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These 3 Popular iPhone Apps Are Taking Up More Storage Than You Think

August 8, 2025 by Lisa Cupido

 
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If your phone has been feeling sluggish, losing battery faster than usual, or just behaving inconsistently, the issue might not be your device—it could be some of your apps. Some apps take up far more storage and background resources than others, and over time, this can impact your phone’s performance. Whether it’s caches, background activity, or constant updates, a few data-heavy apps can drag everything down without you even realizing it.

Before you assume it’s time for a new phone or a factory reset, it’s worth checking your storage usage and identifying which apps are taking up the most space. There are a few common culprits known for being storage hogs that always come up for tech experts. If you’re looking to free up space, improve performance, or just get your phone back to running smoothly, take a closer look at these three apps—you might find that deleting or offloading them makes a noticeable difference.

1. TikTok


TikTok is one of the biggest storage offenders on most phones, mostly because of how much video content it processes. Every time you scroll, the app caches video files, which isn't so great for your storage. Over time, this cache can grow. If you're a creator, saved drafts and edited videos can also quietly take up a lot of space. To clear things out, you can go into TikTok's settings and manually clear the cache. You can also delete drafts or consider uninstalling and reinstalling the app to wipe out hidden data without losing your account.

2. Instagram


Instagram may seem like a lightweight app, but it stores a surprising amount of cached data, especially if you frequently watch Stories or Reels. Every photo, video, or interaction contributes to the app’s growing footprint on your device. If you also save posts, create content, or use more than one IG account, that number climbs even faster. Uninstalling and reinstalling the app can help free up space and refresh performance without affecting your profile.

3. WhatsApp


WhatsApp can eat up a ton of storage thanks to all the data (including images) exchanged in chats and group conversations. By default, the app automatically downloads and saves media to your phone, which means files can quickly pile up.

To manage this, head to WhatsApp settings and use the Storage and Data section to review and delete large files or clear out entire chats. You can also disable auto-download to prevent new media from being saved unless you choose to download it manually.

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