatsApp > click Get Started to confirm.
Step 3. Optionally, you can enable backup encryption and choose a destination you prefer to save the WhatsApp backup files > Click Start Backup to begin the task.
To restore WhatsApp backup, just head to the Backup History page to locate the WhatsApp backup to make it.
That’s all for the solutions to WhatsApp backup, but not enough iPhone storage. You should have known that WhatsApp backup requires enough iPhone and iCloud space. For more queries or suggestions, please feel free to contact us.