FYI: What Caused Problems

[HunnieBunnie]

I started having some weird problems with my iphone after the last two updates, e.g. Siri was not available away from home, and some phone numbers I tried to dial came in as "number not in service," and I kept losing my Internet connection away from home. Also, some numbers I got through to, I was still unable to get through on the numbers's automated system--you know, press 1 for this, and press 2 for that, etc. My carrier checked the service weeks ago and told me it was not the service that was the problem.

Anyway, it was becoming so bad that I finally belled Apple tech support after the last OS update, which I believe was 12 or something like that. The lady I spoke to was able to use some sort of programme to actually see my phone just as I could see it in front of me--I know you can do this with computers, so now you can do it phones, too. : ) This was SO HELPFUL! Anyway, she identified that one of the symbols at the top of my phone next to my carrier's 4G Lite stuff, and that looked like an old style telephone receiver, was actually an indication that iCloud storage was full. I had been getting emails on this fact forever, and I was not interested in buying more storage. For some reason, iCloud and I just do not fit well together. It was good to know what that symbol meant, though.

Well, she suggested the following fix, which unfortunately meant purchasing more iCloud storage. She helped me to get that set up, and then we were going to reset the phone to factory settings, but so far, that does not seem to be needed. Once iCloud was set up (took well over an hour for it to update, and I am only storing photos and contacts info), I tested the phone to see if the problems were continuing, and they were not! So, I never bothered to bell back Apple to help me get the phone set back to factory default.

The upshot is that all of the problems I was having were related to iCloud being full. You could have knocked me over with a feather! I never would have made that connection. Just wanted to share this because it may be helpful to others who may be having some strange problems with their phones and not know why.

Cheers, everyone,
HunnieBunnie

 

[zstairlessone]

I started having some weird problems with my iphone after the last two updates, e.g. Siri was not available away from home, and some phone numbers I tried to dial came in as "number not in service," and I kept losing my Internet connection away from home. Also, some numbers I got through to, I was still unable to get through on the numbers's automated system--you know, press 1 for this, and press 2 for that, etc. My carrier checked the service weeks ago and told me it was not the service that was the problem.

Anyway, it was becoming so bad that I finally belled Apple tech support after the last OS update, which I believe was 12 or something like that. The lady I spoke to was able to use some sort of programme to actually see my phone just as I could see it in front of me--I know you can do this with computers, so now you can do it phones, too. : ) This was SO HELPFUL! Anyway, she identified that one of the symbols at the top of my phone next to my carrier's 4G Lite stuff, and that looked like an old style telephone receiver, was actually an indication that iCloud storage was full. I had been getting emails on this fact forever, and I was not interested in buying more storage. For some reason, iCloud and I just do not fit well together. It was good to know what that symbol meant, though.

Well, she suggested the following fix, which unfortunately meant purchasing more iCloud storage. She helped me to get that set up, and then we were going to reset the phone to factory settings, but so far, that does not seem to be needed. Once iCloud was set up (took well over an hour for it to update, and I am only storing photos and contacts info), I tested the phone to see if the problems were continuing, and they were not! So, I never bothered to bell back Apple to help me get the phone set back to factory default.

The upshot is that all of the problems I was having were related to iCloud being full. You could have knocked me over with a feather! I never would have made that connection. Just wanted to share this because it may be helpful to others who may be having some strange problems with their phones and not know why.

Cheers, everyone,
HunnieBunnie

I recently updated my iCloud storage also, now living stress free like you

 

[HunnieBunnie]

^^^ Glad to hear it. Really, at this point, what I think I would like to do is to get everything back on my computer and sever my connection to iCloud. I can store all of my photos on a site like Shutterfly. I can put my contacts in an old fashioned address book. My most important documents can be printed out and put into file folders.

 

[NSquirrel]

Accessing photos on icloud is not very straight forward to me, but I can access them easily via my Windows PC and, I assume, a Mac. (I have never worked out how to see them all on my iPad or iPhone.)

On Mac or PC, look at your iCloud storage of photos and, if it is anything like mine, you may find loads more photos than you expected - hence iCloud fills up quckly. Every now and then I drag them all off to local storage and delete all but essentials on iCloud.

 

[HunnieBunnie]

^^^ I love the idea of iCloud, but I have not been very successful with it. If I delete a photo on my Mac, and the photo has also been saved to iCloud, does it delete there, too?

I have no doubt that there are photos on my iCloud that I do not need or want there. Is there some way to add only specific chosen photos to iCloud?

Also, is the a quick, easy way to delete a bunch of photos on my iPhone? Once I upload them to my computer, I have no reason to keep most of them on my phone.

 

[HunnieBunnie]

Once again I am having the same problems with my phone as before, e.g. some local numbers cannot be reached even though they are not disconnected. I am sure icloud is the problem once more.

I no longer want to use icloud. Can someone give me step by step instructions on how to move everything on icloud back to my computer and to shut down icloud for good?

 

[NSquirrel]

Just out of interest, is your free 5Gb iCloud allowance full? (IPhone Settings/your name/ icloud then storage graphical representation towards the top)

 

[HunnieBunnie]

Yes, it is full. That is what caused the problem originally, but it was months and months before I figured out what was wrong. I had to buy more storage to fix the problem. I do not want to buy any more storage. I just want to divorce iCloud, basically. How do I make sure all of my stuff is back on my computer, and I how do I get rid of iCloud. This is too much aggravation, and it has begun to feel like it is set up this way just to make me constantly buy more storage.

 

[NSquirrel]

Thanks. Interesting.

Either via PC or Mac, access iCloud and extract all photos and all files to folder somewhere, e.g. desktop. Delete via PC or Mac as copied to folder and checked. The Files folder on the iPhone will show if anything remains on iCloud.

Once all off, go to settings/.../icloud on iphone and turn off all apps given access to icloud. Btw, do any if these apps have a very large size? If so, this app could be your problem.

Next should you delete the backup on iCloud ? I would suggest leaving this, but maybe worth deleting current backup initially and then allow to redo a new backup. Alternatively do a backup to itunes and then turn off backups on the iPhone.

I hope this helps.

 

[Alexm1]

Yes, it is full. That is what caused the problem originally, but it was months and months before I figured out what was wrong. I had to buy more storage to fix the problem. I do not want to buy any more storage. I just want to divorce iCloud, basically. How do I make sure all of my stuff is back on my computer, and I how do I get rid of iCloud. This is too much aggravation, and it has begun to feel like it is set up this way just to make me constantly buy more storage.

If you do not have iTunes on your pc you need to instal it, once it is installed connect your iPad via the charging cable to the pc.
One of the options will be to back up the iPad to this pc, select that option, let it backup, check the date of the latest backup to ensure it completed.
Once that is all done go back to the settings in the iPad and de-select the items you don’t want in iCloud.

 

[NSquirrel]

A bit more, if you don’t want to save particular files, for example if you printed them as you mention earlier, just delete them in the Files folder on the iPhone and then turn off all apps as I posted in previous post.

Btw, do you share your icloud with anyone else? I have our iPad and two iphones on the same Apple ID and hence same icloud. This means that they all back up to the same icloud 5Gb. I do take things off at times, mainly photos, hence my total icloud use is currently 1.9Gb for all three (It did go up to 4.9Gb in Rome recently!)

Another thought: Standard photos using the standard iPhone photos app save photos upto about 2 Mb each in heic or jpg format. I have another app, Camera +, which saves photos in raw mode - about 14Mb each, but I do not use that very often. Obviously video and live photos can be larger.

 

[HunnieBunnie]

Thank you. I have tried this, but iCloud still has my phone messed up. This is the same thing that happened last time except last time I had no idea what was causing the problem. Guess I am going to have to bell Apple support. So sorry I ever used iCloud.

For anyone who is unaware, if you have photos you want to store, there is a website called Shutterfly. You can sign up and store your photos there for free. They never delete your photos. I do not have a little bit of music stored on my computer but no films or anything else, so I think I will just rely on my computer to keep what little music I have stored and to keep my documents stored. Otherwise, at the rate I am going with iCloud, I would be buying more and more storage over time. It is not worth it to me, although I can understand why some people might find it worth it.

 

[HunnieBunnie]

If you do not have iTunes on your pc you need to instal it, once it is installed connect your iPad via the charging cable to the pc.
One of the options will be to back up the iPad to this pc, select that option, let it backup, check the date of the latest backup to ensure it completed.
Once that is all done go back to the settings in the iPad and de-select the items you don’t want in iCloud.

I do not have iPad. I have a Macbook Air that is about seven years old, and I have iPhone 5s.

 

[HunnieBunnie]

A bit more, if you don’t want to save particular files, for example if you printed them as you mention earlier, just delete them in the Files folder on the iPhone and then turn off all apps as I posted in previous post.

Btw, do you share your icloud with anyone else? I have our iPad and two iphones on the same Apple ID and hence same icloud. This means that they all back up to the same icloud 5Gb. I do take things off at times, mainly photos, hence my total icloud use is currently 1.9Gb for all three (It did go up to 4.9Gb in Rome recently!)

Another thought: Standard photos using the standard iPhone photos app save photos upto about 2 Mb each in heic or jpg format. I have another app, Camera +, which saves photos in raw mode - about 14Mb each, but I do not use that very often. Obviously video and live photos can be larger.

No, I am the only one who uses any of this. Re photo format and saving, etc., it is all Greek to me. Seriously, most of this tech talk goes right over my head. I am just not very tech-savvy. What happens with my photos is that most of them these days come from my phone, and I upload them to my Mac every time I plug the phone in to charge (if there are new ones to upload), and then whatever happens with iCloud happens behind the scenes for me. I presume the computer and the phone are sending photos up there as well as documents (how else could I run out of space?). I know how to delete photos from my Mac. It is not very hard, and I can check and delete quite a few photos at a time. I am unable to do that with iPhone, or at least if it is possible, I do not know how to do do it. I have to go in and delete them one by one, and frankly, that is so TEDIOUS that I procrastinate in doing it, which is why I currently have a bunch of photos on my iPhone that I do not need or want in there. I mean, if I take a few photos of a set of salt & pepper shakers (just a made up example) to sell on eBay or whatever, once I upload them to the computer and then add the photos to the listing, I have no reason to keep them on my phone, but they are still there, and if I do not discipline myself to go in and delete them one by one, then they pile up like so many old newspapers whilst one is out of town or something.

I think I am just sick of dealing with all of this stuff. It seems I never have enough time in a day to get things done anymore, and taking the time to delete photos and to delete phone call records (outgoing, incoming, etc.) ends up eating up more time than it should be worth to me. I hope that makes sense. I am just tired of it. Do not misunderstand, I do love my mobile phone, but there are days whence I wish our phones still looked like they did in the 1940s, you know?

 

[NSquirrel]

Considering your problems, if you can go to an Apple shop or similar in person, I think you may have more luck at their Genius Bar, rather than phoning them. Obviously, though, in your case that may not be practical. Your icloud space, even though you now want to stop using it, must be filling up with something strange and that may cause other problems.

It maybe that a clean install would be worthwhile, but that can be a pain making sure that everything is backed up/ copied/ etc.