How to free up storage space on your iPhone or iPad

This guide is designed to show you how to free up storage space on your iPhone and iPad. Running out of storage space on your iPhone or iPad can be frustrating, to say the least. Whether it’s a message that tells you there’s not enough room to take another photo or the inability to download that new app, managing storage can often feel like a never-ending chore. Fortunately, iOS makes it relatively easy to take control of your storage space with several built-in features. This guide will walk you through the best methods to free up space on your device, from initial preparations to advanced manual techniques.

Backup your data

Before you begin the journey of cleaning up your device’s storage, ensure that your data is secure. It’s advisable to back up your iPhone or iPad to either iCloud or a computer. This step is crucial, as it prevents any accidental loss of important data during the process.

Check storage usage

To get started, you’ll want to understand exactly what’s taking up all the space on your device. iOS provides an easy way to do this. Go to Settings, navigate to General, and then tap on iPhone/iPad Storage. You’ll see a graph that categorizes your storage usage, breaking it down by content type like photos, messages, and apps. This breakdown is a valuable starting point to decide what to tackle first.

Storage management recommendations

iOS offers storage management recommendations tailored to your specific usage. Within the iPhone/iPad Storage section, you’ll find suggestions that can help free up space. These recommendations might include offloading unused apps or deleting old conversations and attachments in Messages. The best part is that many of these actions can run automatically in the background, saving you time and effort.

Manually remove content

While automated suggestions are helpful, you may want to have more control over what gets deleted. For this, you can scroll through the list of apps in the iPhone/iPad Storage settings and opt to manually delete specific data. For example, if you have several old conversations with large attachments in Messages, you can review and delete them to free up considerable space.

Offload unused apps

Offloading apps is another manual option that can help you save space without sacrificing data. When you offload an app, it removes the app from your device but retains its associated data. This means you can reinstall it later without losing any information, making this an excellent option for apps you don’t frequently use but might need in the future.

Delete apps completely

If you need more drastic measures, you can opt to delete apps entirely. This action will remove both the app and all of its data, freeing up more room. Be sure you won’t need the data before choosing this option, as it’s irreversible.

Review the changes

Once you’ve made your changes, it’s a good idea to go back to your storage settings to assess the impact. This will allow you to see how much space you’ve successfully reclaimed, and help you decide if further action is needed.

In summary, freeing up space on your iPhone or iPad doesn’t have to be a Herculean task. By utilizing built-in iOS features and taking a bit of time to manually review your storage, you can effectively manage your device’s available space, ensuring a smoother and faster user experience.