It’s always frustrating when your smartphone runs out of storage. Between apps, photos, videos, and system files, space fills up quickly, and those constant “storage full” notifications can be both inconvenient and stressful.
The good news is that even small changes in your phone’s settings and their features can make a big difference in how much storage you’re able to save. There are several automatic features on iPhones and Androids you can adjust to free up space without having to get rid of the things you actually want to keep. These little changes can make a big difference, and some ‘fun’ phone features could be making a larger impact on your storage than you may think. Read more about four storage-hogging features you should consider disabling below.
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1. Live Photos
These days, one of the most notable features in the photo albums section of both iPhones and Androids is live photos or, for Androids, motion photos. They're a feature that captures a few seconds of video and sound along with a still image, so when you press and hold the photo, it comes to life with movement and audio. However, these moving images take up more storage space than regular, still photos on your smartphone. While they can be fun to watch, chances are, you won't take the time to watch the live commentary as often as you'd expect. Better to leave the feature off if you're worried about your storage.
2. Voice Memos & Notes
One of people's favorite ways to communicate with other smartphone users is by sending back and forth voice memos instead of texting or getting on the phone. It's a fun way to hear other people's voices without having to stay on the phone in the middle of a busy day. Voice notes are helpful for many as well, as instead of typing up a note, they can simply record something. However, holding onto voice notes and memos without clearing them out every once in a while can easily fill up storage. To maximize your storage, you can avoid using these features, or you can be mindful to delete voice memos and notes routinely.
3. Message Attachments
This is a big issue for iPhone users! Message attachments like photos, videos, GIFs, and even large files sent through iMessage or text are automatically stored in your Messages app, and over time, they can take up a surprising amount of space. Unless you manually delete these attachments or set your messages to auto-delete after a certain period, they continue to pile up in your storage, even if you've forgotten about them.
4. WhatsApp Auto-Downloads
Similar to message attachments on the iPhone, when you're using WhatsApp on an Android, it can also be difficult for your storage. Apps like WhatsApp often have a media auto-download feature that automatically saves photos, videos, and voice notes you receive into your phone's storage. While this makes accessing files easier, it can quickly eat up space, especially if you're in busy group chats where lots of media is shared. If left unchecked, these downloads add up in your gallery and hog more storage.
