iPhone Storage Full? Try These Fixes

Common causes

• Photos and videos stored in their original, high-resolution version
• Apps you no longer use, along with their data
• Videos downloaded for offline viewing
• Message conversations and attachments
• Files and documents you no longer need
• Space used by iOS itself and by system assets

Step-by-Step Solutions

Start by checking what is using your storage, then work through the steps that match the biggest items on the list.

1. 1

   Step 1: Check what is using your storage

   The iPhone Storage screen shows how much space is left and which apps use the most.

   Open Settings, tap General, then tap iPhone Storage. Your available storage is shown at the top of the screen, followed by recommendations and a list of apps with their storage usage.

   Tap an app’s name to see more about how it uses storage. Cached data and temporary data might not count toward an app’s usage.

   Good to know

   When your iPhone is low on storage, it frees up space on its own by removing items you can download again or that aren’t needed, such as unused apps and temporary files.

2. 2

   Step 2: Use the storage recommendations

   Your iPhone may suggest ways to save space right on the iPhone Storage screen.

   If your iPhone shows a “Storage Almost Full” alert, start with the recommendations. On the iPhone Storage screen, tap Show All to see them.

   Read the description of each recommendation, then tap Enable to turn it on, or tap the recommendation to review the items you can delete.

   Good to know

   In iOS 17 or later, Recommended for You can point out photos, large files or backups you might not need anymore.

3. 3

   Step 3: Offload or delete apps you don’t use

   Offloading frees an app’s space but keeps your data, while deleting removes the app and its data.

   On the iPhone Storage screen, tap an app to choose what to do. Offloading the app frees up the storage it uses but keeps its documents and data. Deleting the app removes the app and its related data.

   You can also touch and hold the app, tap Remove App, tap Delete App, then tap Delete to confirm.

   To let your iPhone do this for you, open Settings, tap Apps, tap App Store, then turn on Offload Unused Apps. When storage is low, your iPhone removes unused apps but keeps their data. The app icon stays on your Home Screen with a cloud symbol, and you tap it to reinstall the app.

   Good to know

   Deleting an app doesn’t cancel its in-app subscriptions, so cancel any you don’t need first. Some built-in Apple apps can’t be deleted.

4. 4

   Step 4: Turn on Optimize iPhone Storage for photos

   With iCloud Photos, your iPhone can keep space-saving copies while the full-resolution originals stay in iCloud.

   By default, your photos and videos are stored on your iPhone in their original, high-resolution version, which uses a lot of space.

   Open Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, then tap Photos. Turn on Sync this iPhone. In iOS 27 or later, tap iPhone Storage. Make sure Optimize iPhone Storage is turned on.

   With Optimize iPhone Storage on, full-resolution photos and videos are stored in iCloud, and space-saving copies are kept on your iPhone when needed.

   Good to know

   This uses your iCloud storage, which is separate from the storage on your iPhone. iCloud includes 5 GB of free storage, and you can upgrade to iCloud+ for more. If you’d rather not keep some photos and videos in iCloud, you can transfer them to your computer instead.

5. 5

   Step 5: Delete photos and videos you don’t need

   Remove unwanted photos and videos, and merge duplicates, after backing up the ones you want to keep.

   Back up the photos and videos you still want first. If you use iCloud Photos, deleting a photo or video on your iPhone also deletes it on your other devices signed in with the same Apple Account.

   To delete several at once, open Photos, tap Select, then tap the photos or slide your finger across them. Tap the Trash button, then confirm.

   To merge duplicates, open Photos, tap Collections, swipe up, then tap the Duplicates album under Utilities. Tap Merge to combine a set, or tap Select, then Select All, then Merge. Your iPhone keeps one photo with the highest image quality and moves the others to Recently Deleted.

   Good to know

   The Duplicates album needs iOS 16 or later, and finding duplicates can take some time. If the Trash button is gray, the photos may have been synced from your computer, and you might need to stop syncing photos from the computer.

6. 6

   Step 6: Empty Recently Deleted in Photos

   Deleted photos and videos stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days unless you remove them sooner.

   Open Photos, tap Collections, swipe up, then tap Recently Deleted under Utilities. Tap View Album and use Face ID or Touch ID to unlock it.

   Tap Select and choose the items, or to remove everything, tap Cancel, then tap Select again. Tap the More button, then tap Delete or Delete All, and confirm with Delete from All Devices or Delete Photos I Added.

   Good to know

   Items you delete from Recently Deleted can’t be recovered, so check the album before you empty it.

7. 7

   Step 7: Clear out old messages and attachments

   Messages and their attachments count toward your storage, and old ones can be removed automatically.

   In Messages, delete conversations you no longer need: touch and hold a conversation in the list, then tap Delete. Deleted messages and attachments stay in the Recently Deleted folder for up to 30 days, and you can recover them during that time.

   To remove old messages on an ongoing basis, open Settings, tap Apps, then tap Messages. Scroll down, tap Keep Messages below Message History, then choose an option.

   Good to know

   If you choose anything other than Forever, your conversations, including all attachments, are removed automatically after that time period. If you use Messages in iCloud, deleting a conversation on your iPhone deletes it from all your devices where Messages in iCloud is turned on.

8. 8

   Step 8: Remove downloaded videos and old files

   Downloaded videos and files you’ve finished with are easy items to clear.

   Review the videos you’ve downloaded for offline viewing in the TV app and other streaming apps, and remove the ones you’ve already watched. Then look for files and documents you no longer need in the Files app and delete them.

9. 9

   Step 9: Check storage from your computer

   Your Mac or PC can show your iPhone’s storage by content type and remove content synced from the computer.

   On a Mac, open the Finder. On a PC, open the Apple Devices app, or iTunes if your PC doesn’t have it. Connect your iPhone and select it, and a bar shows how much storage your content uses by type.

   Content you synced from your computer can’t be removed on your iPhone. To remove it, deselect it in the Finder, Apple Devices app or iTunes, then click Sync.

   Good to know

   Your computer counts cached music, videos and photos as Other, so its numbers can differ from what your iPhone shows. For usage on the iPhone itself, use the iPhone Storage screen in Settings.

Frequently Asked Questions