There’s one thing even the most devout iPhone users are jealous over Samsung rivals about— storage. Samsung phones come with microSD slots creating the opportunity for cheap additional storage. iPhone users aren’t that lucky. But you’re not without options.
We’ll dive into how to buy storage on iPhone so you always have enough space for photos, music, movies, and everything else you need.
Let’s jump right in!
Local vs. iCloud Storage
The original iPhone launched with just 8GB of storage. Now they max out at over 512 GB that’s a huge jump over time. With local storage on your device, you don’t have to worry about your data connection. All your files are accessible regardless of where you are.
All Apple accounts come with a free 5 GB of iCloud storage. iCloud is Apple’s cloud platform where you can store everything.
Nothing has to be downloaded. As long as you have access to the internet, you can use any of your field. Of course, when you’re on a plane or have limited data, this won’t help you very much.
How Much Storage Should I Get on My iPhone?
You need to think about your own personal storage needs. If you have an unlimited data plan for your phone and generally live in good coverage areas, you can buy an iPhone on the lower end of storage capacity.
However, if you don’t have good cell service, travel often, or always need quick access, you’re better off buying more storage.
A general guideline is every time you update your iPhone, you should get at least twice as much storage. This is because operating systems, apps, and other files are all growing larger.
Getting a new phone might seem expensive and you probably don’t want to pay an extra $50-$100 for more storage. But factor this price in for how long you plan to keep the phone. If you have it for 2 years, that works out $2-4 more per month to always have your files hand.
Why You Should Use iCloud
After you’ve selected the right iPhone for you, it’s time to check out your iCloud options. Even if you decide to max out and get the largest option available you should still take advantage of iCloud.
With iCloud, you can access your files from anywhere. So you can use them from your PC or Mac computer, on iPads, or your iPhone of course. iCloud does more than store all your files. You also use it for backups for apps and system restores.
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So if your phone is lost or stolen, you can easily get back to where you are simply by logging into your iCloud account.
What are Storage Options for iCloud?
Each Apple accounts receive 5 GB of free storage. For 99% of users that’s nowhere near enough. You’re better off upgrading to one of the paid plans.
You have three options:
- $0.99/month: 50GB of storage
- $2.99/month: 200GB of storage
- $9.99/month: 2TB of storage
Assess your needs to see what works for you. Generally, most people with one Apple device are happy with 50GB of storage. People with multiple devices should go for the 200 GB option. Finally, if you multiple devices on an account or have a family, 2 TB is the best choice for you. This is particularly true if you use iCloud Photo Library, iCloud Drive, and need to backup all of your devices.
How to Buy Storage on iPhone
If you’re ready to buy iCloud storage or upgrade, you can do it on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
Buy more iCloud storage on your iPhone
- Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on the Apple ID banner at the top of the screen.
- Tap iCloud.
- Tap on Manage Storage.
- Tap Change Storage Plan.
- Tap on an available plan to upgrade your storage.
You can also downgrade your plan under the Manage Store option. Just select the Downgrade Plan. It will become effective starting your next billing cycle.
iPhone External Storage Options
You can find a wide variety of iPhone compatible storage devices online. They all plug into the lightning port and are easy to use.
You can quickly transfer photos, videos, and other files over to them through their respective apps. Some of them like the SanDisk 32GB IXpand even allow you to shoot photos directly from the app which is perfect for iPhone already completely filled.
These options are a touch more expensive though starting between $20-$50 so you might be better off using iCloud or purchasing more built-in storage from the start instead.
Be Sure to Manage Your Storage
Nowadays, we take tons of photos, download the entire series, and every app in the App Store without giving it much thought. Regardless of whether out max out capacity on both your iPhone and iCloud or go for more affordable options, you should manage your storage.
Go back through your device and delete apps, music, and videos, you no longer use. It’s so easy to now take hundreds of pictures with iPhones in seconds. Go back through your photos and delete all the blurry, out-of-focus ones to just what you need. Try to do this at least once a week and you’ll find things are not only more accessible, but you’ll have much more capacity for more vital needs such as iPhone backups.
How to Buy Storage on iPhone
You have three options for buying iPhone storage. Your first step is choosing an iPhone with built-in storage that meets your needs. Next, select an iCloud plan that will give you the additional capacity and access to your data from anywhere. Finally, if you need it you can check out third-party external storage options. Together these strategies will give you all the storage capacity you’ll ever need.
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To learn more iPhone tips and tricks, head over to the Buyback Boss Blog. Check out the evolution of the iPhone. Understand what AppleCare covers for your devices. And troubleshoot slow iPhones. Discover everything you need to know on our blog.