- Learn to manage the storage your iPhone o iPad with system tools
- Take advantage of iCloud, apps in the cloud and external storage to save space
- Learn how to detect and remove files, apps, and system data that are bloating memory.
- Keep your Apple devices running smoother and performing at their best.
Having your iPhone or iPad storage maxed out is one of the most common problems among Apple device users, especially if you didn't choose a model with a lot of capacity from the start. Photos, videos, apps, files, and caches that accumulate without you noticing can slow down the system, preventing you from even downloading an update or taking a simple photo.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll explain how to free up space on iOS and iPadOS using built-in system features, third-party tools, and a thorough cleanup of your files, without losing what really matters or needing to be a tech expert. If you're already noticing your iPhone or iPad running slower or receiving notifications that you're running low on storage, keep reading because this article is for you.
How to see what's taking up space on your iPhone or iPad
The first step to freeing up memory on any Apple device is to analyze which files or apps are consuming the most storage . You can easily do this from within the system settings.
Simply go to Settings > General > Storage on your iPhone or iPad to access a complete, visual breakdown of your storage usage. Here you'll see how much space is allocated to apps, photos, system data, email, files, and even the mysterious "System Data" that worries so many users.
This will give you a clear idea of where you should act first. Additionally, the system will provide automatic suggestions such as uninstalling unused apps or reviewing large attachments in Messages. If you'd like to learn more about storage management on other systems, you might be interested in our article on freeing up space on a Mac.
Delete system data and cache
One of the biggest silent occupants of storage is so-called "System Data ," a category that includes everything from Siri voices to temporary system files, browsing history, databases , FaceTime calls , and much more.
While Apple does not allow you to directly delete this data, there are safe and easy ways to significantly reduce its size.
- Clear Safari cache: Go to Settings > Safari and tap Clear history and website data.
- Reinstall apps that accumulate a lot of data. Go to Settings > General > Storage on your iPhone or iPad. Select the apps with the most Documents and Data, uninstall them, and then reinstall them from the App Store.
- Reboot your device from time to time: This forces the system to free up temporary memory, which is especially helpful if you don't turn off your device often.
- Update iOS or iPadOS: With each update, Apple optimizes resources and removes obsolete system files that often remain taking up space.
Additionally, you can use third-party tools like Boost Cleaner, CleanerX, or Cleaner Kit for a deeper system cleanup, identifying duplicate photos, repeated contacts, unnecessary videos, and more. While not essential, these tools can be helpful if you're looking to free up space with a single tap without manual searching. If you also need information on how to free up space in Windows , check out our guide on freeing up space in Windows 11.
Manage your photos and videos efficiently
Images and video recordings are among the things that take up the most space on Apple devices . The more photos you take, the more 4K clips you record, or the more Live Photos you save, the faster you'll see your storage fill up.
To prevent this from happening, start by enabling the "Optimize iPhone/iPad Storage" option in Settings > Photos. This makes the device save a lower-quality version and leave the original stored in iCloud, only downloading it when you access it.
Other key recommendations:
- Turn on “Photos in iCloud” If you have an iCloud subscription, it allows you to keep your entire gallery synced to the cloud without overloading your internal storage.
- Use apps like Google Photos to back up to other free services. With 15 GB free, you can store thousands of high-quality compressed photos; if you want to learn more about using Google Photos to free up space, check out our guide on free up space with Google Photos.
- Turn off Live Photos or HDR: From Settings > Camera, you can turn off Live Photos, HDR, and reduce video quality to make your captures take up less space.
- Delete duplicate photos and videos: Go to the Photos app > Albums > Duplicates and delete duplicate images. You can do this manually or with third-party apps.
Uninstall apps that you don't use or that take up a lot of space
Another direct and effective way to save space is to delete apps you no longer use . In many cases, we install apps out of simple curiosity or for a specific reason, and then they end up taking up space without us even realizing it.
From Settings > General > Storage, you'll see a list of all installed apps sorted by the amount of space they consume. Here you can:
- Delete the app completely, if you no longer need it. This also deletes the associated data.
- “Download the app” (Offload): Keeps the saved data but deletes the app. Very useful if you plan to use it occasionally.
- Activate “Delete unused apps” from Settings > App Store. The system will automatically delete apps you haven't used in a while, but without deleting their data.
Empty the downloads folder and the Files app
iOS and iPadOS have a downloads folder that we often forget to check, but it can be full of PDFs, images, and even large videos that we no longer need.
To manage them:
- Open the application Archives and enter “On my iPhone” or “On my iPad”.
- Find the folder Downloads or any other where you store documents.
- Select and delete files you no longer use or save important ones to iCloud Drive.
- If you have heavy documents that you want to keep, move them to a cloud service such as Google Drive, Dropbox or iCloud to lighten internal memory.
Manage your downloaded music, videos, and episodes
Listening to music offline or watching series without an internet connection is very useful, but it can also fill up your iPhone or iPad without you realizing it.
To free up space:
- Go to Settings > General > Storage and select the “Music” app to delete songs or albums you no longer listen to.
- From the Music app, go to Library > Downloaded Music and long press to delete specific content.
- Delete podcasts you've already listened to and turn off auto-download from Settings > Podcasts.
- Do the same if you use video apps like Netflix or Apple TV+. Delete downloaded episodes and turn off auto-download if you don't need it.
Organize and clean your Messages and Mail app
Text messages, emails, and especially their attachments can take up more space than you think, especially if you've been collecting conversations for years.
To put things in order and free up space:
- Set up automatic deletion in Messages from Settings > Messages > Keep Messages and select 30 days or 1 year.
- Manually delete media files in conversations: Enter a chat, tap on the contact's name > Info and delete photos or videos sent.
- Check the Mail app and delete large emails, especially if they have attachments. If you use other apps like Gmail, clean up from their own interface.
Use external storage and cloud services
If you still need more space or don't want to lose anything, you can expand your storage options with online services or physical devices.
Very practical options:
- iCloud Drive: Integrated with the system, it allows you to store photos, videos, documents and synchronize everything across all your Apple devices.
- Google Drive or Dropbox: useful for work files, sharing documents or saving temporary items without taking up local memory.
- External hard drives: If your iPad has USB-C, you can directly connect memories USB, discs SSD or SD cards. If it has Lightning, you'll need adapters.
- NAS or personal servers: like those from Synology, to create your own private cloud with remote access from anywhere.
- Telegram as cloud storage: You can send videos, folders, and photos to yourself, and access them from any device with the app.
Choose your device's storage capacity wisely
If you're thinking of buying a new iPhone or iPad, choose the model carefully based on how you'll use it . And if you already have one, you can better plan how to manage it.
For example:
- If you are going to use it for edit videos or photos, create content, or store large projects, opt for 256GB or larger models.
- If you only need it for browsing, social networks, reading and you use the cloud a lot, 64 or 128 GB may be sufficient.
- Do not forget that Apple devices do not allow internal storage expansion.Choosing less and relying on iCloud can be more expensive in the long run.
There are countless ways to free up space without losing your content or complicating things. From reviewing your photos and messages to moving documents to the cloud, deleting forgotten apps, or adjusting how you take photos and consume content, with a little organization and by following these tips, your iPhone or iPad will not only recover space but also run more smoothly, quickly, and efficiently.
Passionate writer about the world of bytes and technology in general. I love sharing my knowledge through writing, and that's what I'll do on this blog, show you all the most interesting things about gadgets, software, hardware, tech trends, and more. My goal is to help you navigate the digital world in a simple and entertaining way.