{"id":49141,"date":"2023-12-01T01:26:26","date_gmt":"2023-12-01T01:26:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?p=49141"},"modified":"2026-05-18T19:20:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T19:20:17","slug":"how-to-clean-junk-files-on-your-iphone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-junk-files-iphone.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Clean Junk Files on Your iPhone"},"content":{"rendered":"

iPhones are notorious for collecting a lot of “junk files” that clutter the device and make it annoying to maintain, along with the added bonus of using up storage space that you could be using for apps or data you actually need.<\/p>\r\n

Unfortunately, it can be tedious and confusing to hunt down all your junk files manually, since they are scattered across apps and directories on your device. To help you, we created an in-depth guide summarizing different types of “junk files” that commonly appear on an iPhone and how to systematically eliminate them.<\/p>\r\n

<\/span>Identify Junk Files on Your iPhone<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

What exactly are junk files on iPhone? The items listed below are normally considered “junk.” Take a look at each item and its description to decide if it’s something you can remove.<\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Photos and videos<\/td>\r\nYour Photo Library is a prime suspect for clutter build-up, such as similar and duplicate photos, old or unwanted images, and large video files you don\u2019t need. You can use the Photos app\u2019s limited cleaning features<\/a> or use a third-party tool like Clever Cleaner<\/a> ✅ to speed things up.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Unused apps<\/td>\r\nApps from Apple or third parties that you don’t need or have stopped using take up unnecessary space. Either delete them completely<\/a> or use the Offloading feature<\/a> to keep your data while removing the app itself.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
App cache<\/td>\r\nApps like social networks and media streaming services store temporary files to load quicker and retrieve items faster. You can clear your caches by either restarting your iPhone<\/a> or manually through each app’s settings<\/a>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
In-app downloads<\/td>\r\nMany streaming apps allow you to download content for offline consumption (sometimes automatically). You can usually delete them from the app\u2019s download page<\/a>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Browser cache<\/td>\r\nSimilar to app cache, web browsers like Safari, Chrome, and Firefox store caches for the websites you visit. You can easily access Safari’s cache clearing through Settings<\/a>, or use each browser’s built-in options like Chrome’s Clear Browsing Data feature.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Messages and attachments<\/td>\r\nOld text messages and large message attachments you don’t need can needlessly consume space. Review and remove these through the Messages app<\/a>. You can also\u00a0set automatic message deletion timeframes.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Downloaded files<\/td>\r\nFiles you\u2019ve downloaded from different sources are sometimes consolidated in the Files app, and you can use that (or any preferred file manager) to delete unwanted files<\/a> on your iPhone.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Unwanted and duplicate contacts<\/td>\r\nOld, unwanted, and duplicate contacts quietly build up and get carried over to each new device (if iCloud is enabled). Fortunately, iOS has several built-in cleaning tools for cleaning your address book<\/a>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

<\/div>\r\n

To check your storage settings and see what consumes the most space, open the Settings<\/b> app, choose General<\/b>, and select iPhone Storage<\/b>.<\/p>\r\n

\"iPhone<\/p>\r\n

View the graph at the top for a summary of used and available storage, the list of apps sorted by size, and the exact amount of System Data usage at the bottom. This type of data can have hidden junk files and is usually managed by iOS automatically, but there are ways to manually clear system data<\/a> if it gets too large.<\/p>\r\n

<\/span>Methods to Clean Junk Files Manually<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

Once you take a peek at your device storage, it’s time to clear the junk from your iPhone. If you’re ready to make room for the items you really need, here are several methods for de-junking your device.<\/p>\r\n

💡 Pro Tip<\/b>: Before you use any of the methods listed below, consider backing up your device<\/a>. This allows you to restore items<\/a> you may remove accidentally. However, note that restoring a backup will undo the cleanup process you just completed.<\/div>\r\n

<\/span>Method 1:<\/span> Restart Your iPhone<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\r\n

When you restart your iPhone, this removes the temporary files, or caches, that consume system storage. While the system data refills as caches are created and resources are needed, and your system normally takes care of temporary files itself, you can manually free up a bit of space temporarily.<\/p>\r\n

Restart your iPhone using the steps below depending on your device model:<\/p>\r\n