How to free up iPhone storage safely
Deleting photos is the fastest way to free space, but only if you keep a copy you trust. Follow this order to avoid losing anything.
Step by step
- Open Settings → General → iPhone Storage to see what uses the space.
- Copy your photos and videos to your computer and make sure they arrived complete.
- Keep a second backup of anything irreplaceable.
- Delete the originals from your iPhone only after the copy is verified.
- Open Photos → Albums → Recently Deleted → Select → Delete All to release the space immediately.
- Check Settings → General → iPhone Storage again.
Tips
- Videos are usually the biggest win: start with the largest ones.
- If iCloud Photos is on, deleting here also deletes on your other devices.
- Never delete before you have checked the copy.
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Frequently asked questions
Why did my storage not go down after deleting?
iOS keeps deleted photos in Recently Deleted for about 30 days. Empty that album to get the space back now.
Will deleting remove photos from iCloud?
If iCloud Photos is enabled, yes: a deletion syncs to your other devices. Make sure you have your copy first.