how to reduce Other storage on iPhone.
The iPhone provides a clear view of the different types of data – messages, apps, photos, and more – than fill its internal memory. You can see this at any time by going to Settings> General> iPhone Storage.
A visual indicator at the top of the iPhone storage screen lets you focus on the areas that have the greatest impact on storage management. But you’ll also see a data category labeled – confusingly – as “Other” taking up space on your iPhone.
What Is “Other†Storage on iPhone?
The “other†storage on your iPhone consists of various forms of data (such as logs, file indexes, and app caches) that the iPhone operating system — iOS — uses to keep things running. However, cached application data almost always makes up the bulk of this storage.
You can view the exact amount of “Other” storage on your iPhone by scrolling down the iPhone Storage screen. Typically, Other is in the 2–5 GB range and should increase and decrease as you use your iPhone.
iOS is smart enough to manage app caches without spinning them out of control. For example, let’s say you’ve started streaming video through Netflix or Apple TV. Your iPhone will cache this content locally, resulting in more “other” storage. But iOS will delete this data after you finish browsing.
On rare occasions, however, things can get out of hand and the “other†store can run into double digits. You should try to reduce the “Other” storage on your iPhone if it is nearly depleted.
How to Reduce “Other†Storage
iOS does not provide built-in options to free up “other” storage on your iPhone. However, you can take advantage of the suggestions below. This will help you remove cached application data, which will also reduce the amount of “other” storage.
Clear your browser cache in Safari
If you frequently browse the web using Safari, then a significant amount of cached site data must have accumulated on your iPhone. iOS categorizes almost all of this data in the “Other” category, so you can claim several hundred megabytes back — in most cases — by clearing it.
Start by opening the Settings app on your iPhone. Then select Safari and choose Clear History and Website Data to clear the cached browsing data in Safari.
Clear caches of other applications
Besides Safari, you can also try clearing caches of other apps. However, most native and third-party iPhone apps do not offer this capability due to iOS’s ability to automatically handle cached data.
Rare exceptions include OneDrive, where you can clear the cache from the app’s settings page. If you already know about such apps, clear their caches and see if that helps.
Below you will learn about a workaround that can be used to clear the cache of any application.
Remove message attachments
If you use iMessage a lot, chances are that your iPhone has a lot of attachments in the form of videos, audio messages, and documents. The iPhone Storage screen has a separate category for Messages, but iOS considers some of this data to be Other.
You can try deleting large iMessage attachments to reduce “Other” storage. Go to Settings> General> iPhone Storage> Messages. Then select “View Large Attachments” and delete unnecessary ones. You can swipe the attachment to the right and select Delete, or use the Edit option to bulk delete items.
You can also set iPhone to delete messages (including attachments) after a certain amount of time. Go to Settings> Messages and select from 1 year to 30 days if necessary. This should help keep the “Other” repository secret in the future.
Unloading unwanted applications
While you cannot clear caches in most applications directly, you can try unloading them as a workaround. This allows you to get rid of applications and their associated caches without deleting local files or documents. You can then re-download the apps later and pick up where you left off, so there won’t be any downsides to trying this out.
Go to Settings> General> iPhone Storage. Then select a few non-essential applications and select Unload Application. If it matters for “other†storage, keep offloading more applications.
After unloading an app, you will still see its icon on the home screen or in the app library Just tap on it to re-download the app whenever you want.
You can also configure your iPhone to unload apps you haven’t used in a while. Go to Settings> App Store and turn on the toggle next to Unload Unused Apps. If you have a lot of apps installed on your iPhone, this should keep “Other†storage under control, as well as other storage on your iPhone in general.
Storage Usage Recommendations
From time to time, you’ll see one or more storage recommendations on the iPhone Storage screen to help you free up space. You’ve already learned about some of the above — cutting down on large iMessage attachments and offloading apps — that affect “Other†storage.
Try more, such as those related to the Photos app, and see if that decreases the Other value even further.
Forcing iPhone to restart can resolve any crashes and anomalies associated with unusually large Other storage. To force restart, press the button combinations below according to your device model.
- iPhone 8 and newer: quickly press and release the volume up button, then the volume down button. Immediately after that, press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
- iPhone 7 Series only: Press and hold the Volume Down and Side Buttons until the Apple logo appears on the iPhone screen.
- iPhone 6s and earlier: Press and hold the Home and Sidebar buttons until you see the Apple logo.
Update iOS
Errors and technical issues related to iPhone system software are another reason why the Other data category may take up more space than usual. Applying the latest iOS updates can help fix this.
Go to Settings> General> Storage and select Download and Install to apply pending system software updates to iPhone.
Update Apps
In the same vein, you should also apply any app updates. Press and hold the App Store icon on the iPhone home screen and select Updates to update iPhone applications.
Backup & Restore
If you’re dealing with bloated “Other” storage on an iPhone, then you should consider resetting your iPhone to factory settings. This should allow the device to start up with the least amount of “other†storage while addressing any underlying issues that initially led to unauthorized use.
Be sure to create an iCloud or iTunes / Finder backup before starting. Then go to Settings> General> Reset and select Erase All Content and Settings.
After iPhone finishes restoring to factory settings, use the Recover from iCloud Backup / Recover from Mac or PC options when setting up your device for data recovery.
You Can’t Get Rid Of It All
While there are no foolproof ways to shrink “Other” storage on your iPhone, most of the suggestions above should help you shrink it.
However, if your iPhone has a lot of free storage space, there is no reason to worry about “other†storage. Just leave it alone and iOS will manage everything on its own.
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how to reduce Other storage on iPhone
how to reduce Other storage on iPhone