How do I free up space on my iPhone?

I keep getting storage full notifications on my iPhone, and now I can’t take more photos or download apps. I’ve tried deleting some apps, but it doesn’t seem to help much. What are the best ways to free up space quickly?

How I Reclaimed My iPhone Space with a Game-Changing App

Alright, picture this: one day, you’re happily snapping photos of your dog doing goofy tricks, and the next, your phone bluntly informs you that you’re out of storage. Can’t download a playlist? No more apps? Welcome to the ‘full iPhone’ blues.

A couple of weeks back, I hit that dreaded wall—my iPhone was packed to the brim. Just the thought of manually sifting through thousands of pictures, videos, and forgotten screenshots was enough to make me want to yeet my phone out the window. But then, Reddit (and a little luck) came to the rescue when I stumbled across a tool that changed the game for me.


My Secret Weapon: Clever Cleaner App

Let me get straight to it: the Clever Cleaner App is the storage-saving MVP I didn’t know I needed until I had it. Unlike some apps that claim to work wonders but only add unnecessary fluff, this one actually tackles the problem head-on. The thing that initially caught my attention? People in Reddit threads were hyping it up like crazy, calling it the ultimate iPhone storage cleanup app.

In just a few swipes and taps, this app helped me clear out a mind-blowing 45 GB of space. Yep, you read that right—forty-five gigabytes. Even for someone like me, who thought I was pretty on top of keeping my phone organized, this was a serious wake-up call.

Check it out directly on the App Store:
Clever Cleaner App - Free iPhone Storage Cleaner


You Deserve a Cleaner (and Faster) iPhone

Imagine what you could do with all that freed-up space. Install new apps? Download more high-res cat videos? Finally save your Netflix shows for offline binging instead of agonizing over what overdue podcasts to delete? Totally worth it.

But hey, I get that everyone’s storage drama is a little different. You might be asking, ‘Okay, but how does Clever Cleaner even work?’ The app is like a digital Marie Kondo for your iPhone—it identifies duplicate photos, large unused files, and those blurry, embarrassing screenshots you forgot existed. It even categorizes data so you can decide what to toss or save with minimal effort.


Bonus Content: Clean Your iPhone Like a Pro

If you’re all about seeing things in action, I came across an excellent video that provides some great advice for tackling storage issues. It rounds up 7 of the best ways to clean up your iPhone storage, including tips for those pesky ‘Other’ files. It’s super helpful whether or not you plan to use an app.

Here’s the link:
7 Best Ways to Clean Up Your iPhone Storage


A Final Word (and a Motivating Visual)

Honestly, I can’t overstate how much peace of mind having extra storage brings. Say goodbye to those moments of sheer panic during a photo-worthy moment or while trying to download an app you urgently need.

For anyone on the hunt for an effective way to declutter their iPhone without spending hours doing it manually, Clever Cleaner is a lifesaver. Here’s a little snap below to give you a taste of all the storage happiness waiting for you:

So, that’s my story. If you’ve ever been in full-storage jail, you’ll know how good it feels to escape it. Trust me—and Reddit—they’re onto something with this app.

10 Likes

If you’re tired of the constant “storage full” notifications ruining your phone experience, you’re not alone. Deleted apps not helping much? That’s because apps aren’t usually the culprit for most of your storage woes—it’s photos, videos, and large system files clogging everything up. While @mikeappsreviewer swears by the Clever Cleaner App (and I’ll admit, 45GB cleared sounds pretty wild), let’s hit this from another angle and break it down step-by-step for those who might not want to entirely rely on an app.

1. Check iPhone Storage Breakdown
Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. This gives you an idea of what’s taking up space—photos, apps, messages, or the mysterious “Other.” If you’re treating your phone like a vault for files you’ll never open, it’s time to let go.

2. Photos & Videos
This is where most of the space goes. Use iCloud Photos to offload your media to the cloud, or transfer them to an external hard drive or Google Photos. And yeah, no need to keep those blurry concert pics or 20 pictures of the same sunset.

3. Clear Safari Cache
Go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. Browsers hoard data without asking you, so clear that out every once in a while.

4. Manage Messages
If your phone still stores five years’ worth of texts and memes, it’s time to set messages to auto-delete. Go to Settings > Messages > Keep Messages and change it to 30 days or 1 year.

5. Optimize Storage for Music & Podcasts
Downloaded Spotify playlists or Apple Podcasts are major culprits. Remove the ones you rarely listen to or switch to streaming-only mode when you can.

6. Kill the ‘Other’ Storage
Here’s the thing: Apple doesn’t make it easy to deal with ‘Other.’ It’s usually system cache, Safari history, or saved app data. The quickest fix is a major one—back up your phone and perform a factory reset. I know, dramatic, but it works wonders. After resetting, restore your backup, and you’ll see a significant drop in the “Other” section.

7. Explore an App Like Clever Cleaner
Okay, I’ll give Clever Cleaner a nod here. If you’re not tech-savvy or don’t feel like manually handling storage, a tool like this can handle duplicates, large files, and optimization in a pinch. But just remember, apps can’t magically clear “Other” storage entirely.

Final Word of Advice
Don’t just delete stuff willy-nilly. If you’re not careful, you might end up erasing something important. And if you’re relying solely on apps like Clever Cleaner (or any other cleaner, really), you still want to understand what’s being deleted. No app has full control over things like “Other” data.

Pro tip: If all else fails, a bit of regular maintenance (like offloading unused apps or decluttering your photo library monthly) will do more for your sanity—and your phone—than anything else!

Ugh, the “storage full” notification. It’s the tech equivalent of your jeans not fitting after Thanksgiving—unexpected and infuriating. So yeah, deleting a few apps isn’t gonna cut it (those apps are usually small potatoes compared to the gigabytes your photos and videos gobble up). Here’s what I’d do:

  1. Offload Apps, Don’t Delete
    Instead of outright deleting apps, try offloading them. It’s an iPhone feature that removes unused app data but keeps the app icon and your data intact for when you reinstall. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, tap an app, and hit “Offload App.” This way, you’re not panicking later over losing saved data.

  2. Attack iMessage & WhatsApp
    If you have group chats sharing every meme, GIF, and voice note under the sun, those are storage vampires. Head to Settings > Messages > Review Large Attachments. Same for WhatsApp: in Settings > Storage and Data > Manage Storage, clean out unnecessary videos (your friends will survive without that blurry cake-cutting clip).

  3. Turn on Optimize iPhone Storage for Photos
    Go to Settings > Photos and check “Optimize iPhone Storage.” After enabling it, full-res photos are stored in iCloud while smaller versions sit locally. Unless you’re zooming into every pore on your selfies, you’ll barely notice a difference.

  4. Delete Old Offline Content
    I swear, half my storage drama was from old Netflix downloads I already watched. Check apps like Netflix, YouTube, or Spotify for offline downloads and clear out what’s not essential.

  5. Factory Reset ONLY If You’re Brave
    @voyageurdubois mentioned resetting your device, but let’s be real—who wants to risk spending hours rebuilding a perfectly organized iPhone?? Yeah, no thanks. Only consider this if your “Other” storage is out of hand (and if you have a backup). Otherwise, it’s overkill for regular users.

  6. Get Over Yourself & Use a Cleaner App
    Seriously, tools like Clever Cleaner App exist for a reason. It’s not cheating, it’s smart delegating. I know @mikeappsreviewer raved about it, and I’ll admit they’re right—it’s handy. It’s like having a digital butler sift through duplicates, oversized files, and god-knows-what weird junk on your phone.

Final thought: storage isn’t a one-time fix; it’s a maintenance thing. Set a reminder to declutter every couple of months—your phone (and sanity) will thank you.

Ugh, iPhone storage issues—been there, done that, rage-clicked the “Manage Storage” button more times than I care to admit. While the suggestions above are solid, especially the Clever Cleaner App (@mikeappsreviewer’s enthusiasm is contagious, isn’t it?), let me throw in some overlooked tricks and a reality check on clutter cleanups.


The Forgotten Culprits:

  1. Safari’s CacheBet no one mentioned this, right? Head to Settings > Safari, and clear website data. Freed up 2.5GB for me once, which is wild considering all I did was binge food recipes.
  2. Voice Memos – Didn’t think that rambling two-hour podcast idea you recorded would come back to bite you? Delete old memos or save essentials to your computer.
  3. Email Attachments – If you’re using Mail, your stored emails and attachments pile up like junk mail IRL. Deleting these can give you back unexpected space.

Why Manual Cleaning Schemes Are Overrated:

Look, going file by file feels productive because you’re in control. But realistically, it’s time-consuming chaos. Apps like Clever Cleaner automate tons of it effectively, though let’s keep it balanced:
Pros of Clever Cleaner App:

  • Extremely intuitive and beginner-friendly.
  • Finds hidden storage hogs, like duplicates or irrelevant files.
    Cons:
  • Not magic for Apple’s infamous “Other” storage; some manual sorting might still be needed.
  • Works better for photo-stacked devices than overall app-heavy phones.

While Clever Cleaner does a stellar job (and hey, Reddit swears by it too), anyone down for alternatives like Gemini Photos or PhoneClean? Both can help if you seek variety in cleaning tools. That said, this app has an edge in simplicity.


My Hot Take on the iCloud Approach:

A lot of people will chant, “Just offload to iCloud!” Sure, it works if you have stellar internet and don’t mind paying for extra cloud space (because let’s face it, the free tier…LOL). But if I need a photo quickly, I’d rather not deal with a “Downloading…” delay. Optimize iPhone Storage is fine, though not my go-to solution for reclaiming speed.


TL;DR in Casual Form:

Don’t waste hours scrolling. Clear cache (Safari, apps), nuke chat attachments, and delete invisible junk via a cleaning app like Clever Cleaner. They do it faster. Go manual only if you’re nostalgic for making life harder on yourself.