Are you running out of storage on your iPhone? Do you notice the “Other” storage taking up a substantial amount of space? If so, you’re not alone. Many iPhone users struggle with managing their device’s storage. Other storage on the iPhone includes various types of data, such as cached files, messages, and attachments, which can accumulate over time and take up valuable space.
In this article, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to clear “Other” storage on iPhone and free up some much-needed space. Follow our step-by-step guide to optimize your iPhone’s storage and keep it running smoothly. Let’s get started.
Check “Other” Storage on iPhone
The first step to clearing “Other” storage on your iPhone is to check how much space it’s taking up. To do this, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. You’ll see a breakdown of your storage usage, including how much space is being used by “Other.”
Understanding what types of data are included in “Other” storage can help you determine where to focus your efforts in clearing it. “Other” storage includes cached files, system data, Siri voices, and more. It’s essential to note that “Other” storage can be a combination of different types of data, so clearing it may require several different steps.
To get a more in-depth understanding of what’s included in “Other” storage, you can use a third-party app like PhoneClean. This app will scan your device and give you a detailed breakdown of your storage usage, including how much space is being used by “Other.” Using this app can help you identify which types of data are taking up the most space and, in turn, help you determine which steps to take to clear it.
Delete Unwanted Apps
One of the quickest ways to clear “Other” storage on your iPhone is to delete unwanted apps. Apps that you no longer use can take up a substantial amount of space, especially if they contain a lot of data, such as photos or videos.
To identify which apps are taking up the most space, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. You’ll see a list of apps sorted by how much storage they’re using. Delete any apps that you no longer use or need.
If you’re hesitant to delete an app entirely, you can also offload it. Offloading an app removes the app from your device but keeps its data intact. This way, if you decide to reinstall the app in the future, you won’t lose any data. To offload an app, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, then tap on the app you want to offload and select “Offload App.”
Clear Safari Cache
Safari cache is another type of data that contributes to “Other” storage on your iPhone. Cache files are temporary files that are stored on your device to help webpages load faster. While cache files can be helpful in speeding up your browsing experience, they can also take up a lot of space over time.
To clear Safari cache on your iPhone, go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. This will delete all browsing history, cookies, and cache files from Safari. Keep in mind that clearing Safari cache will also log you out of any websites you’re currently signed in to, so make sure you have your login information handy before clearing the cache.
Manage Messages
Messages and their attachments can also take up a significant amount of space on your iPhone. If you have a lot of text messages, photos, or videos in your Messages app, it’s time to start managing them to free up some space.
To manage Messages, go to Settings > Messages > Message History. From here, you can choose how long you want to keep your messages. By default, messages are set to be kept forever, but you can change this to 30 days or 1 year.
You can also delete individual messages or entire conversations. To delete a message, swipe left on the message and tap “Delete.” To delete an entire conversation, swipe left on the conversation and tap “Delete.”
Another way to manage Messages is to delete attachments. Photos and videos that are sent and received via Messages can take up a lot of space. To delete attachments, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Messages. From here, you’ll see a list of your conversations, sorted by how much storage they’re using. Tap on a conversation to see a breakdown of how much space is being used by attachments. You can then delete individual attachments or delete all attachments from the conversation.
By managing your Messages, you can free up a significant amount of space on your iPhone and keep it running smoothly.
Manage Messages
Messages, including text messages, iMessages, and their attachments, can take up a significant amount of space on your iPhone and contribute to “Other” storage. To manage your messages and reduce “Other” storage, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings > Messages > Message History.
- Select “Keep Messages” and choose to keep messages for 30 days or 1 year instead of forever.
- Go back to the Messages screen and scroll down to “Message Attachments.”
- Tap on each attachment type, such as Photos or Videos, and choose to “Review Large Attachments.”
- Select the attachments you want to delete and tap “Delete.”
By limiting how long you keep messages and deleting unnecessary attachments, you can significantly reduce the amount of “Other” storage on your iPhone.
Clear Recently Deleted Folder
When you delete a photo or video from your iPhone, it’s not entirely gone. Instead, it’s moved to the Recently Deleted folder, where it’s stored for 30 days before being permanently deleted. This means that the Recently Deleted folder can take up a considerable amount of space on your device, especially if you take a lot of photos or videos.
To clear the Recently Deleted folder and free up space on your iPhone:
- Open the Photos app and go to the “Albums” tab.
- Scroll down to “Recently Deleted” and tap on it.
- Tap “Select” in the upper right corner.
- Choose “Delete All” to permanently delete all items in the Recently Deleted folder, or select individual items and tap “Delete” to remove them one by one.
By clearing the Recently Deleted folder regularly, you can free up valuable space on your iPhone and reduce the amount of “Other” storage. Keep in mind that once you delete items from the Recently Deleted folder, they cannot be recovered. So make sure to double-check before deleting anything.
