One of the most annoying issues you may face with your iPhone is a lack of storage space. Whether you’re trying to snap photos, take a video, or download an app when you get that alert that your storage is nearly full (or, worse, that it IS totally full), your reaction is likely the same: disappointment followed by urgency. What can you do in the moment to free up storage space?
The best way to ensure you always have enough storage is by taking preemptive measures like deleting photos that you aren’t eager to keep or deleting (and then permanently deleting) one of the hundreds of texts you get each week. But if you’re caught in the spin and need a solution right this very minute, this is the life-changing iPhone hack experts swear by to free up storage in seconds.
Clear the App Cache
If you’re in a pinch, tech experts like Patrick Johnson, author of Laptop Judge, suggest clearing the app cache. “Clearing the app cache frees up unwanted clutter that builds up over time, such as temporary files used once for a particular application,” Johnson said. “Removing these unnecessary files helps keep your phone running smoothly and frees up extra space on its internal memory.”
Tech Expert Faisal Nasim, director of Exam Papers Plus, agrees that clearing the app cache is an easy and quick way to gain back much-needed space. “This cache can quickly become cluttered and slow down your phone’s performance, as well as take up valuable storage space,” Nasim said. “Clearing the cache regularly can help free up this space and improve the overall performance of your device. To clear the cache, you need to go to the settings menu on your phone, select the “Apps” or “App Manager” option, then find the app that is using the most storage and select “Clear Cache.” Repeat this process for each app that is using a significant amount of storage. It is important to note that clearing the cache will not remove any important data or affect the functioning of your apps.”
The amount of storage you can free up by clearing the cache will vary, Nasim said, but he added that it can easily clear up several gigabytes of space. “The difference in storage should be noticeable immediately after clearing the cache,” Nasim said.
Preventative Measures
To prevent your phone’s cache from filling up again, Nasim reminds us that it is important to regularly delete any unwanted files such as old photos, videos, and text messages. “Additionally, you can configure your phone to automatically back up your photos to the cloud, such as Google Photos or iCloud, so that they don’t take up space on your phone’s internal storage,” Nasim said. “Another way to free up storage is to use apps that can help you manage your files more efficiently, such as Files by Google or Clean Master. These apps can help you identify and delete duplicate files, old APK files, and unused apps. They can also help you clean up your cache, freeing up valuable storage space in the process.”
While you’re at it, don’t think of clearing your app cache as a last resort — make this a part of your regular iPhone maintenance to maintain a workable amount of storage space.
