Start by checking what's actually taking up space

Before you delete anything, you need to see which apps and files are using the most storage. Open Settings, tap General, then tap iPhone Storage. You'll see a list of everything on your phone ranked by size — apps at the top usually take the most room, followed by photos and videos.

The storage meter at the very top shows your total capacity and how much is left. If you're seeing less than 1 GB free, your phone will slow down and stop letting you install updates. If you're seeing less than 500 MB, your phone may refuse to take photos or send messages until you make space.

Scroll through this list and look for apps you haven't opened in months. These are usually safe to remove first. You'll also see a category called "System Data" — this is temporary files your phone creates and clears on its own, so don't worry about it unless it's taking up more than 5 GB.

Key Takeaways

  • Check Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see exactly which apps and files are using the most space before you delete anything.
  • Deleting an app removes it from your phone but keeps your account data safe — you can reinstall it later and your settings will return.
  • Photos and videos take up far more space than apps, so moving them to iCloud or your computer frees up the most room fastest.
  • Offload an app instead of deleting it if you want to keep your data but free up the space it uses — Settings > General > iPhone Storage > the app name > Offload App.
  • Enable iCloud Photos to automatically store full-resolution versions in the cloud while keeping lower-quality copies on your phone, freeing up gigabytes when ready.

Delete apps you're not using regularly

From the iPhone Storage list, tap any app you haven't opened in weeks. You'll see two options: Offload App and Delete App. If you choose Delete App, the app disappears and you lose any data stored only in that app — like saved games or notes you wrote inside the app itself. Your account information stays safe on the company's servers, so you can reinstall the app later and log back in.

Offload App is gentler: it removes the app but keeps your data. When you reinstall it, everything comes back. This takes up less space than Delete App because it removes the app code but keeps the supporting files. Use Offload if you might want the app back soon, or if you're not sure whether you'll need it again.

Games and social media apps are usually the biggest space-takers after photos. Deleting Instagram, TikTok, or a game you haven't played in three months can free up 500 MB to 2 GB when ready. You can always reinstall them from the App Store later.

Move photos and videos to iCloud or your computer

Photos and videos are almost always what fills up an iPhone. A single 4K video can be 1 GB or more. The fastest way to free up space is to move them somewhere else — either iCloud (Apple's cloud storage) or your computer.

If you have iCloud+ (Apple's paid plan, starting at $0.99 per month for 50 GB), turn on iCloud Photos in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos. Toggle on iCloud Photos. Your phone will upload all your photos and videos to the cloud. Once the upload finishes, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, scroll down to Photos, and tap it. You'll see an option to "Optimize iPhone Storage" — turn this on. Your phone will now keep lower-quality versions of your photos locally while storing full-quality versions in the cloud. This usually frees up 50 to 80 percent of your photo storage.

If you don't want to pay for iCloud, connect your iPhone to a Mac or Windows computer with a USB cable. On a Mac, open Finder, click your iPhone in the sidebar, and click Photos. Check "Sync photos" and choose the folder on your computer where you want them saved. On Windows, open the Photos app, click Import, select your iPhone, and choose which photos to move. Once they're on your computer, you can delete them from your phone in the Photos app — select them, tap Delete, and confirm.

Clear the cache and temporary files apps create

Apps store temporary data called cache to load faster next time you open them. This usually doesn't take much space, but some apps — especially streaming services and social media — can accumulate gigabytes of cached videos and images.

You can't delete cache directly from most apps. Instead, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find the app, tap it, and choose Offload App. This clears the cache. Then reinstall the app from the App Store. Your login and settings will return, but the cached data is gone.

For apps that let you manage cache directly, open the app's settings. Instagram, Spotify, and YouTube all have options to clear cache or downloaded content. Look for a Settings or Storage section inside the app itself. Clearing downloaded videos from YouTube or Spotify can free up several gigabytes if you've been saving content for offline use.

Turn off automatic downloads and backups you don't need

Your iPhone automatically downloads and stores things you may not realize. Go to Settings > App Store and turn off Automatic Downloads for apps, music, and books. This prevents your phone from downloading things you bought on other devices.

Check Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage to see what's backing up. If you have iCloud Backup turned on, your phone backs up app data, messages, and settings every night when plugged in and on Wi-Fi. This backup counts against your iCloud storage limit. If you're running low on iCloud space and don't need automatic backups, turn off iCloud Backup in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups. You can still back up manually by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Backup and tapping Back Up Now.

Messages with large attachments also pile up. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, tap Messages, and you'll see how much space conversations are using. Delete old group chats or threads with lots of photos and videos.

Use Low Power Mode to prevent automatic photo optimization

When your phone is nearly full, iOS automatically deletes cached files and temporary data to keep your phone running. This happens without asking you. If you want more control, enable Low Power Mode in Settings > Battery, which stops some automatic background tasks and slows down photo processing — but it also prevents your phone from automatically clearing space without your permission.

Low Power Mode reduces performance slightly, so use it only if you're managing storage carefully. Once you've freed up space, you can turn it off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting an app erase my account or saved data?

Deleting the app removes it from your phone, but your account stays safe on the company's servers. When you reinstall the app and log back in, your account and most settings return. However, data stored only on your phone — like notes you wrote in the app or game progress saved locally — will be lost. Check the app's settings to see if it backs up data to the cloud.

How much space will moving photos to iCloud actually free up?

If you enable iCloud Photos and turn on Optimize iPhone Storage, you'll typically free up 50 to 80 percent of your photo storage. The exact amount depends on how many high-resolution photos you have. A phone with 5 GB of photos might free up 3 to 4 GB. You keep lower-quality versions on your phone for quick viewing, and full-quality versions stay in the cloud.

What happens if I run out of iCloud storage?

If your iCloud storage is full, your phone stops backing up and stops uploading new photos to iCloud Photos. You'll see a warning in Settings. You can either delete old backups and photos from iCloud, buy more storage, or turn off iCloud Photos and use a different backup method like your computer.

Can I recover photos after I delete them from my iPhone?

Yes, if they were backed up to iCloud or your computer. If you deleted them from your phone but they're still in iCloud, go to iCloud.com, open Photos, and check the Recently Deleted folder — deleted photos stay there for 30 days. If they were on your computer, check your computer's backup or trash folder.

Why does my iPhone say I'm out of storage when I just deleted apps?

Deleting an app doesn't always free up space when ready. Your phone may need to restart or run maintenance tasks to reclaim the space. Restart your phone by turning it off and back on, then check iPhone Storage again. If space still hasn't returned, the app may have left behind supporting files — try offloading and reinstalling it instead.