* Stop running out of storage and make room the smart way
* Aside from apps, your photos, messages and videos tend to take up the most space
* Follow these simple tips for instant storage relief
Finding yourself constantly running out of storage on your phone? Maybe you found the perfect photo opportunity but couldn’t snap the pic because your phone was full? You don’t have to miss out because your phone’s out of storage. Check out these 10 useful tips to help free up space.
1. Back Up Your Photos and Delete Them After
When it comes to making space, the best (and easiest) way is to simply move your media to the cloud. Instead of having to manually go through and pick and choose which pics to keep and which to toss, set up an automatic backup system to manually save and store your photos in the cloud. That way, you’ll have no regrets when you delete them all on your phone.
2. Turn Off the Photo Stream Option
You may not realize it, but most Apple phones have a default setting that lets you view any and all photos you’ve uploaded on your Mac. If you don’t use this option (or know what it is), then it’s probably in your best interest to turn it off. Simply head to Settings, Photos and then unselect the “My Photo Stream” option. (Note: keep in mind that when you unselect this option, you’re no longer backing up your photos to the cloud. You’ll have to do it manually on your computer).
3. Clear Your Browser History and Website Data
Over time the cookies in your browsing history can take up a lot of space. That’s why it’s so helpful to clear your browser cache every few months. Simply open your phone’s settings, tap Safari (or Chrome if you use it), and then tap “Clear History and Website Data.”
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4. Delete Podcasts, Books and Movies You No Longer Use
Have a few Silicon Valley episodes stored on your phone? What about that last J.K. Rowling book? A good rule of thumb is if you’re not using it, you don’t need it. Ditch your old movies and books. Or, if you want, store them in the cloud for easy access later.
5. Always, Always, Always Update Your Software
Tired of that update notification popping up every few hours? It might be time to update your phone. In addition to patching potential software fixes and helping keep your phone more secure, updating your app can also go a long way in freeing up space.
6. Wipe Your Old Text Messages
Okay, this one seems like a given, but you’d be surprised how much space those 3-year-old texts take up. Pro tip: You might want to take a minute to go through your old texts and save any photos or videos (or GIFs) before deleting.
7. Choose a Lower Resolution When Capturing Videos
Are your high-res movies taking up too much space? Simply turn the resolution down a few notches. While it’s not a miracle trick, it could definitely come in handy when you’re shooting multiple vids.
8. See Which Apps You Don’t Use…and Delete Them
We all have apps that we downloaded once for some reason or another, only to have them sitting on our home screens untouched. Delete them. Alternatively, apps like Facebook and Gmail also take up a ton of space, so if you’re really desperate for a little more storage, consider deleting those apps and use your browser instead.
9. Trash Your Old Notes
How often do you use your phone’s notepad? If your answer is anything other than never, then go ahead and delete those old notes too. While on their own your notes may not take up that much space, they can quickly add up — especially when you consider how much space your other apps need.
10. Say Goodbye to Your Old Voicemails
You thought we’d forget this one, didn’t you? While voicemail is quickly becoming as antiquated as your land line, it’s still a thing, and it still takes up space. Instead of waiting for the 30-day window for your old voicemails to be deleted, go ahead and nix ‘em all now.