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ZDNET's key takeaways

• iPhone storage always fills up faster than most people expect.
• You can reclaim space without deleting everything you love.
• Buying more iCloud+ storage is optional, but not necessary.

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If you've ever seen the dreaded "iPhone Storage Full" warning, you're not alone. Storage can fill up fast thanks to the photos and videos we capture, the apps we download, and the browser cache and system data that we let quietly pile up over time.

Also: I changed 10+ settings on my iPhone to significantly extend its battery life (iOS 26 and older)

And while Apple would love for you to solve the problem by upgrading your iCloud+ plan, that's not your only option. There are plenty of built-in iOS 26 tools that can help reclaim storage, and most of them are completely free to use. Here are the ones I often try first.

1. Check your system data

Before you delete anything, it helps to figure out where your storage is going. System Data can quietly balloon to gigabytes without you realizing it, but it's mostly made up of caches and temporary files that iOS manages on its own.

How to check system data on your iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap iPhone Storage.
4. Look for System Data at the bottom of the list.
5. If you see a high gigabyte number, try closing all your apps and restarting your phone.

Also: This hidden iPhone camera trick can help you locate your lost device fast - no Find My required

System Data fluctuates constantly. I've seen it jump to 30GB and then drop by 10GB overnight without me touching a thing. Unfortunately, you can't manually clear it, but closing unused apps and restarting your phone can sometimes help shrink that number. For example, when I checked just now, it was 17GB. I closed my apps, restarted my phone, and now it's at 12GB.

Hey, that's 5GB saved!

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

2. Offload (or delete) unused apps

This is one of the most underrated storage features on the iPhone. That's because offloading an app removes it from your device without deleting your documents, data, or logins. Those are kept safe in iCloud. When you reinstall the app later, everything comes back exactly as you left it. Still, offloading an app you rarely use removes the large app file itself and frees up space.

How to offload unused apps on your iPhone

1. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
2. Scroll to find large apps you rarely use. Tap an app taking up a lot of space.
3. Select Offload App. Or select Delete App if you prefer.
4. Confirm.

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I did this for several apps just now, such as GarageBand, which was taking up more than 1GB of space. You can also delete apps, but that removes the app and all its data permanently. It does free up more space and lets you start fresh if you decide to reinstall later. I suggest using offloading if you might use the apps again soon and deleting if you're completely done with the apps.

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

3. Clear your iPhone cache

I have a separate guide on this topic, but the TL;DR is this: if your iPhone feels slow or low on storage, clearing its cache can help.

Over time, apps store temporary files meant to speed things up, but too much cached data can have the opposite effect. Unfortunately, there's no "clear cache" button in iOS. Some apps offer built-in cache options, however, including browsers like Safari and Chrome and apps like Snapchat. Clearing cache can free up space, improve performance, and reduce glitches.

How to clear cache on your iPhone

1. Clear Safari cache: Go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Website Data > Remove All Website Data, then tap Remove Now.
2. Clear Chrome cache: Open Chrome, tap the three dots, then go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Delete Browsing Data. Under Browsing Data, select Browsing History and Cached Images and Files. Be sure to specify a time range.
3. Clear app cache: Look for other apps that offer a clear cache option. For example, in Snapchat, go to Profile > Settings > My Privacy and Data > Clear Data > Clear Cache > Clear.
4. Restart your iPhone: Power your phone off and back on to flush temporary system files and refresh performance.

Also: My iPhone alarm kept failing me - here are the 6 fixes that actually worked

Doing this routine regularly can help keep your iPhone running smoothly.

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

4. Delete junk photos and videos

I'll be honest, photos and videos are your biggest storage hogs. Burst shots, screenshots, screen recordings, memes, downloaded TikToks and saved Snapchats, and, of course, duplicates all add up fast, especially if you prefer high-resolution photos and take 4K video. It doesn't hurt to look through your Photos app every now and then and delete the stuff you don't need.

How to delete photos and videos on your iPhone

1. Open the Photos app and go to Collections.
2. Scroll to Media Types, such as Bursts, Screenshots, or Screen Recordings. Select a category, tap Select, review what you don't want, and tap the Trash icon. You can delete items individually or in batches.
3. Back in Collections, scroll to Utilities. Select a category such as Duplicates or Illustrations, and then repeat the same process.
4. When you're done, go to Collections > Utilities > Recently Deleted. Authenticate to access the folder, and then permanently delete the items you just purged to instantly free up space.

If you want a more low-effort way to organize an overloaded camera roll without spending hours deleting, use your phone's built-in photo search to look up today's date. This surfaces photos taken on that day across past years.

Also: This simple trick helps me tame my chaotic camera roll in just a few minutes

You can then quickly review that small batch and delete anything that doesn't matter. Repeating the process daily lets you steadily declutter over time and turns an overwhelming task into a quick, manageable habit.

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

5. Optimize photo storage

Even if you have the free iCloud+ tier, Apple includes a built-in feature that can reduce how much space photos and videos take up. When enabled, your full-resolution photos and videos are stored in iCloud, while smaller versions remain on your phone. You can still view everything normally, and your iPhone automatically downloads the full-quality version when you need it.

How to enable optimize photo storage on your iPhone

1. Go to Settings > Apps.
2. Tap Photos.
3. Turn on iCloud Photos.
4. Select Optimize iPhone Storage.

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Just remember that this does take up iCloud storage, so if you're low on space, you may be forced to upgrade your plan.

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

6. Transfer files off your iPhone

If cloud storage isn't your thing, or you don't want to pay to upgrade your plan, try moving data off your iPhone.

How to transfer files off your iPhone

• Use AirDrop to move photos and videos to your Mac: Open the Photos app on your iPhone > select the photos or videos you want to move > tap the Share button > choose AirDrop > select your Mac > accept the transfer on your Mac.
• You can copy files to an external USB or Lightning drive: Open the Files app on your iPhone > locate the files you want to move > tap and hold a file, then choose Move > select your external drive > tap Move to confirm.

Also: This hidden iPhone feature keeps your private apps completely out of sight - how I use it

The idea here is you're transferring large files to a computer or external storage for archiving. Once you confirm the files are backed up elsewhere, delete them from your iPhone to immediately free up storage space.

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

7. Review large attachments

Reviewing large attachments in Messages helps you quickly find and remove photos, videos, GIFs, and other files that have been shared in text threads and are quietly taking up space on your iPhone. These attachments can pile up over time, especially in active group chats, and they're easy to forget because they live inside conversations rather than your Photos app. 

How to review large attachments on your iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap iPhone Storage.
4. Scroll down and tap Review Large Attachments.
5. Review the list, select the items you want to remove, and delete them to free up space.

The Review Large Attachments view pulls everything into one place, sorted by size, so you can see what's eating up storage at a glance and delete items you no longer need without digging through individual message threads.

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

8. Sorry, but buy more iCloud+ space

Sometimes the only solution left, if you actually need more storage, is to upgrade your plan. This is especially true if photos and videos are your main issue and you don't want to delete anything. Choosing a new iCloud+ plan doesn't increase your phone's physical storage, but paired with optimization settings, it can increase your usable space.

How to upgrade iCloud+ plans on your iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap your name.
3. Tap iCloud.
4. Tap Storage > Change Storage Plan > See All Plans.
5. Choose a storage tier and confirm.

Also: My favorite iOS 26 feature makes screenshots even more useful - and it's easy to enable

iCloud+ starts at 99 cents a month for the 50GB plan. There's also 200GB for $2.99, 2TB for $9.99, 6TB for $29.99, and 12TB for $59.99. I have 2TB and am currently using about a quarter of it, with photos stored in iCloud taking up roughly 10% of the space.

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

Should I use third-party cleaning apps?

I've never tried them, but ZDNET's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has and recommends CleanMyPhone. It has in-app purchases but can help identify and clear clutter. Choose an app you trust and review everything it plans to purge so you don't lose anything precious. To be honest, cleaner apps don't do anything I haven't described above, but they can supposedly make the process a lot faster.

Does restarting my iPhone free up storage?

Sometimes. It can trigger a quick cache cleanup, especially if your System Data is bloated.

Should I just buy a new iPhone?

That's the most expensive option, but for some people, it's worth considering a new device with more local storage. It would certainly solve the problem long term. Check out ZDNET's comparison of the best iPhones available right now to weigh your options.

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