Many of us know the feeling of running out of storage — just when we need it most, like right before we’re about to record our sister’s wedding on video to preserve it for an eternity. It’s easy to blame too many photos and videos for clogging up our storage, or to assume we need to throw money at the problem and buy more storage. But some common mistakes could be the main culprits behind why we run out of storage in the first place. Before you save another thing on your phone, this is what tech experts have to say about the one iPhone storage mistake that is costing you so much battery life.
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Too Many Apps
Apps are nearly the entire reason for being when it comes to an iPhone. But that doesn’t mean that you should download every single app that tickles your fancy for a few seconds, try them out, and then keep them on your device even though you know you’ll never use them again.
“One of the common mistakes that people make is they install too many applications on their device for temporary usage,” says Kaitlyn Rayment, the CEO of WePC. “For instance, if someone downloads a gaming app like The Sims, a life-simulation game, they would probably use it for a month or two and then won’t use it anymore. However, they would still keep it on their phone because they don’t want to lose their progress. This would not only occupy storage space but will also drain the battery quickly. So, I would suggest removing all the applications that you haven’t used in the past three weeks.”
Katherine Brown, the founder of Spyic, a company engaged in parental control and remote monitoring programs, agrees that too many apps can lead to disastrous consequences when it comes to your phone’s storage.
“Keeping outdated apps on your iPhone is a storage mistake that will mess up your battery and will cost you money to replace it down the line,” Brown says. “Preventing this is easy by either allowing auto-update of all your apps or by regularly removing unused or outdated apps to free up more space and also ease the burden on your iPhone's battery.”
Another thing you should not assume about iPhone storage is that iCloud is there to act as a gigantic bin for any and all files that you don’t want clogging up your device.
A Connected VPN
According to Camille Stewart, Cybersecurity Expert and Harvard Fellow, the most important setting to keep on involves your VPN.
"I always have a VPN connected and switched on when using public or unsecured wifi,” Stewart says. “Using a VPN prevents unwanted access to your device from malicious actors. When you’re browsing through a VPN, your traffic is encrypted protecting your data and your privacy.”
A connected VPN may boost your privacy measures, but there are other experts who suggest paying attention to setting that will boost your storage space and increase the longevity of your phone.
