Tech Experts Tell Us How To Free Up iPhone Storage Without Deleting Apps Or Photos: Hidden Settings, iMessage, And More

July 17, 2023 by Lisa Cupido

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Let’s talk about something every iPhone owner wants more of that can be so difficult to get: storage space. Your phone’s storage space is constantly being chipped away at, which is a natural and normal result of taking photos and video, racking up tons of text messages, and downloading and using resource-intensive apps. Basically: just using your phone means you’re going to have less storage space than when you started, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t simple tips you can follow to gain back valuable space.

Let’s face it: full storage space pop-ups are annoying — and they show up at the most inopportune times, like when you’re trying to download a new app. Tech Expert Robbie Baskins, a Chartered Financial Analyst, AI Solutions Architect, and the founder of voddler.com, knows all too well the heartbreak that is having to delete photos and beloved apps just to free up storage space. And that’s why he is providing five easy tips to follow that will free up space without having to resort to drastic measures.

But first, make sure you also check out this video with innovative tips that include:

** Deleting some of the voices that you have stored to use for Siri (each take up a shocking amount of space).

** Clearing your iMessage cache.

** Delete previously downloaded podcasts (which take up tons of space).

Disable iCloud backups:

Cloud backups can use up a lot of storage, especially if you don’t regularly delete old backups, Baskins reminds us. “To disable iCloud backups, open ‘Settings’, tap ‘iCloud’, and then tap ‘Backup’. Tap ‘Turn Off & Delete’ and confirm your choice,” he says.

Free up storage from photos:

“Photos and videos are a big consumer of storage space,” Baskins says. “One way to free up space is to turn on the ‘Optimize iPhone Storage’ feature in ‘Settings’ - ‘Photos’. This feature stores smaller versions of photos while keeping the original image in the cloud.”

Delete text messages:

Text messages with photos and videos can take up space, so Baskins says it’s a good idea to delete them regularly. “To delete messages, go to ‘Messages’ and swipe left on a conversation,” he says. “Tap ‘Delete’ and confirm your choice.”

Clear Safari history:

“The Safari browser helps you get around the web, but it can also take up a lot of space if your history isn’t regularly cleared,” Baskins says. “To clear your history, open Safari and tap the ‘Bookmarks’ icon. Tap ‘History’ and then ‘Clear.’”

Disable app refresh:

App refresh is a feature that automatically updates your apps in the background, according to Baskins. “Disabling this feature will save on battery and free up storage space,” he says. “To disable it, open the ‘Settings’ app, tap ‘General’, ‘Background App Refresh’, and then toggle it off.”

Freeing up storage space can be a hassle — but these tips take just minutes and will make a big impact on your phone user experience.

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