Syncing with iCloud Paused: Complete Guide to Fix It
Fix "syncing with iCloud paused" issues with simple steps and expert tips to improve syncing efficiency on your iPhone or iPad.
Liam Carter 08/07/2025
Fix "syncing with iCloud paused" issues with simple steps and expert tips to improve syncing efficiency on your iPhone or iPad.
Liam Carter 08/07/2025
If you’ve ever seen the message “Syncing with iCloud paused” pop up on your iPhone, you’re not alone, and it can be pretty annoying. Cloud is one of the big reasons Apple users love sticking with the ecosystem. It keeps everything, from photos and messages to documents and backups,in sync across your devices without you having to think about it.
However, users might see “iCloud syncing paused” on the screen and wonder, “Why is syncing with iCloud paused?” and “How to get rid of syncing with iCloud paused?”
There could be numerous reasons for iCloud syncing paused, and the good part is that they can be easily fixed.
This guide breaks down on why syncing with iCloud paused and how to fix syncing with iCloud paused.
Syncing with iCloud refers to your iPhone uploading and updating data to your iCloud account. When you see “syncing with iCloud paused,” it means that your iPhone is no longer uploading or downloading data to your iCloud account. This can be a hassle for people who rely solely on iCloud for backup, as their recent data may not get backed up.
Most of the time, it’s nothing to stress about. The pause usually clears up on its own once the phone is connected to Wi-Fi again, charged, or out of Low Power Mode. But if it doesn’t go away, it could be due to issues like running out of iCloud storage, not being signed in with the right Apple ID, or using an outdated version of iOS.
In short: your data isn’t lost, but it might not be syncing until the pause is resolved.
This can impact things like your photos, messages, documents, and even your backups. If syncing stays paused for a while, any new changes, like a photo you just took or a contact you added, might not show up on your other Apple devices. It can be frustrating, especially if you’re used to everything staying perfectly in sync across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
It might also delay your automatic iCloud backups, which means if something happens to your phone, you might lose recent data. And for people who use iCloud Drive to store files or work between devices, syncing being paused can cause files to stop updating or even disappear temporarily.
Before diving into fixes, it helps to understand why iCloud might pause syncing in the first place. In most cases, it’s triggered by something simple and thankfully, something you can easily fix.
Let’s have a look at the most common causes of “Why does it say syncing with iCloud paused?”
No Wi-Fi Connection: iCloud syncs data across devices when connected to a stable internet connection. If your device does not have an active Wi-Fi connection or mobile data turned on, it might not sync data, showing the “Syncing with iCloud paused” message on the screen.
Insufficient Storage: Sometimes, iCloud might stop syncing data when the storage is already full. In this situation, you either need to free up storage or purchase more iCloud storage.
Low Power Mode: When you put your phone in Low Power Mode, it halts all non-essential functions to conserve battery, including iCloud sync.
Different iCloud accounts across devices: You might wonder, why your phone says “Syncing with iCloud paused” when the devices have different Apple IDs. Make sure you sign in with the same account credentials on all devices to sync data automatically.
Outdated iOS: Sometimes, paused iCloud syncing may not be your fault, and your phone might stop syncing because of compatibility issues. This can happen in older iPhones with an outdated iOS version.
Now that you know why you see the Syncing with iCloud paused message, you can find out why is syncing with iCloud paused on your device. This will help you choose the most suitable method to fix iCloud syncing paused.
If you’re unsure of the reason for iCloud syncing stopping, the first step is to check your iCloud storage to see if you have enough space. If your iCloud storage is full, you can either purchase more storage or free up space to make room for new data. You can also delete data from individual apps.
How to free up space on your iCloud?
Step 1. Open iCloud Drive and delete unneeded large files.
Step 2. Delete old backups from Manage Storage in iCloud. Go to Settings and click on your Name. Open iCloud and go to Manage Storage. Select Backups and delete any old backups.
How to change your iCloud storage plan?
In case you do not have any extra videos or older backups on your phone, you might want to consider purchasing more storage or changing your iCloud storage plan. Here’s how you can upgrade your iCloud storage:
Step 1. Go to Settings
Step 2. Tap your Name
Step 3. Select iCloud
Step 4. Open Manage Storage
Step 5. Click Storage Plan
Now, you can change the storage plan to one with more storage to avoid pausing data syncing.
How to prevent your iCloud from running out of space?
If your iCloud storage has been running out fast, here are some tips to manage iCloud storage:
Disable apps that you do not need to back up to iCloud.
Disable iCloud Photo Library to avoid storing high-resolution images in iCloud.
Delete old emails with large attachments or move them to another cloud service.
Other than iCloud storage issues, your phone might have an internal issue, showing you “syncing with iCloud paused” on the screen. You can try to force sync and restart your phone to resume iCloud sync.
Step 1. Go to Settings on your iPhone.
Step 2. Tap your profile at the top and select iCloud.
Step 3. Navigate to Apps using iCloud and select Show All.
Step 4. Tap Messages in iCloud from the list.
Step 5. Select Sync Now to force sync the data when it does not happen automatically.
Step 6. Now, press and hold the volume button and the side button simultaneously
Step 7. Drag the Power Off slider to turn off your device; wait for 30 to 60 seconds.
Step 8. Press the side button to turn on your phone.
Manually syncing and restarting your phone can help troubleshoot issues that cause your phone to pause syncing.
Your iPhone will not be able to sync iCloud data without an internet connection. The phone might be connected to an internet connection that is not working properly. When you experience iPhone messages syncing with iCloud paused issues, it is best to check your internet connection and reconnect it if needed.
Follow these steps to fix network connection issues on iPhone for iPhone syncing with iCloud paused:
Step 1. Open Settings on your iPhone and tap the Wi-Fi icon.
Step 2. Check if you have a blue checkmark next to the Wi-Fi network name; it shows you’re connected to the Wi-Fi.
If you do not see the tick mark or find “Not Connected” mentioned, it means you are not connected to the internet.
Step 1. Open Wi-Fi settings again and tap your preferred Wi-Fi network.
Step 2. Enter the Wi-Fi password if needed.
Step 3. Wait for the blue checkmark to appear.
Sometimes, the internet might not connect quickly; you can forget and rejoin the network.
Step 1. Click the (i) next to the network name.
Step 2. Select Forget this network.
Step 3. Tap on the network name again and reconnect to it by entering the password.
Sometimes, users enable low power mode to conserve battery life and forget to disable it. This can lead to a pause in syncing iCloud data, making it a problem for those who rely on iCloud for data backup. Disabling Low Power Mode is incredibly easy.
Here’s how to disable Low Power Mode in iPhone when syncing with iCloud paused iPhone:
Step 1. Close all apps on your phone.
Step 2. Open the Settings app.
Step 3. Scroll down and tap Battery.
Step 4. Toggle Low Power Mode to turn it off (the switch will turn from green to gray)
Step 5. Shut down your device and then turn it back on.
Step 6. Recheck that Low Power Mode is turned off.
You can skip turning the device off and restarting it; this helps avoid any other issues that may cause the iCloud backup to pause.
In case you have tried everything else, your iOS software may be the culprit here. The best part is that updating your iOS to the latest version is super-simple. Make sure your iPhone is connected to the internet and has sufficient battery. Follow these easy steps:
Step 1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Step 2. Select General and tap Software Update. You will see available software updates here.
Step 3. Tap Download and Install to install the available updates; enter your passcode if prompted. Let the process complete without interruption.
When nothing else helps with how to fix syncing with iCloud paused, you can try signing out and signing back into iCloud. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide on signing out of iCloud and signing back in.
Step 1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Step 2. Tap your profile at the top.
Step 3. Select Sign Out from the options.
Step 4. Enter your Apple ID password and confirm sign out.
To sign into your iCloud account again:
Step 1. Go to the Settings app on your phone.
Step 2. Select Sign In to your iPhone.
Step 3. Add your Apple ID and password.
Step 4. Follow the prompts and sign in to your device.
If you have been seeing “Syncing with iCloud paused” on your phone recently and want to avoid it in the future, we’ve put together a few tips to improve iCloud syncing efficiency.
Make sure that your phone is always connected to a stable internet connection for data backup to proceed smoothly.
Whenever you turn on Low Power Mode, turn it off as soon as you charge your phone to resume data syncing.
Keep your device updated to the latest iOS version to avoid compatibility issues that may lead to problems with iCloud syncing.
Sign in to all your devices with the same Apple ID to ensure data backup across all devices.
Turn off sync for apps that you do not require data backup for, to save storage space.
Turn off Photo Library to avoid backing up photos that may take a lot of space on iCloud.
While iCloud sync is one of the star features of iPhones, often users see “syncing with iCloud paused” on their screens. This message indicates that your iPhone is unable to upload or download data to iCloud This could be due to multiple reasons, which can be resolved easily. You might not have signed into iCloud using the same Apple ID, which can be fixed by ensuring that you use the same Apple ID across all devices. If the device is not connected to an internet connection or has Low Power Mode enabled, reconnecting to the internet and turning off the Low Power Mode will help. If nothing helps, make sure that your device is updated to the latest iOS or try deleting previous backups to make space on iCloud. We hope now you know how to fix syncing with iCloud paused to get rid of messages syncing with iCloud paused.
We hope now you know how to fix syncing with iCloud paused and get rid of the message. Staying on top of your iCloud settings ensures your data, whether it’s precious memories in Photos, important conversations in Messages, or documents in iCloud Drive, remains safe and accessible across all your Apple devices.
Always keep an eye on your storage space, regularly check your iCloud status, and make sure you're connected to a stable Wi-Fi network. By following these simple habits, you can avoid sync interruptions and enjoy the seamless Apple experience that iCloud is designed to offer.
Q1. How do I unpause iCloud syncing?
If your iCloud shows a “syncing with iCloud paused” message, you can try making space on iCloud by deleting previous backups and enabling backup for only important apps. Additionally, restarting the phone may help resolve any issues with iCloud sync.
Q2. What does syncing with iCloud paused mean on messages?
It means that iCloud has stopped syncing your data, and you might not have a backup of the latest messages. When iCloud sync is paused, the data will not be available on other devices as well.
Q3. How do I get my iCloud to sync again?
There could be numerous solutions to “Why is sync with iCloud paused” depending on the reason. You can try deleting older backups from iCloud, check your internet connection, sign out and sign in to iCloud again, disable Low Power Mode, or update iOS to the latest version.
Q4. Why is syncing with iCloud stuck
If your iCloud sync is stuck, it’s highly likely that your internet connection is not stable or disconnected. On the other hand, there may not be enough storage in iCloud to save your data. Consider deleting large files from the backup or purchasing more storage to ensure hassle-free iCloud sync.
Q5. Why does iCloud syncing pause when Low Power Mode is on? When your iPhone is in Low Power Mode, it temporarily disables background activities to save battery life, including iCloud syncing. This means your data won't update to iCloud until your phone is either charged enough or Low Power Mode is turned off.
Q6. Can poor Wi-Fi cause iCloud to stop syncing? Yes, a weak or unstable internet connection can interrupt the syncing process. Since iCloud relies on Wi-Fi for most backups and uploads, a slow or spotty connection might cause syncing to pause or stop completely.
Q7. Will my data be lost if iCloud syncing is paused? No, your data won’t be deleted or lost just because syncing is paused. It simply means the data hasn’t been uploaded yet. Once the issue is resolved, your iPhone should resume syncing and back everything up as usual.
Q8. Does syncing with iCloud paused affect all apps? It depends. Some apps may continue functioning normally, but any app that relies on iCloud for storage or syncing (like Photos, Notes, or Messages) will be affected. You might notice delays or missing content across devices until syncing resumes.
Q9. How long does iCloud stay paused?
There’s no fixed time,it depends on the cause. Sometimes it resolves within minutes once the phone is charged or reconnected to Wi-Fi. Other times, you may need to manually troubleshoot if the pause continues too long.
