How to free up storage space on your iPhone

Whether you have an older 16GB iPhone or a brand new 256GB iPhone, getting a storage space error message sucks. When you run out of storage space, it halts your ability to enjoy the phone the way you want. Taking photos, downloading music, installing apps, and other everyday tasks on your iPhone require space. You may need to consider which iCloud storage plan you should get. But if you don't want to pay more for iCloud, you're not out of luck.

Luckily, there are a few options to free up storage space on your iPhone that streamline the process of deleting files, apps, and other data to make it easier and faster for you to free up some storage space; here's how!

• How to enable offload unused apps on your iPhone and iPad
• How to disable offload unused apps on your iPhone and iPad
• How to review large attachments on iPhone and iPad

How to enable offload unused apps on your iPhone and iPad

If you haven't used an app in a long time, it's just sitting on your home screen taking up space. Obviously, you can delete apps individually at any time; however, iOS gives you the option of removing all the apps you haven't touched recently. This will definitely free up storage space on your iPhone if you aren't particularly good at organizing your apps.

1. Launch Settings from your Home screen.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap iPhone Storage.

4. Tap Enable beside Offload Unused Apps.

   Source: iMore

This will delete apps that you haven't used in quite some time; however, it will keep all your documents and data so that you won't lose anything too important. The app icon will remain on your iPhone so you can quickly reinstall it by tapping it when you want to use it again.

How to disable offload unused apps on your iPhone and iPad

1. Launch Settings from your Home screen.
2. Tap App Store

3. Tap the Offload Unused Apps On/Off switch. When the switch goes gray, that means it's off.

   Source: iMore

How to review large attachments on iPhone and iPad

When you send and receive images, gifs, or other media through messages those create attachments that can take up a lot of memory. iOS gives you the option to review them all in one convenient place so you can free up storage space on your iPhone.

1. Launch Settings from your Home screen.
2. Tap General.

3. Tap iPhone Storage.

   Source: iMore

4. Tap Messages. You may need to scroll down the page to see it.

5. Tap Review Large Attachments

From here you'll be able to see every attachment you have in your messages and will be able to delete them.

Any questions?

We've updated this guide to reflect the latest Apple software. Check out our iOS 14 review to find out more.

Updated Sept 2020: Updated for iOS 14.