When your iPhone says “Storage Almost Full,” the first step is seeing exactly what’s eating up space. Apple makes it easy, and it takes under two minutes. Here’s how to check your iPhone storage — and free some up.
| Time | Under 2 minutes |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Easy |
| You’ll need | Just your iPhone |
| Where | Settings → General → iPhone Storage |
How to check your iPhone storage, step by step
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap “General.”
- Tap “iPhone Storage.” It takes a moment to calculate.
- Read the bar at the top. The colored bar shows how much space is used and how much is free, broken down by category (Apps, Photos, Media, System and so on).
- Scroll down to see each app’s usage. Apps are listed largest first, so you can instantly spot what’s taking the most room.
- Use the Recommendations. Near the top, iOS suggests space-savers like offloading unused apps or reviewing large attachments — tap to apply them.
- Tap any app to manage it. You can “Offload App” (removes the app but keeps its data) or “Delete App” (removes both).
Tip: Offloading is the safe first move — it frees the app’s space but keeps your documents and data, so reinstalling later picks up right where you left off.
Quick ways to free up iPhone storage
- Offload unused apps from the iPhone Storage screen.
- Delete large videos and old downloads, or move photos to iCloud.
- Clear the Photos “Recently Deleted” album, which still holds space for 30 days.
- Review Messages attachments — years of photos and videos in chats add up fast.
FAQ
How do I see what’s taking up space on my iPhone?
Go to Settings → General → iPhone Storage. The bar at the top shows usage by category, and apps are listed below from largest to smallest.
What’s the difference between offloading and deleting an app?
Offloading removes the app but keeps its data, so reinstalling restores everything. Deleting removes both the app and its data.
Why is my iPhone storage full after deleting photos?
Deleted photos sit in the “Recently Deleted” album for 30 days and still use space. Empty that album to reclaim it immediately.
