If there’s an app on your phone that takes up storage space, BUT it’s one of your favorites and you can’t live without it — plus, you made the decision to download it yourself — you may forgive it for snatching up space. But when pre-installed apps that you didn’t ask for take up major storage space, that’s a whole different dilemma.
Most pre-installed apps aren’t going to affect your phone’s storage and how it performs all that much. But, on occasion, you can come across one or two apps that take and take, and don’t give back nearly enough to be worth the trouble. Here are four pre-installed apps that could be taking up storage space.
Notes
Let’s just cut to the chase: you can remove Notes on an iPhone, but do you really want to? Notes is such a convenient feature on your phone for jotting down, well, notes, or writing shopping lists, poems, future emails, and the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, because you could be relying on Notes for so much without even realizing it, all of those notes can add up — and this can show itself in less storage space. The solution to this problem is to remember to delete notes as you go. If you don’t think you’ll use or need it again, delete it and move on!
Apple Maps
Apple comes with its own GPS maps app and, for many, it’s either good enough to get the job done or goes above and beyond the call of duty, depending on your needs and desires. But if you prefer a different GPS map app, like Waze or Google Maps, you may not need to keep Apple Maps and can delete it to gain back storage space and battery power, as well.
Voice Memos
Voice Memos is one of those pre-installed apps that you either never use or use ALL the time. If you rarely or barely use Voice Memos, this tip may not apply to you, but if you find yourself recording songs on Voice Memos or jotting down ideas and lists, you can easily rack up several audio memos that wind up taking up storage space. Remember to return to Voice Memos now and then and delete old files to free up storage space.
All Pre-Installed Apps That You Don’t Use
Any pre-installed app that you don’t use is a pre-installed app that’s taking up storage space without giving you anything back in return. For some, that might mean deleting Stocks, Watch, Podcast, or Reminders. If you already have a weather app you love, feel free to delete your iPhone’s pre-installed app. Sometimes there isn’t one answer to the question of how to gain back more storage space—your app preferences can inform your actions. In short: if never use a pre-installed app and can do without it, feel free to delete it!
