Getting a low storage notification on your iPhone can send you into a frenzy, trying to figure out what to do first to free up storage and prevent your phone from losing even more storage. One of the best things you can do is act fast — and there are a number of helpful tips that are super simple to follow and will make a big difference in your storage capacity in no time. Tech Expert Austin Farrington, vice president of content strategy and partnerships atReloft, tells us what to do immediately after getting the low storage notification on your iPhone. Additionally, here’s how you can prevent losing more storage in the future.
Low Storage: Immediate Steps
- Check storage usage: First, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see which apps and files are taking up the most space on your phone, Farrington says. “This will give you an idea of where to start freeing up space.”
- Delete unnecessary apps: “Look for apps that you haven’t used in a while or don’t need anymore and delete them.,” Farrington says.”To do this, tap on the app and select ‘Delete App.’ This will remove the app and all of its data from your phone.”
- Clear out old messages and attachments: Messages and attachments can take up a lot of storage over time, according to Farrington. “To clear them out, go to Settings > Messages > Keep Messages and select “30 days” or “1 year” instead of “Forever,” Farrington says. “You can also go to a conversation, tap on the person’s name, and select ‘info.’ From there, you can delete attachments like photos and videos.”
- Clear cache and data: “Apps like Safari and Instagram store data and cache on your phone, which can take up a lot of space over time,” Farrington says. “To clear this out, go to Settings > Safari or Settings > Instagram and select ‘Clear History and Website Data’ or ‘Clear Cache.’”
How To Prevent Low Storage Issues
The best thing you can do is prevent your phone from losing storage in the first place. Here are ways you can prevent low storage issues in the future:
- Regularly backup your phone: “This will help ensure that you have a copy of all your data if you need to restore your phone, and can also free up space on your device,” Farrington says.
- Use cloud storage: Consider using cloud storage services like iCloud or Google Drive to store files like photos and documents, rather than keeping them on your phone, Farrington suggests.
- Manage app usage: “Be mindful of which apps you use and how often you use them,” Farrington says. “Consider deleting apps that you don’t use often or that take up a lot of space.”
- Limit video and photo storage: Videos and photos can take up a lot of storage, according to Farrington, so consider setting your phone to automatically delete old photos or limit how much space they can take up.
Following these steps can help ensure you avoid low storage notifications — while also dealing with them swiftly and effectively when you get that pop-up.
