Before rushing to delete anything, it helps to understand what’s actually hogging your iPhone storage. Truth is, we all use our phones differently, and your storage issues probably look very different from mine. To get a better picture of what\u2019s taking up space, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage<\/b>.<\/p>\r\n
![\"iPhone](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/iPhone-Storage-Menu.png\")
<\/p>\r\n
There, you\u2019ll see a color-coded bar showing how your storage is being used across different categories \u2013 Apps, Photos, Music, iOS, and System Data. Below this overview, you\u2019ll find a list of all your apps, sorted by how much space they\u2019re consuming. This gives you an immediate visual of what\u2019s eating your storage, and it\u2019s likely that it will align with one of the three following iPhone storage personalities.<\/p>\r\n
- \r\n\t
- The memory hoarder<\/b>: Are you the person who can’t stop snapping photos? My wife’s iPhone, for example, is bursting with over 15,000 family photos – everything from important events to blurry pictures of every single thing my daughter has drawn since she was born. For someone like this, photos and videos can easily eat up more than 50% of all available storage space.<\/li>\r\n\t
- The app accumulator<\/b>: I\u2019m an app collector. I download every interesting app \u201cjust to try it\u201d, but usually forget to delete them later. I also tend to fill my iPhone with games to entertain our kids during long car rides, maps and other navigation apps to prevent us from getting lost when networks are unavailable, and so on. Did you know that some applications (especially games) can use up to 40 GB of storage?<\/li>\r\n\t
- The media miner<\/b>: There are also people like my sister, who unknowingly collect hundreds<\/i> of loose files from different sources\u2013like attachments from messages and emails, AirDropped media, and archive extracts\u2013as she heavily uses her phone for both work and socializing. Before long, they\u2019re forgotten (and undeleted).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
Aside from this user data, hidden cache files further pad storage usage just by you using your iPhone normally. This stuff ranges from applications saving assets so they don\u2019t have to keep reloading the same starting animation, thumbnails from social media apps, vector files of buttons from applications long forgotten\u2026 The list is nearly endless. I once helped a client clear over 4 GB just from TikTok\u2019s cache alone.<\/p>\r\n
Unfortunately, you can\u2019t manage cache files directly, but many applications have built-in, user-facing tools specifically for this purpose. Everything will be covered below. The methods I\u2019ll be demonstrating require at least iOS 16, 17, 18, OR 26, depending on the feature. I tested them on newer iPhone models (15, 16, 17), but they should also work on older supported devices, including the iPhone 11.<\/p>\r\n
💡 Note<\/b>: Interestingly, most iPhone users tend to choose the cheapest model available<\/a>, which naturally comes with the smallest storage capacity (understandable given how much Apple is charging for storage upgrades). It’s no wonder so many of us run into storage problems.<\/div>\r\n<\/span>How to Clear Storage on iPhone<\/span><\/h2>\r\n
Once you\u2019ve identified the worst offenders in your storage breakdown, it\u2019s time for action. Below are the cleanup moves that delivered the biggest gains in my own testing – together they reclaimed 30% of space on my daily\u2011driver iPhone by pruning my Photo Library, purging apps, and managing random media files and attachments. I\u2019ve ordered them by how quickly and how much they paid off for me, but feel free to jump straight to whichever culprit hits you hardest.<\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Method 1:<\/span> Clear Out Photos & Videos You Don\u2019t Need<\/span><\/h3>\r\n
For most iPhone users, photos and videos are the biggest storage hogs. In my 52\u2011device audit, media consumed a median 42% of total capacity, and it exceeded 60% on four phones. If this sounds familiar, cleaning up your media files is likely the fastest way how to clean up iPhone storage for free. The problem? The tools you choose make a huge difference.<\/p>\r\n
If your iPhone storage is completely full, every delete counts. Mentally map out any unwanted videos, duplicate photos<\/a>, old screenshots<\/a>, and other types of media based on your usage. For me, it\u2019s all of the above.<\/div>\r\n1. Use Built\u2011In iOS Tools<\/h4>\r\n
If photos and videos aren\u2019t the main reason your iPhone is running out of space, the built-in Photos app may be all you need. iOS gives you several ways to review and remove unwanted media; if you only have a few dozen items you want to delete and you know exactly where they are in your library, the provided tools should be more than enough.<\/p>\r\n
- \r\n\t
- Open the Photos app and navigate to any album you want to clean up. Alternatively, you can stay in your Library (the consolidated view).<\/li>\r\n\t
- In the top right corner of the screen, tap the Select<\/b> button.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Tap the photos and videos you want to delete. If you keep your finger on the screen and drag it through multiple items, you can select multiple photos and videos at once. Then, tap the Trash button<\/b> (🗑️).
\r\n![\"Deleting](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/iOS-Photos-Delete-Photo.png\")
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nAlternatively, for certain media types, the Photos app provides a number of utilities. You can do things like convert Live Photos to still images<\/a>, delete individual pictures from Burst Photos, and more.<\/p>\r\n
One useful option is Duplicates<\/b>, which finds duplicate photos and lets you merge them. This removes the unnecessary copies, so the space they occupied becomes available again. Here’s how to do it:<\/p>\r\n
- \r\n\t
- Open the Photos app and navigate to the Collections<\/b> page.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Scroll down until you get to the Utilities<\/b> section. Then, tap Duplicates<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Tap the Merge<\/b> button beside any cluster of duplicate photos to combine them into one file.
\r\n![\"Merging](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/iOS-Photos-Merge-Duplicates.png\")
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n2. Use a Third\u2011Party Cleaner (Fast & Automated)<\/h4>\r\n
If photos and videos are taking up a large chunk of your iPhone storage, the built-in Photos tools will start to feel too limited. At that point, it makes sense to use something more flexible and better suited for bulk cleanup; cleaner apps make more sense here.<\/p>\r\n
I\u2019ll be featuring an app called Clever Cleaner for my guide because I found it to be straightforward and packed with useful features.<\/p>\r\n
![\"Clever](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/clever-cleaner-app-store.jpg\")
<\/p>\r\nHere’s my recommended 3-minute routine to free up iPhone storage using Clever Cleaner:<\/b><\/p>\r\n
- \r\n\t
- Download Clever Cleaner<\/a> from the App Store.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Open the app and tap Smart cleanup<\/b>. Then, select the options to clean up similar photos using AI, convert Live Photos to still images, and compress screenshots. This way, you shouldn\u2019t lose anything important, and the app will show you exactly how much space you can reclaim.
![\"Smart](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/clever-cleaner-1-2.jpg\")
\r\n(If you\u2019re unsure about cleaning up similar photos automatically, open the Similars<\/b> section and review each group manually<\/a>. That said, I found the app\u2019s AI quite accurate at identifying the best shot.)<\/li>\r\n\t- Then, head to the Videos<\/b> section. Here, you can either look through the files, select the largest videos you no longer need, and delete them, OR switch to the Compress<\/b> tab and compress the biggest files<\/a>. (I usually choose Max compression- a great way to free up storage on iPhone without deleting anything.)
![\"Videos](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/clever-cleaner-2-2.jpg\")
<\/li>\r\n\t- I usually finish with Swipe<\/b>. Select a month, then work through your photos by swiping left to delete or right to keep. (I now use this feature at least once a month to keep my library organized.)<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
With this quick routine, you should be able to free up at least a few GB of storage in just a few minutes.<\/p>\r\n
Here are the Clever Cleaner features that can help you reclaim the most space on your iPhone:<\/b><\/p>\r\n
- \r\n\t
- Similar Photos<\/b>: The app uses advanced AI to detect not just identical duplicates, but also visually similar photos<\/a> taken in quick succession. You know those moments when you take 15 nearly identical shots of your kid blowing out birthday candles? This feature groups them all together so you can keep just the perfect one and ditch the rest.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Videos<\/b>: Do you take a lot of videos? Unlike the Photos app, Clever Cleaner can sort your videos by size and date<\/a>\u2013so you can delete the largest or oldest videos first. If you don\u2019t want to delete your videos, you can Compress<\/b> them instead\u2013which shrinks their file size with minimal impact on quality. (You can compress photos too<\/a> in the app.)<\/li>\r\n\t
- Screenshots<\/b>: The Screenshots feature has a one-tap delete button. Other than that, you can compress them or swipe through them to decide what to keep.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Live Photo Conversion<\/b>: While Live Photos are fun, each one takes up much more space than a regular photo because it stores both an image and a short video clip. Clever Cleaner\u2019s \u201cLive photos\u201d feature lets you convert these to standard still images in bulk.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Swipe Mode<\/b>: As a married man, I don\u2019t use Tinder\u2013this feature is kind of like that, but for photos. Each of your photos is displayed individually, and then you can swipe left to delete or right to keep. The feature is completely free and unlimited, and you can browse photos by month or use filters for favorites and other categories. I found it to be one of the app\u2019s must-have features.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Smart cleanup<\/b>: This one automatically selects similar photos, screenshots, and Live Photos that can be removed\/compressed to free up space. The quickest way to clean up your library.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
These features are part of the reason why Clever Cleaner ranks as the best iPhone cleaning app<\/a>. Another reason is that putting them to use and saving gigabytes of storage could hardly be any easier. Clever Cleaner is free to use and comes with plenty of daily cleanup capacity. Best of all, the Swipe feature is totally unlimited (a feature a lot of other apps actually charge for). If you do hit your daily limit, you can just wait until tomorrow to finish up, or grab our optional Premium upgrade to keep going.<\/p>\r\n
✅ Pro Tip<\/b>: If you’re wondering, “Why is my iPhone still full<\/a> after deleting photos and apps?”, it might be because the photos you deleted are still in the Recently Deleted<\/b> album (where they remain for 30 days). To permanently free up that space, you need to open the Photos<\/b> app, go to the Recently Deleted album and delete everything there. Alternatively, try restarting your iPhone – sometimes storage doesn’t update properly due to a simple system caching error, and a restart can refresh your storage calculations.<\/div>\r\n<\/span>Method 2:<\/span> Manage Your Apps<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\r\n
Looking at my own iPhone storage, it became crystal clear why managing apps is the fastest way to clear space on iPhone and get more free storage<\/a>. My messaging apps alone – Telegram and Viber – are collectively hogging nearly 7 GB of storage! That’s without even counting entertainment apps and games like Disney+ (2.21 GB) and Gabby’s Dollhouse (1.09 GB). Here are different ways to clear applications on iPhone storage (along with their data).<\/p>\r\n
1. Clear App Data and Documents<\/h4>\r\n
Applications often come with or download data aside from their original installation files. The type of app data that appears on your iPhone depends on what the application does. For instance, social apps store a lot of cache files, such as short-form video chunks, sticker packs, and thumbnails. Fortunately, many of these apps allow you to manually clear their cache; here\u2019s what Telegram\u2019s in-app cache management tool looks like:<\/p>\r\n
![\"Storage](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Telegram-Storage-Settings-Page.png\")
<\/p>\r\nOn the other hand, media streaming apps, like Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube, let you download content so you can view it later (perfect for long car rides). The exact steps for deleting this type of app data vary super minimally among apps; in the Music app, for example, select the song or album you want to remove, then tap Delete from Library<\/b>:<\/p>\r\n
![\"Deleting](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/iOS-Music-Delete-Downloads.png\")
<\/p>\r\nIf an app takes up a lot of space but doesn\u2019t offer any visible cache-clearing options, you can try deleting & reinstalling it. In many cases, this removes temporary data and reduces the app\u2019s storage use. Just make sure any important app data is synced first.<\/p>\r\n
💡 Browser apps like Safari, Google Chrome, and Firefox also store cache files\u2013usually consisting of web page assets like banners and on-page buttons\u2013so you don\u2019t keep reloading them every time you visit a website. We cover this type of cache in more detail in our guide on cleaning iPhone junk files<\/a>.<\/div>\r\n2. Opt for App Deletion<\/h4>\r\n
For apps you no longer use, it\u2019s better to delete them completely. Aside from adding useless clutter to your homescreen and App Library, unwanted apps can continue to grow in size as they automatically update\u2013even if you never use them. The Settings app provides a very useful tool for quickly identifying apps to delete based on when you downloaded them or how large they are.<\/p>\r\n
💡 An even easier way to delete iPhone apps is to tap and hold their icons on your homescreen and choose the delete option from the context menu. However, some apps don\u2019t appear on your homescreen, and you can\u2019t see their sizes.<\/div>\r\n- \r\n\t
- Open the Settings app.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Tap General<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t
- In the General page, select iPhone Storage<\/b>.
\r\n![\"Navigating](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/iOS-Settings-General-Page.png\")
<\/li>\r\n\t- Scroll down a bit, and you\u2019ll find a complete list of your iPhone apps that you can sort by name, date, and file size. Tap any app to open its storage page.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Tap Delete App<\/b>.
\r\n![\"Deleting](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/iPhone-Storage-Delete-App.png\")
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/span>Method 3:<\/span> Clean Up Messages and Media Attachments<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\r\n
Messages that you send and receive to and from your contacts accumulate unhindered in your inbox, along with any media files attached to them. There are two approaches you can take to clean them up\u2013we\u2019ll demonstrate both methods below.<\/p>\r\n
1. Delete Entire Conversations<\/h4>\r\n
If you have old or unwanted conversations you don\u2019t plan on returning to, we recommend deleting those threads entirely; deleting conversations from the Messages app also deletes their attachments.<\/p>\r\n
- \r\n\t
- Open the Messages app.<\/li>\r\n\t
- To delete a single conversation, swipe left on its preview and tap the Trash button<\/b> (🗑️). If you want to delete multiple conversations at once, tap Edit<\/b> in the top left corner of your screen.<\/li>\r\n\t
- In the context menu that appears, tap Select Messages<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Tap the conversations you want to delete. Then, tap the Trash button<\/b> (🗑️) in the bottom right corner of your screen.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Finally, tap Delete<\/b> again to confirm the action.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
⚠️Don\u2019t forget to purge deleted conversations from the Recently Deleted folder (Messages app > Filter button > Recently Deleted) to remove them completely from your iPhone or wait for 30 days for iOS to do it automatically. You can also restore conversations in case you accidentally delete anything important.<\/div>\r\n2. Keep the Text But Remove the Attachment<\/h4>\r\n
Don\u2019t want to get rid of your messages? You can also opt to delete attachments from the conversations they\u2019re stored in. The Messages app compiles each conversation\u2019s attachments in individual \u201cmini galleries\u201d you can view and edit.<\/p>\r\n
- \r\n\t
- Open the Messages app and open any conversation with attachments you want to delete.<\/li>\r\n\t
- On the specific conversation\u2019s page, tap your contact\u2019s name or icon at the top.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Under your contact\u2019s name and action buttons, select the Photos<\/b> category. Then, tap Edit<\/b> > Select Photos<\/b> in the top right corner of the screen.
\r\n![\"Attachments](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/iOS-Messages-Contacts-Attachments.png\")
<\/li>\r\n\t- Tap the photo and video attachments. Then tap the Trash button (🗑️) in the bottom right corner of your screen.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Finally, tap Delete [number] Items<\/b> again in the pop-up to confirm the action.
\r\n![\"Deleting](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/iOS-Messages-Delete-Attachments.png\")
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n💡If your iPhone has accumulated a lot of large attachments, you have a high chance of getting a Recommendation in the Settings app. Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage, then look for Recommendations<\/b> under your storage bar. They allow you to quickly delete large files directly from the Settings app, without hunting them down manually.<\/div>\r\n<\/span>Method 4:<\/span> Delete Media in Files App<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\r\n
The Files app is a notorious junk magnet that absorbs files from a bunch of different sources, like a PDF file you downloaded from a website, attachments you saved from your mail service, and other random data. It\u2019s always a good idea to check the Downloads folder every once in a while for any obsolete files.<\/p>\r\n
- \r\n\t
- Open the Files app.<\/li>\r\n\t
- On the bottom menu, tap Browse<\/b>. Then, under Locations<\/b>, select either iCloud Drive<\/b> (if you have it enabled) or On My iPhone<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Open the Downloads<\/b> folder.
\r\n![\"Downloads](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/iOS-Files-App-Downloads.png\")
<\/li>\r\n\t- Tap the meatball menu button<\/b> > Select<\/b> in the top right corner of the screen.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Tap the files you want to delete. Then, tap the Trash button<\/b> (🗑️) on the bottom menu.
\r\n![\"Deleting](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/iOS-Files-Delete-Downloads.png\")
<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nDon\u2019t forget to delete your files again from the Recently Deleted folder (Files app > Browse > Recently Deleted).<\/p>\r\n
💡 If you don\u2019t want to get rid of your files, but you don\u2019t need to open them anytime soon, you can use the Compress feature instead. After selecting a file (step 5-6), tap the meatball menu button<\/b> in the bottom right corner of the screen. Then, tap Compress<\/b>. This creates an \u201carchive\u201d file type containing the selected items. When you need the files later, simply decompress or \u201cextract\u201d the archive from the same menu.<\/div>\r\n<\/span>The Nuclear Option: Factory Reset<\/span><\/h2>\r\n
![\"Performing](\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/iOS-Settings-Factory-Reset.png\")
<\/p>\r\nI didn’t include this as a primary method because it’s extreme, but it’s worth addressing a common question: “Does factory resetting help reclaim space?” Yes, it absolutely does – and it’s the most thorough solution available.<\/p>\r\n
A factory reset<\/a> will completely clear iPhone storage of all data and basically return it to the state it was in when you first took it out of the box. However, it’s a very painstaking process. If you want to save anything, you’ll need to make separate backups of your most valuable content first. Photos should be backed up to iCloud or your computer, contacts synced to your Apple account, and important documents saved elsewhere.<\/p>\r\n
ℹ️ I recommend you perform a factory reset only if you\u2019ve exhausted all other options and you\u2019re still struggling with insufficient storage space. Just be prepared for the time-consuming process of setting up your phone again afterward.<\/div>\r\n<\/span>Improve Your Storage Management Habits<\/span><\/h2>\r\n
The most sustainable way to deal with iPhone storage problems is to develop better digital habits. Here’s what I recommend:<\/p>\r\n
- \r\n\t
- Once a month, set up a 15-minute timer and go through your iPhone to delete unnecessary content. If you use a smart cleaner app like Clever Cleaner to deal with the biggest offenders in bulk, such as duplicate images<\/a>, large videos, and unnecessary screenshots, then you can accomplish a lot in that time.<\/li>\r\n\t
- The mysterious “System Data” category (previously called “Other”) is often responsible for unexplained storage shortages. This includes caches, logs, and temporary files created by iOS and your apps. While there’s no direct way to clear all system data<\/a>, you can restart your iPhone regularly to quickly clear temporary files, or, when the situation gets too out of control, you can Erase your iPhone<\/a> and start with a clean slate (this so-called factory reset is the most effective way to reclaim space, but it wipes everything from your device indiscriminately).<\/li>\r\n\t
- Apple’s Shortcuts app is an underutilized tool that can help you manage your storage better. For example, you can use it to show photos taken on the current date<\/a> going back 10 years – a great foundation for a healthy daily photo management routine.<\/li>\r\n\t
- While this won’t directly free up storage space on iPhone, keeping your home screen organized can help you be more aware of what apps you’re actually using. I recently spent about 20 minutes rearranging my home screen to clear space on iPhone home screen and organize apps into folders. I discovered at least 15 apps I hadn’t opened in months, so I promptly deleted them.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
<\/span>To Wrap It Up<\/span><\/h2>\r\n
As we’ve seen, there are three main culprits behind most storage issues:<\/p>\r\n
- \r\n\t
- Too many installed apps and too much accumulated app data (recommended solutions: clear app data and documents<\/a> and remove apps you no longer use<\/a>).<\/li>\r\n\t
- Photos\/videos taking up excessive space (recommended solution: use Clever Cleaner<\/a> to eliminate similar photos, compress videos, convert Live Photos, and other clutter from your Photo Library).<\/li>\r\n\t
- Downloaded files and attachments (recommended solutions: clean up your messages<\/a> and delete obsolete downloads from the Files app<\/a>).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
By addressing each of these areas with the right approach, you can quickly clean iPhone storage and reclaim gigabytes of space, and prevent the “Storage Almost Full” message from appearing at the worst possible moments.<\/p>\r\n
- Photos\/videos taking up excessive space (recommended solution: use Clever Cleaner<\/a> to eliminate similar photos, compress videos, convert Live Photos, and other clutter from your Photo Library).<\/li>\r\n\t
- The mysterious “System Data” category (previously called “Other”) is often responsible for unexplained storage shortages. This includes caches, logs, and temporary files created by iOS and your apps. While there’s no direct way to clear all system data<\/a>, you can restart your iPhone regularly to quickly clear temporary files, or, when the situation gets too out of control, you can Erase your iPhone<\/a> and start with a clean slate (this so-called factory reset is the most effective way to reclaim space, but it wipes everything from your device indiscriminately).<\/li>\r\n\t
- Open the Downloads<\/b> folder.
- In the context menu that appears, tap Select Messages<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t
- In the General page, select iPhone Storage<\/b>.
- Videos<\/b>: Do you take a lot of videos? Unlike the Photos app, Clever Cleaner can sort your videos by size and date<\/a>\u2013so you can delete the largest or oldest videos first. If you don\u2019t want to delete your videos, you can Compress<\/b> them instead\u2013which shrinks their file size with minimal impact on quality. (You can compress photos too<\/a> in the app.)<\/li>\r\n\t
- Open the app and tap Smart cleanup<\/b>. Then, select the options to clean up similar photos using AI, convert Live Photos to still images, and compress screenshots. This way, you shouldn\u2019t lose anything important, and the app will show you exactly how much space you can reclaim.
- Scroll down until you get to the Utilities<\/b> section. Then, tap Duplicates<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t
- Tap the photos and videos you want to delete. If you keep your finger on the screen and drag it through multiple items, you can select multiple photos and videos at once. Then, tap the Trash button<\/b> (🗑️).
- The app accumulator<\/b>: I\u2019m an app collector. I download every interesting app \u201cjust to try it\u201d, but usually forget to delete them later. I also tend to fill my iPhone with games to entertain our kids during long car rides, maps and other navigation apps to prevent us from getting lost when networks are unavailable, and so on. Did you know that some applications (especially games) can use up to 40 GB of storage?<\/li>\r\n\t