iPhone storage full? How to free up space

1. See what is using space

1. Open the Settings app, tap General, then tap iPhone Storage.
2. Check the available space shown at the top of the screen.
3. Read the recommendations below it. Tap Show All to see every one, then tap Enable to turn a recommendation on, or tap the recommendation to review the contents you can delete.
4. Scroll the list of apps, which shows the storage each one uses, and tap any app for its options.

When storage runs low, iPhone also frees space on its own. Apple says it does this by “removing items that you can download again or aren't needed, like unused apps and temporary files.”

2. Keep full-size photos in iCloud

If you use iCloud Photos, Optimize iPhone Storage keeps the full-resolution originals in iCloud and leaves “storage-saving versions” on your iPhone. Apple turns it on by default, and it optimizes the photos you access least first. To check the setting:

1. iOS 27: Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos > iPhone Storage, then choose Optimize iPhone Storage.
2. iOS 26: Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos, then choose Optimize iPhone Storage.

iCloud includes 5 GB of storage for free. In the US, iCloud+ costs $0.99 a month for 50 GB, $2.99 for 200 GB, $9.99 for 2 TB, $29.99 for 6 TB and $59.99 for 12 TB.

3. Delete photos and videos you don't need

Photos can't sort your library by size. Its sort options are Recently Added and Date Captured on iOS 26, renamed Added and Captured on iOS 27. To find large videos:

1. Open Photos and tap Collections.
2. Tap Media Types, then Videos. Only videos appear.
3. Open a video and view its Info panel to see its file size.
4. Tap Select, choose the videos you no longer need, then tap the Trash button and confirm.

iOS 27 also adds a Media Types filter to the library itself, so you can show only photos, videos or screenshots. For bulk methods, see how to delete lots of photos on iPhone quickly.

4. Review Recently Deleted

Photos you delete are kept in Recently Deleted “for 30 days before being permanently removed from your iPhone, iCloud, and other devices.” If you're sure you won't need them, you can remove them sooner:

1. In Photos, tap Collections, then tap Recently Deleted, listed under Utilities.
2. Tap View Album and unlock it with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.
3. Tap Select, choose items, then tap Delete. Or tap Delete All.

Deleting from Recently Deleted is final. Items there don't count towards your iCloud storage. One exception to the 30 days: if you're over your iCloud storage limit, Apple removes deleted items immediately and they can't be recovered. Recently Deleted has been locked by default since iOS 16; the setting is in Settings > Apps > Photos.

5. Trim old messages and attachments

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages > Keep Messages.
2. Choose 30 Days, 1 Year or Forever. Shorter periods remove older conversations, including their attachments.

To clear attachments from one conversation on iOS 26, open it, tap the contact or group icon at the top, tap a category such as Photos, then use Edit and Select to pick what to delete. Deleted messages stay in Recently Deleted in Messages for 30 days.

6. Offload apps you rarely use

Offloading removes an app but keeps its documents and data. Its icon stays, marked with a cloud symbol; tap it to reinstall.

1. iOS 27 and iOS 26: Settings > Apps > App Store > Offload Unused Apps.
2. iOS 18: Settings > General > iPhone Storage, then tap Enable next to Offload Unused Apps.
3. One app at a time: tap the app in iPhone Storage. Offload keeps its documents and data; Delete removes the app and its data.

7. Clear Safari website data

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Safari and tap Clear History and Website Data.
2. Or go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data and tap Remove All Website Data.

What “System” and “Other” mean

Apple's storage article still groups some usage into categories it calls System and Other. Part of every iPhone's capacity goes to the software itself: Apple's iPhone 17 specifications note that iOS and system files use about 12GB to 24GB, and Apple Intelligence models about 7GB.

Where SwipeLeft helps

Apple's tools handle bulk jobs well. What they don't offer is a quick way to look at photos one at a time and decide. SwipeLeft shows one photo at a time with its file size and date: swipe left to trash it, swipe right to keep it. Nothing moves to Recently Deleted until you empty SwipeLeft's trash, and your photos never leave your device. It is free for 50 swipes a day.

Get SwipeLeft on the App Store