Eight Strategies to Increase Your iPhone Storage Without Spending Money

Quick Tips from ZDNET

If you've faced the annoying 'iPhone Storage Full' alert, rest assured you're not alone. Space gets consumed quickly due to photos, videos, and various system files that accumulate over time without notice.

While purchasing a bigger iCloud+ plan might be tempting, numerous no-cost methods exist to reclaim space. Explore these tried-and-true strategies.

1. Inspect System Data Utilization

It's useful to identify storage culprits before deleting anything. System Data can grow unnoticed, often consisting of caches and temporary files managed by iOS.

The size fluctuates; one moment it might spike to 30GB and later drop significantly overnight. Though you can't manually clear it, terminating unused apps and restarting the device can sometimes reduce its size. For instance, I recently reduced mine from 17GB to 12GB just by following these steps.

A 5GB reduction was achieved without much effort!

2. Remove or Offload Unused Apps

Offloading apps is a powerful iPhone feature that keeps your data secure in iCloud while removing the app itself from your device. When reinstalled, everything is restored seamlessly. By offloading rarely used apps, you free up space occupied by app files.

I've offloaded apps like GarageBand, freeing over 1GB. Permanent deletion is another option, erasing both app and data. Use offloading for temporary deletions and full removal if the app is no longer needed.

3. Purge iPhone Cache

Clearing cache can alleviate storage issues and performance sluggishness. Apps accumulate temporary files intended to quicken processes, but excessive cache does the opposite. Although iOS lacks a universal 'clear cache' function, certain apps like Safari, Chrome, and Snapchat offer cache clearance options.

By routinely clearing cache, you improve your iPhone's operation and eliminate glitches.

4. Delete Unnecessary Photos and Videos

Photos and videos are notorious for occupying vast storage. Periodically review your Photos app, and delete unnecessary bursts, screenshots, recordings, downloads, and duplicates, especially if captured in high resolution.

For a less labor-intensive method, use built-in photo search to locate images from specific dates across years, allowing for manageable clearance.

5. Optimize Photo Storage

Even if you utilize the basic free iCloud+ tier, optimizing storage can considerably reduce data taken by photos and videos. By storing high-resolution files in iCloud and smaller versions on your device, you save space while maintaining access.

Keep in mind, as your iCloud fills, an upgrade might be necessary.

6. Relocate Files Off Your Device

Prefer offline backups? Transfer substantial files to a computer or external storage devices. Once verified, delete the originals from your device for immediate space recovery.

7. Examine Large Attachments

Investigating large attachments in your Messages allows easy identification of unnecessary files. These attachments grow unnoticed in active chats, but the Review Large Attachments feature brings them together for simplified management and removal.

8. Consider Purchasing Extra iCloud+ Space

When all else fails and storage expansion is unavoidable, consider extending your iCloud+ plan. Though it doesn't physically enlarge your iPhone's capacity, it enhances usability, particularly with optimized settings.

iCloud+ plans start at $0.99 monthly for 50GB, while larger tiers provide extensive space for more demanding needs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are Third-Party Cleaning Apps Worth It?

Though personally untested, ZDNET's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes advocates for them. Some charge in-app fees but offer expedited cleanup. Opt for reputed apps and review included deletions to avoid data loss.

Does Restarting My iPhone Clear Storage?

It might. Restarting can induce cache clearance, especially if System Data is excessively swollen.

Should I Upgrade to a New iPhone?

While costly, upgrading might be the easiest long-term fix when local storage needs surmount.