How to Free Up Space on iPhone

If you frequently receive “Storage Full” alerts on your iPhone—especially when trying to take photos or videos—you might be struggling with limited storage space. Understanding why this happens and learning how to free up space effectively can help you maximize your device’s performance and usability.

IPhones come with fixed internal storage, unlike some Android phones that allow for expandable storage via a microSD card. Additionally, Apple’s pricing strategy often makes higher storage models significantly more expensive, leading many users to opt for lower-capacity versions to save money.

However, with iPhones featuring increasingly advanced cameras and apps that store vast amounts of data, storage space can quickly run out—even on models with higher capacity.

To keep your iPhone running smoothly, managing storage is essential. Below, we’ve compiled five effective tips to help you free up space and continue using your device without limitations.

1. Clear App Cache Memory

Over time, apps on your iPhone generate cache and temporary data, taking up valuable storage space. Removing unused apps is one of the easiest ways to clear this clutter. You can enable automatic app removal by following these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap App Store.
3. Scroll down and enable Uninstall Unused Apps.

This feature automatically removes apps you haven’t used in a while but keeps their data, so you can reinstall them later without losing any important information.

However, frequently used apps also accumulate cache, which can be cleared manually without deleting the app itself. Here’s how:

iPhone with Home button

1. Close open apps. Then turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in the Control Center and turn on Airplane Mode;
2. Press the iPhone’s power button to bring up the power off options, but don’t select any.
3. While holding down the power button, click the Home button and hold for 10 seconds.
4. After the screen goes off, release the buttons. After the system starts, unlock the device.
5. Turn off the device using the power button. Finally, wait a minute, turn on and use your iPhone normally.

iPhone with Face ID

1. Close open applications. Then, turn off the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection in Control Center and activate Airplane Mode;
2. Press the button on the right side with the volume up button for a few seconds and turn it off;
3. Please wait a minute, turn it on, and use the iPhone normally.

Repeating this process weekly can help maintain a cleaner system, especially for apps that frequently download and store large amounts of data, such as social media platforms and mobile games.

Clearing Cache Without Deleting Apps

For apps you use daily that still accumulate cache, deleting them might not be ideal. Instead, you can manually clear the cache depending on your iPhone model and the specific app.

Here’s how:

• Some apps, like Safari, allow you to clear cache directly from Settings (Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data).
• Social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter often require reinstalling the app to clear their cache.
• Some apps have a built-in cache-clearing option in their settings (check within the app for this feature).

Regularly clearing cache frees up storage and helps keep your iPhone running smoothly.

2. Delete “Others” Folder Data

How to Free Up Space by Clearing the “Other” Category on iPhone

The “Other” storage in iOS can be a bit of a mystery since there’s no direct way to access its data. This category consists of accumulated files from native system apps, which can take up significant storage space over time.

A simple way to clear this hidden data is by deleting files from apps you no longer need. Some common culprits include:

• Downloaded files stored in the Files app
• Voice recordings are saved in the Voice Memos app
• Old notes (especially those with images or attachments) in the Notes app
• Email attachments in the Mail app
• iOS software updates that have been downloaded but not yet installed

Regularly clearing these files can help keep the “Other” category from taking up too much space. If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide, we have a detailed article on deleting “Other” storage and optimizing your iPhone’s space.

3. Clear Safari browsing data

If you frequently use Safari, the browser stores website data, cookies, and cached files, which can accumulate over time and take up storage space. Clearing this data periodically can help free up space:

• Open Settings and go to Safari.
• Tap Clear History and Website Data.
• Confirm the action when prompted.

This will remove browsing history and cached files, potentially freeing up significant storage.

• Clear Safari History on Mac and iPhone

4. Delete downloaded WhatsApp files

WhatsApp automatically downloads and stores media files such as photos, videos, voice messages, and documents. Over time, this can occupy a large portion of your iPhone’s storage. To manage and delete unnecessary files:

• Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
• Tap Storage and Data > Manage Storage.
• Review and delete large media files under the “Larger than 5 MB” and “Frequently Forwarded” categories.

Deleting unwanted media from individual chats can also help free up additional space.

• Disable WhatsApp Backup on iPhone

5. Make an iCloud backup

Apple’s iCloud service provides a convenient way to store data in the cloud instead of keeping everything on your iPhone. To enable iCloud Backup:

• Open Settings and tap on your Apple ID at the top.
• Select iCloud > iCloud Backup.
• Enable iCloud Backup.

This ensures your important data is backed up to iCloud, allowing you to delete large files from your device without losing them permanently.

By following these storage management tips, you can keep your iPhone running smoothly and avoid running out of space at inconvenient times. To check which apps and files consume the most storage, navigate to Settings > General > iPhone Storage for a detailed breakdown. Regular maintenance and smart storage practices will help maximize your device’s space.

• Delete Photos from iPhone and Keep in iCloud
• Free Up iCloud Storage
• Free Apple Watch Storage