How to delete old backups from your iPhone

Perform a backup is something we have to do frequently, Is even required in the case of seeking technical assistance in the Genius Bar of an Apple Store.

These backups can be done in iTunes or iCloud, according to personal taste and mode of use. Let's imagine that we make them automatic in iCloud and we are running out of space, how to delete the old ones? This is one of the occasions when it will be good for us to know how these backup copies are erased, Note that we will see it for iPhone but it is exactly the same for iPad.

Delete a backup in iTunes

If you use iTunes instead of iCloud to backup, this file is stored on your computer and we can delete it directly from iTunes.

1. Open iTunes.
2. In the menu bar, go to iTunes> Preferences (on Windows: Edit> Preferences).
3. In the preferences, go to the tab Devices.
4. Now you will see a list of all backup files that have been made on the computer, from all the devices synced with your iTunes account. Now you can select the backup you want to delete, you can select multiple backups at the same time by holding down the Command key.
5. Click the button Delete and this pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to delete the backup. 

And so we can clean old copies or from devices that we do not use.

Delete an iCloud backup from Mac

If the backup is in iCloud, we can also access these backups and delete them directly from the Mac.

1. In the menu bar of your Mac, go to > System preferences.
2. Click on the icon iCloud.
3. This will load the iCloud preferences. Click on the button Administrator at the bottom right of the window.
4. This will upload all of your iCloud content. Select the Backups tab at the top of the list, which will show all the iCloud backups of all your devices connected to your iTunes account. 
5. Select backup iCloud that you want to delete and click on Delete
6. A confirmation message will appear. Click Delete to confirm and delete the backup file forever.

You can repeat the process for each backup file you want to delete.

Delete an iCloud backup from iPhone

This process of deleting iCloud backups can be done directly from iPhone or iPad.

1. On the iPhone go to Settings > iCloud > Storage and copy > Manage storage.
2. At the top, you will see all backups from iOS.
3. Select the copy to delete. A window will appear with all the content of the copy.
4. Press Delete copy security, and a pop-up window will make you confirm action.

The backup will be deleted and, as it says in the confirmation window, iCloud backup will be deleted too, disabling iCloud copies at the same time, so if you want to continue doing them like this you will have to re-activate the option in Settings > iCloud > Storage and copy > ICloud copy