How to get more storage for iPhone and iPad
An iPhone model comes in different storage configurations. The more storage a model has, the more it will cost. For each bump in the storage capacity, Apple adds $100 to the price tag. The iPhone 13 has a 512GB model and the iPhone 13 Pro has a 1TB model. iPad models follow a similar storage and pricing model.
Get more storage for iPhone and iPad
Photos and videos recorded in newer iPhone models tend to be large files. This is a given since the camera is able to capture higher resolutions and finer details. The side effect here is that while you may be taking the same number of photos as you did before, they’re now filling your phone’s storage up much faster because of their size.
To counter this, you can get an iPhone with more storage space. If you’ve already bought your phone or tablet though, you’re going to have to get an iCloud subscription to increase storage.
iCloud subscriptions
Apple offers additional storage for the iPhone and iPad through iCloud subscriptions. Once you’ve purchased a subscriptions, apps that are authorized to save data to iCloud are able to save files to it. This includes, but is not limited to, the Photos app and the Messages app.
You can buy an iCloud subscription from your iPhone or iPad.
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap your name/Apple ID at the top.
- Tap on iCloud.
- Tap on Manage Storage.
- Select a storage plan to subscribe to.
- Enter your payment information and complete the subscription.
iCloud Storage plans
iCloud’s storage plans start from 50GB and go as high as 2TB. If you do not need this much storage, you have the option to share it with family members who use Apple products. You can also access your iCloud drive from the desktop and save files to it.
- 50GB: $0.99
- 200GB: $2.99
- 1TB: $9.99
In addition to the storage, buying an iCloud subscription also unlocks additional features on the iPhone and iPad such as temporary emails.
Conclusion
Within a specific iPhone model, the only variations, other than the Pro version are storage variations. One model differs from the only based solely on its internal storage space. The iPhone and iPad do not have expandable storage i.e., you cannot add more storage to the device with an SD card. The storage that you get when you buy the device is all you have. The iCloud storage may seem like an additional expense but it’s consistent with what Google offers and it works with a multitude of apps across all your Apple devices.
