Article Summary
Regaining storage space on iPhones and iPads can be achieved through several simple steps. Start by checking storage usage through settings and identifying apps that consume the most space. Consider deleting unused apps or using the 'offload apps' feature to save space. Reduce photo size with 'optimize storage' and manage repeated shots and HDR photos to save space. For videos, adjust resolution and frame rate settings to reduce file size. Apps like WhatsApp have built-in tools to manage media and large files. Apple's Music app can automatically remove unused songs with 'Optimize Storage.' Additionally, manage message retention or delete unnecessary attachments. If these steps are not enough, consider upgrading your device.

If you have an iPhone or iPad that is running out of storage space and you are feeling frustrated, don’t worry, there are several steps you can take to reclaim some storage space. In this guide, we will go over several options and methods available to free up storage space on your iPhone and iPad running iOS and iPadOS.


Each new iPhone and iPad model comes with storage capacities ranging from 64GB to 1TB for the iPhone, and 64GB to 2TB for the iPad. While it’s always a good idea to buy the model with the most storage you can afford, even the highest capacity devices can fill up unexpectedly. This can be due to higher video quality and the increasing size and quality of apps and games. From the music you buy and the apps you download, to the videos you shoot and the messages you receive, all of this content is somewhere, either on your device or in the cloud. When your storage space is full, you can’t add more, so the solution is to free up space. Here’s how to do it.

Essential Tips for Saving Storage Space

Apple understands that many users struggle with managing storage on their devices, so it has introduced more tools with successive versions of iOS to help users control which apps and media often take up the most storage space. To check your storage:

◉ Open the Settings app, then choose General → iPhone/iPad Storage.

◉ The storage space used will appear in a colored bar at the top.

◉ A list of recommendations for improving storage may appear, for example by reviewing and deleting large attachments.

◉ Under Recommendations, you'll find a list of installed apps and how much storage space each app uses. The list also tells you when you last used each app, making it easy to find and delete apps you haven't used in a while.

◉ When you delete an app, its icon, data, and all user-generated data are removed. This is convenient if you don’t plan on using the app again, but Apple also gives you the option to offload apps, which frees up storage space while keeping the app icon and user data. If there’s an app you use a lot that’s taking up a lot of space, it’s worth checking if you can clear any cache associated with it.

◉ Another option that Apple added to iOS and iPadOS not long ago is the ability to prevent your iPhone or iPad from automatically installing software updates. Previously, new updates were downloaded automatically in the background and then installed through the Automatic Updates feature. But now, the settings include an option that lets you choose whether or not you want updates to be downloaded automatically.


Free up storage space from photos

Photos stored on your device take up the lion's share of storage space, and that storage space fills up quickly given its capacity and the amount of content you have.

If you see a message that your storage is full, you should check a setting called Optimize Storage, which is designed to work with iCloud Photos. This feature replaces high-resolution photos with smaller versions that take up much less space, while keeping the full-resolution photos in iCloud.

Also, check out the burst mode. Some people may need it to capture a moving scene and then choose the best one. This mode produces a lot of unwanted images, so check it out.

If you have an older iPhone, you can also save space by shooting in HDR. On iPhone X and earlier models, when the camera takes an automatic HDR photo, it can also optionally keep the regular shot in your photo library. You can disable this function if you want and thus save some storage space.

In some cases, you may find your photo library growing even when you’re not taking photos on your device. For example, media that others share with you on WhatsApp may be automatically saved to the Photos app. Disable the “Save to Photos” option in your WhatsApp settings.

If you don't find any of the above, transfer the photos to a computer or somewhere else, then delete them and start over.


Free up storage space from videos

Some of the above photo tips also apply to videos stored in your device's photo library. However, there are other ways to prevent video content from taking up storage space:

◉ You can customize video resolution and frame rate to reduce file size through Settings → Camera → Video recording.

◉ If you regularly download Apple Fitness+ videos to your iPhone or iPad, check the recommendations in Settings → General → iPhone Storage, and you'll find them listed under Review Downloaded Videos, where you can delete them individually or in bulk.

◉ If you have an Apple TV+ subscription, or have rented or purchased movies, you can download videos using the TV app to watch offline. To save space, go to Settings → Apps → TV, then under Download Options, make sure Fast Downloads is selected. This will result in lower-quality videos that use less storage space.


Reclaim space taken up by apps and other media

For example, if you use WhatsApp a lot, it has a built-in media manager that helps you identify, select and delete images, both animated and normal, and videos that may be filling up your storage space.

The tool collects large files and media that have been forwarded multiple times, sorts the files by size in descending order, and provides a way to preview files before deleting them. To access the storage management tool, open the app and go to Settings → Storage & data → Manage storage.

If you're an Apple Music subscriber, you can download songs, playlists, and albums from the Apple Music catalog to your iPhone or iPad for offline listening, but this may gradually eat up storage space over time.

The good news is that the Music app includes a useful feature that can automatically turn on when your device's storage space is running low, automatically removing songs you haven't listened to in a while to free up space.

Go to Settings → Apps → Music → Optimize Storage, and make sure it is enabled.  

Apple Music users can also remove songs and entire albums in the Music app. Just long-press on the item, choose “Delete From Library” from the pop-up menu, then tap “Delete Album/Song.”


Save space from messages

There are several ways to reduce the size of the Messages app. For example, you can set it to ignore old messages that have been on your device for longer than a certain period of time.

Additionally, if you tap on the contact bubble at the top of a message conversation, you can also see every file sent to you in the conversation thread in one easy-to-access place, where you can remove them all at once.


Free up space from other apps

Other Apple apps to check out include the Books app and the Voice Memos app. If you listen to a lot of audiobooks, try deleting old ones, and review any old audio recordings to see if you still need them.


Conclusion

These are the basic tips for saving storage space on your iPhone and iPad, but depending on how you use your device, there may be other ways to free up space on your device. For example, if you manage a lot of files in the Files app, consider compressing large files and folders by selecting Compress from the pop-up menu.

If you’re still running low on space and have exhausted all of the above options, it may be worth resorting to the “ultimate” option, which is a clean install, by wiping your device and starting over. If that doesn’t help, it may be time to upgrade your device and get an iPhone with more space.

Have you ever run out of storage space? What's your favorite way to save space? Let us know in the comments.

Source:

macrumors

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