iCloud: Cannot Delete Backup, Fix
Reading Time: 2 minutes This article explains how to identify and fix problems with deleting iCloud backups. You may create iCloud backups of your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch so you don’t lose your important information on your iOS device. While backups are important, you may want to remove old backups to free up space in iCloud. For instance you may want to delete your iCloud backups for devices you no longer own.
Normally, backups can easily be deleted from an iOS device by going to Settings > iCloud > Storage > Manage Storage. However, sometimes you may see a vague message stating “cannot delete backup” when you try to delete your old iCloud backups. Error messages you may see:
Cannot Delete Backup. This backup cannot be deleted at this time.
This selected items couldn’t be deleted. Try Again Later
How to fix “Cannot Delete Backup” iCloud Error.
Please perform each step until your issue is resolved:
1-Reboot your device by pressing and holding the Sleep/Wake button until you see the red slider. Simply swipe the slide to power off. To turn your device back on, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until you see the Apple logo.
2-Try these steps:
- Go to Settings > iCloud > Backup > and turn off ‘iCloud Backup’,
- Go to Settings > iCloud > Storage > Manage Storage > Select your device backup that you cannot delete
- You will see a spinning wheel (backup options) that indicates that iCloud is busy performing an operation:
- Wait a few seconds until this wait cursor is gone.
- Now try to delete your backup
3-Log out of iCloud by going to Settings > iCloud and Sign Out. Wait a few seconds and go to Settings > iCloud on your iOS device (iPhone or iPad), and sign in.
4-Tap Settings > iCloud > Backup > and turn off ‘iCloud Backup’, wait a few seconds and turn on again.
5-Try removing your backup using another device. For instance, you may use your Mac by going to Apple menu > System Preferences, click iCloud, click Manage then Delete.
6-Reset your iOS device by pressing and holding down the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons together until you see the Apple logo.
7-Make sure your iOS device is running the latest version of iOS. You can check by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
I did every step and no success. I turned off photos and messages (which were the largest component on my back up) and still didn’t work. Called Apple Support, went through all the same steps and still didn’t let me delete back up from my old phone. If only I could turn on my old phone then i guess it wouldn’t be this much of a hassle.. So the rep who was helping me out ended up creating a trouble ticket. Hoping for a quick resolution..
Hi I’m in the same boat , bought a new phone and cannot delete my old data / backup off my old one. Just getting the Cannot Delete Backup (this backup cannot be deleted at this time) how frustrating has anybody solved this. Any help would be appreciated
I have tried all of these steps and have tried to delete the frozen backup from my iPhone, from my iMac and from my iPad and get the same message that the backup cannot be deleted at this time on each one. I don’t have the photo library enabled and nothing is saved on my devices. so FRUSTRATED.
Same with my old phone. Have you managed to delete the backup until now?
If you have recently attempted a restore from the back-up you’re trying to delete, Apple locks the back-up from deletion for a few days, in order to preserve the back-up file to compensate for possible interruptions while restoring. Wait a few days and try deleting the back-up again.
Sometimes we get an error when we try to delete a File or a folder for no reason , but of course there is a reason.We have many damage file or blocked files.Do not worry if we want to remove the error files or too long path files from our system,here I suggest a smooth way.So use “Long path tool” software and keep yourself.
I am using the new iPhone 7 on IOS 10.2 , I have recently recycled my old iPhone 5s with IOS 10.2 .My new phone has already completed restoring from iCloud but when I go to settings > Icloud > Storage > manage storage >and select my old device I cannot delete the old back up from my new phone – Any Help would be appreciated- Thanks
I have the same issue here. Cannot delete the old backup after restoring on a new iPhone. Have you figured this out? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
Hello guys, I have a same issue, I know it’s been a long time for you but it fustrates me so much. Did you manage to do it?
Same issue here. Any solutions?
Just wait for few days , backup will automatically delete
Long path error!
“Long path tool” is very helpful for this problem. You can solve this problem like copy, delete, long path files by using this tool.
I used to have similar problems too, but after using “long path tool” everything was solved.
if you turn off photo library it will finally back up after all these steps.
I have tried everything and am recycling my old iPad through a reseller. I have to ship it off today, but will continue to try to delete the 1.7gb of back-up data even after it goes in the mail. I even upgraded my storage. Nothing helps. I hope that leaving it for a day or two will be the fix.
just log out of iCloud and all your stuff would be deleted off the iPad sweetheart
None of the above steps work for me either and the backup i need to remove does not list the details of the back up. Any ideas. Anyone… anyone….
disable photo library on iCloud then back up
Thank you very much!
I have repeatedly tried all of the steps mentioned in the article and it just doesn’t work for me. I have had this issue since late last year and have contacted Apple but they can’t figure out what to do. They see an update that did not complete…but I can’t see an update to delete (when I attempt from a different device or from my MacBook). Sometimes the option to delete a backup doesn’t show on my iPhone either but it still shows me having less than half a gb available for backup. Extremely frustrating.
I did all these ways mentioned above but still i cant delete the back up plz i need help
step 2 worked for me! thanks a billion.
Me too
P.S. — I finally was able to delete the backup. I had to first go into Settings > iCloud > Storage > Manage Storage; selected the backup I wanted to delete. It listed all the component items backed up. I disabled Photo Library, which was the largest component. Got the question “Do you want to turn off Photo Library’s backups and delete the backup data from iCloud?” I selected Turn Off & Delete, the data deleted successfully. I was then able to delete the parent backup. iPhone 6 Plus running OS 9.3.1.
This fix worked for me, too, though the backup could not be deleted until I had turned Photo Library off and on again.
Thanks, worked for me.
Thank you so much I hadn’t had a backup since January and now I can finally take my phone out safely.
Like you, Patricia, tried and failed twice, read your tip, tried and failed again. Just a small backup, not even 4 GB, and resolved to carry it throughout my life, but then, days later, pressed delete and voila, it was gone. O joy! Perhaps Apple is sincere when they say “backup cannot be deleted at this time.” Lesson learned: when all else fails, leave it alone for a few days.
tysm This worked :]
I have tried many time to delete my old back up without success until your tip. I did have to wait one day after cycling pic sharing on/off for it to work. I can’t believe Apple makes it this hard to do. Thanks.
Tried every step in this article, twice now, in the order set out. No success.