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How to free up storage on iPhone

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and tap Enable next to Offload Unused Apps. The iPhone removes apps you haven't opened in a while but keeps their documents and data. Tap an offloaded app's icon later and it downloads again.

How to do it

  1. Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage. The bar at the top takes a few seconds to fill in.

  2. Under the bar, tap Enable next to Offload Unused Apps. If it isn't listed, the same switch is in Settings > Apps > App Store.

  3. To offload one big app yourself, tap it in the list, then Offload App. Delete App is the other button, and that one wipes its data too.

  4. Deleted photos keep taking space for 30 days. In Photos, open Recently Deleted, tap Select, then Delete All.

My Storage Full warning used to come back every couple of weeks, and every time I went and deleted photos I actually wanted. When I finally looked at the storage screen, most of the space was apps I'd opened once on holiday.

Offloading isn't deleting. The icon stays on your home screen with a little cloud next to the name, and one tap brings the app back with your data and settings where you left them.

One catch. An offloaded app has to download again before it opens, so don't count on one you haven't used in months when you're somewhere with no signal.

Other ways to do it

  • Optimize iPhone Storage Built in

    Pick it if photos and videos are the biggest bar. The full-size originals live in iCloud and the phone keeps smaller copies.

    Stick with this tip if apps are what's filling the phone, or you don't pay for iCloud storage.

  • Delete the app By hand

    Pick it if you know you'll never open it again and don't need anything saved in it.

    Stick with this tip if you might want the app back later, with your data still in it.

Questions people ask

What's the difference between Offload App and Delete App?

Offload removes the app and keeps its documents and data. Delete removes both. If there's any chance you'll use the app again, offload it.

Will offloading delete my photos or messages?

No. It only touches apps. Photos, messages and files stay on the phone.

How do I get an offloaded app back?

Tap its icon. There's a small cloud next to the name, and the app downloads again from the App Store. If the developer has pulled it from the store, it won't come back, so think twice before offloading something old.

Why didn't deleting photos free up any space?

Deleted photos sit in the Recently Deleted album for 30 days and still count. Open that album in Photos, tap Select, then Delete All.

What is System Data and can I clear it?

It's caches, logs and temporary files, and there's no button to clear it. It usually shrinks by itself after a restart or once the phone runs low on space.

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