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7 Preinstalled iPhone Apps That Are Taking Up Unnecessary Space On Your Device

August 31, 2025 by Lisa Cupido

 
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Pre-installed apps are often the unsung heroes of your smartphone. From messaging and weather updates to basic photo editing and calendar reminders, these built-in tools are designed to make your phone easy and convenient to use right out of the box. They can streamline your daily routine, sync across devices, and help you stay organized without needing to download anything extra. For many users, these apps seriously enhance how we interact with their phone every day.

But while pre-installed apps can be helpful, they’re not always harmless when it comes to storage. Since they come automatically loaded on your device, we often forget tall about them when trying to free up space. Some of these apps run in the background, store data you don’t realize is there, or can’t be fully deleted, even if you rarely use them. If your phone is running low on storage, it might be time to rethink how you use these seven common pre-installed apps and make a few tweaks to get back some valuable space.

1. Stocks


The Stocks app may seem small, but it can take up more space than expected by automatically updating and storing data like news articles, charts, and performance histories. If you're not using it regularly, you can offload the app by going to Settings > iPhone Storage > Stocks and tapping Offload App. This keeps your data saved but frees up space.

2. Tips


Apple’s Tips app is designed to help you get the most out of your iPhone, but once you’re familiar with your device, it doesn’t offer much ongoing value—and it can use up storage. While it can’t be deleted entirely, you can remove it from your Home Screen or offload it in your storage settings to free up a little extra room.

3. Apple Books


Apple Books can take up a lot of space, especially if you download full books, audiobooks, or PDFs. These files can add up quickly without you realizing it. To manage this, go to the Books app and remove any downloads you’ve already read, or turn on Optimize Storage in the Books settings so it automatically removes items you’re not using.

4. Mail


The Mail app can store a surprising amount of data over time, including emails, attachments, and cached files. If your inbox goes back years, that’s a lot of space taken up. To reduce its footprint, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts, and adjust sync settings so it only keeps recent messages on your device.

5. Podcasts


Podcasts can become major storage hogs if episodes are set to download automatically. Over time, those saved episodes can eat up gigabytes. To avoid this, go to Settings > Podcasts and turn off automatic downloads or enable the option to delete episodes after listening.

6. Measure


The Measure app might not seem like a big deal, but it uses augmented reality technology, which means it can store data and updates that add up. If you rarely use it, you can offload the app from Settings > iPhone Storage, which removes the app itself but keeps your settings in case you reinstall.

7. Voice Memos


Voice Memos can sneakily use up a lot of space, especially if you record long memos or forget to delete old ones. These audio files are stored on your device and can add up fast. To save space, go through the app and delete memos you no longer need, or back them up to iCloud or another storage service before deleting them.

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