While iPhones and iPads don't come with an option to upgrade the storage space using an external memory card like some other non-Apple devices do, there are plenty of things within your power that can help clear up storage so you can put everything you want on your device.
One of the first things you can do is keep your iOS device updated at all times. Having the latest update allows you to access all the latest features while maintaining optimal performance. Sometimes, you won't be able to install the latest update due to not having enough storage to download it, and this is a common problem iOS users face. Don't worry; this only means that you should apply some of the tips listed below to clean up your device and you'll be good to go!
How to Check Your iPhone Storage
Before diving into the tips, it's important to know how much space you have available and understand what's consuming your storage. To quickly check your iPhone storage, go to Settings –> General –> iPhone Storage.
This will display a detailed breakdown of how your storage is being used and provide recommendations for optimizing space.
1. Review Storage Recommendations
When you check your iPhone storage, you'll likely see several recommendations for freeing up space. Once you visit Settings –> General –> iPhone Storage, you'll see some recommendations for reclaiming storage on your device. These can include:
Offload Unused Apps
Remove Downloaded Videos/Audio from Media Apps
Clear Downloaded Podcasts
Review Large Attachments
Enable iCloud Photo Library
and more
2. Offload Unused Apps
Offloading unused apps is one of the most effective and hassle-free ways to free up storage on your iOS device. This feature, introduced in iOS 11, allows you to remove apps that you don't use frequently while retaining their data. This means you can reinstall the app later and pick up right where you left off without losing any important information. There are two main ways to offload apps: automatically and manually, plus another one through the recommendations.
Tap on the "Offload Unused Apps" recommendation in your iPhone Storage settings.
Automatically: Go to Settings > App Store, then enable Offload Unused Apps.
Manually: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, select the app, and tap Offload App.
When you offload an app, the app's binary is removed from your device, but all the associated data and documents remain. This means that the app icon will still appear on your home screen with a small download symbol next to it. When you need to use the app again, simply tap the icon, and it will reinstall itself with all your previous data intact.
Offloading apps helps in preserving the organization of your home screen and app folders, as the app icons remain in place. Additionally, if the offloaded app is no longer available in the App Store, you will have the option to either delete or keep the app's data on your device.
3. Remove Downloaded Videos/Audio from Media Apps
Media apps like Netflix, Apple TV, and Spotify are convenient for downloading content to watch or listen to offline, but these downloads can quickly consume large amounts of storage space on your device. Removing downloaded videos and audio files from these apps can free up a significant amount of space. For instance, a single movie download from Netflix can take up to 1-2 GB of storage, and high-quality music downloads from Spotify can also add up quickly.
Podcast episodes, while often smaller than video files, can also accumulate and take up considerable storage space over time. If you're an avid podcast listener who subscribes to multiple shows, your storage can quickly fill up with downloaded episodes.
There are several ways to remove the media files you no longer need:
From Recommendations: Follow the recommendation in your iPhone Storage settings.
From Storage Settings: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, select the media app, and delete downloads.
In-App Options: Open the media app (e.g., Netflix, Apple TV), go to the downloads section, and remove downloaded content.
4. Clear Downloaded Podcasts
Podcast episodes, while often smaller than video files, can also accumulate and take up considerable storage space over time. If you're an avid podcast listener who subscribes to multiple shows, your storage can quickly fill up with downloaded episodes. To remove downloaded podcasts from your device, do the following.
From Recommendations: Follow the recommendation in your iPhone Storage settings.
From Storage Settings: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, select Podcasts, and delete downloaded episodes.
In-App Options: Open the Podcasts app, go to Library > Downloaded, and remove episodes.
5. Remove Large Attachments
Large attachments in the Messages app, such as photos, videos, and other media files, can quietly occupy a lot of storage space over time. These attachments can accumulate from various conversations, making it easy to overlook their cumulative impact on your device's storage. Regularly reviewing and deleting large attachments is crucial for reclaiming valuable storage space. Fortunately, there are several ways to manage and remove these attachments.
From Recommendations: Follow the recommendation in your iPhone Storage settings.
From Messages Settings: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, select Messages, and delete large attachments.
In-App Options: Open the Messages app, find conversations with large attachments, and delete them.
You can also use these methods to remove large attachments from third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp.
6. Use iCloud Photos
Using iCloud Photos is an excellent way to save local storage on your iPhone by storing your photos and videos in the cloud while keeping them accessible on your device. This feature ensures that you have access to your entire photo library across all your Apple devices without taking up significant space on your iPhone. When you enable iCloud Photos, your original, full-resolution photos and videos are uploaded to iCloud, and space-saving versions are kept on your device. This allows you to free up local storage while still being able to view and share your photos whenever you need them.
To enable iCloud Photos, go to Settings –> Your Name –> iCloud –> Photos and toggle on the 'Synch this iPhone' button. Another way to do it is through Settings –> General –> iPhone Storage –> Recommendations.
7. Optimize Photos
Once you're in the Settings –> Your Name –> iCloud –> Photos menu, you can check one more setting to make sure your iCloud Photos are optimized. Scroll a bit down and choose 'Optimize iPhone Storage.' The other option you'll see is 'Download and Keep Originals,' which can severely affect the storage on your iPhone.
Even if you decide to download and keep originals, your iPhone will replace them with smaller versions once it's low on space. Note that you can download full-resolution versions from iCloud whenever you want.
8. Clear the Recently Deleted Album
Photos and videos you delete are moved to the Recently Deleted album, where they stay for 30 days before being permanently deleted. You can clear them manually before the 30 days mark to reclaim storage space.
To do this, go to Photos –> Albums –> Recently Deleted, tap Select in the upper right corner, then tap the ellipsis menu in the bottom right corner, and finally tap 'Delete All'. Confirm by tapping 'Delete From All Devices.'
9. Auto-Delete Old Conversations
Automatically deleting old conversations is a simple and effective way to prevent your Messages app from using too much storage. Over time, text messages, photos, videos, and other attachments can accumulate and take up significant space on your device. By enabling the auto-delete feature, you can ensure that your iPhone regularly cleans up old messages, freeing up storage space without needing to manually manage conversations.
To do this, visit Settings –> Apps –> Messages –> Keep Messages (under Message History), then select 30 days or 1 year to delete them automatically after that time has passed.
If you don't want your phone to decide about deleting messages for you, you can also manually delete just the messages you want and save some space that way.
10. Delete Uninstalled App Updates
Uninstalled app updates can occupy a surprising amount of space on your iPhone. When you uninstall an app, its updates and temporary files may remain on your device, taking up valuable storage. Deleting these residual files can free up space and help keep your device running efficiently.
Uninstalled app updates can take up space. To delete them, go to Settings –> General –> iPhone Storage. Look for Uninstalled Apps, and delete the updates.
11. Delete Unused Apps
Deleting unused apps, including both stock and offloaded apps, is a great way to free up storage space on your iPhone. Stock apps are pre-installed by Apple, but many can be removed if you don't use them. To delete these, simply press and hold the app icon until it jiggles, then tap the "X" or choose "Remove App."
For offloaded apps, which retain their data but not the app itself, go to Settings –> General –> iPhone Storage. Here, you can see a list of all apps, including offloaded ones, and delete them by tapping on the app and selecting "Delete App." This will remove the app and its data, freeing up valuable storage space and keeping your device running efficiently.
12. Remove Duplicate Photos
Duplicate photos can quickly consume a significant amount of storage space on your iPhone, cluttering your photo library and making it difficult to manage your media. By removing these duplicates, you can free up valuable storage and keep your photo library organized.
To delete duplicate photos, navigate to the Duplicates album in the Photos app, which is available under Utilities starting from iOS 16. Tap Merge to combine the duplicates, keeping the highest quality image and relevant data while moving the other duplicates to the Recently Deleted album.
This automated detection process simplifies the task of managing your photos, ensuring you maintain a clean and efficient photo library. Remember to back up your photos before deleting and to periodically check for duplicates to prevent storage issues.
13. Clear Safari Cache
Clearing the Safari cache on your iPhone can free up storage space and improve the browser's performance. Over time, Safari stores data from websites you visit, including images, scripts, and other web elements, which can accumulate and take up significant storage.
To clear the Safari cache, go to Settings –> Apps –> Safari –> Clear History and Website Data. This action removes cookies, browsing history, and other cached data, helping to enhance the browser's speed and responsiveness. Regularly clearing your Safari cache can also protect your privacy by removing stored information about your web activity.
14. Delete Old Voicemails
Regularly deleting old voicemails helps free up some space on your device, ensuring it remains efficient and clutter-free. To delete voicemails, open the Phone app, go to the Voicemail tab, and swipe left on the voicemails you want to remove, then tap Delete. For bulk deletion, you can also tap Edit, select multiple voicemails, and delete them all at once. Keeping your voicemail inbox clean not only saves storage but also makes it easier to manage and access important messages.
15. Migrate Large Files to Cloud Services
Migrating large files to cloud services is an efficient way to free up storage space on your iPhone while keeping your important documents and media accessible. The built-in Files app on iOS allows you to manage files from various cloud storage accounts such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive, all in one place.
Here's a more detailed guide on this process.
16. Delete Analytics Data
If you share analytics data with Apple through your Privacy settings, your iPhone collects and stores various data points about your device usage, which can accumulate over time. While the amount of storage used by this data is generally small—usually just a few kilobytes or megabytes—toggling off the analytics sharing can help clean up these files. To delete this data, go to Settings –> Privacy & Security –> Analytics & Improvements and toggle off any options that share analytics with Apple. Although this may not free up a significant amount of storage, it is a small step towards maintaining a cleaner and more efficient device.
Preventative Tips to Avoid Storage Buildup
1. Use High-Efficiency Format for Photos and Videos
Photos and videos in the High-Efficiency format take up less space. To enable this, go to Settings –> Camera –> Formats and choose High Efficiency. This setting will ensure that new photos are saved in HEIF (High-Efficiency Image Format) and videos in HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding), optimizing your storage usage and allowing you to make the most out of your device's available space.
2. Stop Apps from Downloading Automatically from Other Devices
Preventing apps from automatically downloading on all your devices can help manage your iPhone's storage more effectively. When enabled, Automatic Downloads can cause new apps or updates installed on one device to be automatically downloaded on all devices signed in with the same Apple ID, which can quickly consume storage space. To stop this, go to Settings –> App Store on your iPhone and toggle off Automatic Downloads. This way, you can control which apps are downloaded on your device, ensuring that only necessary apps occupy your storage.
3. Auto-Delete Old Screenshots
If you take numerous screenshots daily, your Photos app can quickly become cluttered. To manage this, you can use a custom automation in the Shortcuts app to automatically delete old screenshots. This involves creating a shortcut that identifies and removes screenshots older than a set period, such as seven days, while preserving important ones marked as favorites or stored in specific albums. This automation can be set to run at specific intervals or triggered by actions like opening the Photos app. For a detailed step-by-step guide, check out the full instructions here.
4. Manage Music Storage
Managing music storage on your iPhone can be hassle-free with Apple Music's auto-delete feature, which removes songs you haven't listened to recently when storage is low. To enable this, go to Settings –> Apps –> Music –> Optimize Storage. Here, toggle on Optimize Storage and choose a minimum storage amount to keep. This setting ensures that when your iPhone needs space, Apple Music will delete old songs first, freeing up storage without you having to manually manage your music library. For a detailed step-by-step guide, check out the full instructions here.
Final Thoughts
After following these storage-saving tips, it's wise to back up your iPhone regularly. Regular backups ensure your data is safe and easily recoverable if needed. This also prevents you from restoring old, unnecessary data after you've cleaned up your device. By keeping your backups current, you can maintain an organized and efficient iPhone, ready to handle new apps, photos, and other data without running into storage issues.
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