How to Free Up Space On Your iPhone and Android Device

Running out of space can be annoying. Often you will get messages telling you that there isn’t enough space to take photos, download new apps, record videos or update your device. Simple tasks can be difficult to complete when there is barely any space left on your device.

The good news is that you do not have to delete everything to free up space. Both iPhones and Android devices come with in-built tools to allow you to see what is taking up space, delete unnecessary downloads and remove unneeded apps.

Below, we will show you how to free up space on your iPhone or Android device. We will also show you how to remove unnecessary files without affecting your important photos, videos and documents.

Why Is My Phone Running Out Of Space?

It can be good to know what is causing your phone to run out of space.

The most common reasons include:

Photos and Videos – High quality photos and videos can take up a lot of space.

Un-used apps – Some apps can take up quite a bit of space, this could be games or editing apps.

App cache – Apps can cause your device to slowly fill up with cache files.

Downloads – Some devices will have lots of downloads, these could be documents, movies, music etc.

Messages – Your messages (like WhatsApp) can have large videos, images and documents.

Duplicate files – Duplicate files can cause problems like having multiple copies of the same photo or document.

Once you have identified what is causing your space issues, you will know what you can delete.

How To Free Up Space On Your iPhone

iPhone devices have in-built tools so you can see exactly how much space your apps, photos and other files are taking.

Below are some great ways to free up space.

1. See What Is Taking Up Space

You can view what apps and files are taking up the most space.

Open Settings and tap General.

Tap iPhone Storage.

Wait for the screen to load.

You can see what apps are taking up what space.

Your iPhone might suggest some ways to free up space. Follow the suggestions that work for you.

2. Delete Un-used Apps

Some apps can take up quite a bit of space, especially games and editing apps.

Open Settings.

Tap General.

Tap iPhone Storage.

Select an app that you no longer use.

Tap Delete App.

Confirm your choice.

Alternatively, you can tap Offload App if available. This will remove the app but keep the documents and data. This means you can download the app again at any time.

3. Delete Un-needed Photos & Videos

A common reason your iPhone runs out of space is due to too many photos and videos.

Open your Photos app and delete any un-needed screenshots, duplicates, blurry photos and videos.

If you have iCloud Photos enabled you can turn on Optimise iPhone Storage. This will store your high quality original photos in iCloud. It will also store low quality versions on your iPhone if needed.

Keep in mind that if you delete photos that are synced, you might also delete them from other devices. Make sure your important files are backed up.

4. Delete Un-needed Downloads

You may have more downloads than you think taking up space.

Open your Files app. Look through your Downloads folder and delete any documents and files that you no longer need.

Also look through your streaming apps to delete any downloaded content.

5. Delete Large Attachments From Messages

Sometimes you can have large attachments in your messages.

Open your Messages app and delete any un-needed files from messages that have large attachments.

This can help you free up space whilst not deleting all of your photos.

How To Free Up Space On Your Android Device

Like the iPhone, Android devices have in-built tools to help you manage your storage. The names of the menus can vary depending on your phone brand and Android version.

Try the following:

1. View Your Storage

Find out what files and apps are taking up the most space.

Open Settings.

Tap Storage.

Look through the categories.

See how much space your apps, images, videos and downloads are taking.

Some Android devices will have an option to Free up space.

2. Clear App Caches

Apps can have cache files. This is temporary data and can cause your apps to load specific content quickly. Over time this can take up extra space.

To clear your app caches:

Open Settings.

Tap Apps.

Select the app you wish to manage.

Tap Storage or Storage & Cache.

Tap Clear Cache.

Do not tap Clear Storage or Clear Data unless you understand the consequences. This can delete data, settings and anything stored locally.

3. Delete Un-needed Apps

Look through your apps and delete those that you no longer use.

Open Settings.

Tap Apps.

Select an app that you no longer need.

Tap Uninstall.

If available you can use the automatic app archiving feature from Google Play. This will delete any apps that aren’t used often. It will keep your personal data so you can download the app again.

4. Delete Un-needed Downloads

Open your Files or File Manager app.

Look through your Downloads, Documents and Videos folders. Delete any old installation files, duplicate documents and any media that you no longer need.

Make sure these are not important documents or files.

5. Manage Your WhatsApp Storage

Sometimes your WhatsApp can take up a lot of space, especially if you receive a lot of videos, photos and documents from group chats.

Open WhatsApp.

Tap Settings.

Tap Storage & Data.

Tap Manage Storage.

Look through your large files and forwarded media.

Delete any un-needed files.

Make sure you check your important conversations. You can also try changing your automatic media downloads to stop unnecessary files building up.

Other Tips

It can be helpful to free up space on your phone once. However, it is good to keep on top of it.

Try to:

Back up your important files. This could be using a trusted cloud service or transferring them to your computer.

Don’t download unnecessary files. Delete any movies, documents etc once you have finished using them.

Keep on top of your apps. Delete any apps that you no longer need.

Delete duplicate photos. Just keep one high quality version.

Manage your media in messages. Look through your WhatsApp and other messages to delete large attachments.

Be careful with cloud storage. Make sure your important files have been backed up successfully.

Check your storage once a month. This can help you identify any un-needed files.

Conclusion

There are many simple ways to free up space on your iPhone and Android device. By looking at your storage, deleting un-needed apps, removing downloads and managing your photos and videos, you can free up more space without losing any important information.

Both Operating Systems have in-built tools to help you manage your storage. Simply start by identifying what is taking up the most space and delete any un-needed files and apps.

By keeping on top of your phone a little, you can keep your phone organised, freeing up space for new content.