Cleaning cloud storage on Honor 9: complete guide with nuances

Cloud storage on Honor 9 is a convenient tool for backing up photos, contacts and documents, but over time it inevitably fills up. When the free space comes to an end, the smartphone begins to issue notifications about the need to clear, and the synchronization of new data is blocked. Unlike the internal memory of the phone, the cloud requires a special approach: here you cannot simply click “Clear cache” or delete temporary files with one tap.

The problem is complicated by the fact that the interface Huawei Cloud (used on Honor 9) has changed with the release of new versions EMUI, and some functions are now hidden for additional settings. In this article we will look all available methods of cleaning the cloud from basic file deletion to disabling automatic synchronization, which often eats up space unnoticed. We will place special emphasis on the nuances specific to the model Honor 9 with firmware EMUI 5.1/8.0 and later updates.

Important: if you have never used the Huawei cloud, but see notifications that it is full, there may be a problem in hidden backup copiescreated automatically by the system. They can also be deleted - we’ll talk about this in one of the sections below.

1. Checking the current state of your cloud storage

Before you start cleaning, you need to understand what exactly takes up space your cloud. On Honor 9 this information is hidden deep in the settings, and the path to it depends on the version EMUI.

Open the application Settings and follow one of the paths (depending on the firmware):

• 📱 Settings → Huawei ID → Cloud (for EMUI 5.1/8.0)
• ☁️ Settings → Accounts → Huawei ID → Cloud (for EMUI 9.0+)
• 🔧 Settings → System → Cloud (if you previously changed the location of menu items)

In the window that opens, you will see a graph of storage usage broken down by category: Photo/Video, Contact, Notes, Sound recordings and Other filesClick on any category to see a detailed list. files sorted by date or size. It also displays the exact amount of available space and the subscription expiration date (if it is active).

⚠️ Attention: If in the cloud usage graph you see a category "System". data" with a volume of several gigabytes, do not try to delete it manually. These are backup copies of system settings created during the update. EMUIThey can only be deleted through a cloud reset (section 5).

2. Deleting files from the cloud manually

The most obvious way to free up space is delete unnecessary files directly from the cloud storage. On Honor 9 this can be done in two ways: through the app Files or through the Huawei web version Cloud.

Method 1: Through the "Files" application

1. Open the application Files (folder icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the tab Cloud (may be called Huawei Cloud).
3. Select a file category (for example, Images or Documents).
4. Tap and hold the file to highlight, then select the rest of the unnecessary files.
5. Tap on the trash can icon (🗑️) in the top menu and confirm deletion.

Method 2: Through the web version of Huawei Cloud

If files are not displayed on the phone or the application Files does not work correctly, use the browser:

1. Go to the website cloud.huawei.com (log in with the same Huawei IDas on your phone).
2. In the menu on the left, select the section File management.
3. Sort files by size (click on the column Size) and delete the largest ones.

Outdated screenshots (Screenshots folder)

Duplicate photos (for example, from instant messengers)

Outdated backups notes

Recordings from a voice recorder that are older than 6 months

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On Honor 9 there is often a problem when deleted files do not disappear from the cloud immediately. This is due to caching: the system can store local copies for up to 30 days. To speed up the process, go to. in Settings → Applications → Files → Memory and press Clear cache.

3. synchronization

One of the main reasons for the cloud to overflow with Honor 9 — automatic synchronization photos, contacts and notes. By default, it is turned on, and many users do not even suspect that their gallery is silently duplicated in the cloud, taking up space.

To disable synchronization:

1. Go to Settings → Huawei ID → Cloud.
2. Select Synchronization settings.
3. Disable the sliders next to unnecessary ones categories:
   • 📷 Gallery (the most "gluttonous" item)
   • 📞 Contact (if you do not use backups)
   • 📝 Notes and Calendar

After synchronization is turned off, new files will no longer be uploaded to cloud, but old data will remain. They must be deleted manually (see section 2). Also pay attention to the item Autoload when connected to Wi-Fi - it is also better to disable it if you do not actively use the cloud.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware Honor 9 after disabling gallery synchronization, the function "Memory optimization" (automatic deletion of local copies of photos when there is not enough space) stops working. If this function is important to you, do not disable synchronization completely - instead, limit the size of downloaded files (section 4).

4. Setting storage limits and rules

If you do not want to give up the cloud completely, but need to save space, configure storage rules. For example, you can limit uploading to only high-quality photos (without videos) or set a limit on file size.

To do this:

1. Go to Settings → Huawei ID → Cloud → Synchronization settings.
2. Select Gallery (or another category).
3. Enable the option Wi-Fi onlyto avoid downloading files via the mobile data.
4. Click Download quality and select High (if you need to save space) or Original (if quality is more important).
5. Activate Size limit and set the maximum size of the uploaded file (for example, 10 MB for photos).

Another useful trick is setting exceptions. For example, you can prevent the loading of screenshots or photos from certain folders (for example, Telegram or WhatsApp):

1. In the gallery synchronization settings, select Exceptions.
2. Add folders whose contents should not be uploaded to the cloud.

5. Deleting system and application backups

Honor 9 automatically creates backups system settings, SMS, call logs and some application data. These copies may take up space. from 500 MB to 2-3 GB, but it is impossible to delete them through the standard interface.

To clear backups:

1. Go to Settings → System → Reset.
2. Select Backup and restore.
3. Click Managing backups (or Local copiesif use EMUI 9+).
4. Select unnecessary copies (usually they are named by date, for example, Backup_20231015) and delete them.

If there are no backups in the list copies, but the cloud is still full, check hidden application data:

1. Open Settings → Applications.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper corner and select Show system processes.
3. Find Huawei Backup or Cloud services, open the storage and clear the cache.
What happens if you delete all backups?

When you delete backups, you will lose the ability to restore:

- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings

- SMS and call history (if not synchronized with Google)

- Data of some system applications (for example, Calendar or Notes)

- Location of icons on the main screen

But: This does not affect photos, videos or documents manually uploaded to the cloud. They must be deleted separately (see section 2).

⚠️ Attention: On some versions EMUI for Honor 9 backups are stored not in the Huawei cloud, but in local storage. (folder /Huawei/Backup). Before deleting, check whether they are taking up space in the phone’s internal memory through the app Files.

6. Alternative ways to free up space

If after all the manipulations the cloud is still full, try these methods:

• 🔄 Reset cloud data: Go to Settings → Huawei ID → Cloud → Reset dataThis will delete all files from the cloud without the possibility of recovery, but will leave the account active. Use only as a last resort!
• 📦 Transfer files to another cloud: Download data from Huawei Cloud to your computer (via cloud.huawei.com), and then upload them to Google Drive or Yandex Disk. After that, clear Huawei Cloud.
• 💳 Storage expansion: If you critically need space, you can buy additional space (from 50 GB to 2 TB). Prices start from ~100 rubles per month. You can pay through Settings → Huawei ID → Cloud → Buy space.
• 📵 Unlinking your account: The last resort is to delete Huawei ID from your phone (to Settings → Accounts). This will disable all cloud services, but will free up space. Attention: after this you will lose access to all data in the cloud!

If you decide to use a paid storage expansion, keep in mind that tariffs may vary depending on the region. For example, in Russia and countries. There are special offers in the CIS, and prices are higher in Europe. Check the exact rates in the application. Huawei Cloud.

7. Problems and errors when cleaning the cloud

Users often encounter errors when working with the cloud: Honor 9 Users often encounter errors when working with the cloud. Here are the most common ones and how to solve them:

If you see a message when deleting files "The file is being used by another application", this means that the file is locked for editing. To unlock it:

1. Close all applications that can use the file (gallery, photo editor, etc.).
2. Restart the phone.
3. Try deleting the file again.

If the error persists, try deleting the file through the web version of the cloud (cloud.huawei.com) or from another device linked to that same Huawei ID.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about the cloud on Honor 9