Why does my iPhone say storage is full when I have deleted photos?

Deleted photos stay in the Recently Deleted album for about 30 days. Open Photos, go to Albums, then Recently Deleted, and delete them permanently. Space can also take a few minutes, or a restart, to show as free.

What is System Data and can I delete it?

System Data, sometimes called Other, includes caches, logs, offline content and temporary files. You cannot delete it directly. Clearing large app caches, removing downloaded media in streaming and messaging apps, and restarting the phone usually shrinks it. Updating to the latest system version can also help.

Is it safe to clear app cache on Android?

Yes. Clearing an app's cache removes temporary files the app can rebuild, and you stay signed in. Clear storage, also called clear data, is different: it resets the app completely and can delete offline files, so only use it when you mean to.

Does offloading an app delete my data?

No. Offloading on iPhone removes the app itself but keeps its documents and data. When you reinstall it from the App Store, your data returns, as long as the app is still available.

How to Free Up Storage on iPhone and Android Without Losing Anything Important

Storage full again? Start with the two or three things that are actually filling your phone, then work through the fixes in order, from quickest to most effective.

Deleted photos stay in the Recently Deleted album for about 30 days. Open Photos, go to Albums, then Recently Deleted, and delete them permanently. Space can also take a few minutes, or a restart, to show as free.

System Data, sometimes called Other, includes caches, logs, offline content and temporary files. You cannot delete it directly. Clearing large app caches, removing downloaded media in streaming and messaging apps, and restarting the phone usually shrinks it. Updating to the latest system version can also help.

Yes. Clearing an app's cache removes temporary files the app can rebuild, and you stay signed in. Clear storage, also called clear data, is different: it resets the app completely and can delete offline files, so only use it when you mean to.

No. Offloading on iPhone removes the app itself but keeps its documents and data. When you reinstall it from the App Store, your data returns, as long as the app is still available.

How to Free Up Storage on iPhone and Android

Find out what is actually using the space

Do not start deleting at random. On almost every phone, two or three things account for most of the storage, usually photos and videos, a messaging app and one or two streaming or game apps.

iPhone: Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Wait for the list to load. It is sorted largest first, and the top suggestions often free gigabytes in one tap.
Android: Settings > Storage (or Battery and device care > Storage on Samsung). Tap a category to see which apps and files are largest. Google's Files app also has a "Clean" tab with junk, duplicates and large files.

Make a note of the top five items. Fixing those is worth more than everything else combined.

Quick wins: five minutes, often several gigabytes

1. Empty the deleted items

Photos: On iPhone, open Albums > Recently Deleted and delete all. On Android, open Google Photos or Gallery > Bin (or Trash) and empty it.
Files and downloads: Clear the "Recently deleted" folder in the Files app on iPhone, and the Downloads folder on Android.

2. Clear media saved by messaging apps

WhatsApp and similar apps quietly save every photo, video and voice note you receive.

WhatsApp: Settings > Storage and data > Manage storage. Review "Larger than 5 MB" and the biggest chats, then delete what you do not need. Turn off Media visibility or auto-download for groups that send a lot.
Do the same in Telegram (Settings > Data and Storage > Storage Usage) and other chat apps.

3. Remove downloaded videos and music

Streaming apps such as Netflix, YouTube, Spotify and podcast apps keep offline downloads indefinitely. Delete the ones you have already watched or heard.

4. Clear browser data

Old browser caches can grow large. See our guide on how to clear browser cache for Safari, Chrome and other browsers.

Bigger fixes

Offload or uninstall apps you rarely use

iPhone: In iPhone Storage, tap an app and choose Offload App. This removes the app but keeps its data. You can also turn on Offload Unused Apps so the phone does it automatically when space runs low.
Android: Uninstall apps you have not opened in months. In the Play Store, go to your profile > Manage apps and device > Manage, and sort by size.

Clear app caches (Android)

Go to Settings > Apps > choose an app > Storage > Clear cache. Start with the largest apps: browsers, social media and maps. This is safe and keeps you signed in. Avoid Clear storage unless you want to reset the app completely.

Move photos and videos off the phone

Photos and videos are the largest category for most people. The goal is to keep them, just not on the phone.

Back them up first. Use iCloud Photos, Google Photos or a similar service, and check the backup has finished.
Turn on space saving.
- On iPhone, use Settings > Photos > Optimise iPhone Storage. Full-size originals stay in iCloud, and smaller versions stay on the phone.
- In Google Photos, use the Free up space option. It removes local copies of items already backed up.
Or copy them to a computer or external drive, then delete them from the phone once you have checked the copy opens.

Record video at a sensible setting

4K video at 60 frames per second uses several times more space than 1080p. Unless you need the extra quality, set the camera to 1080p or 4K at 30 fps. On iPhone, choosing High Efficiency format (HEIF and HEVC) also saves space.

If "System Data" or "Other" is huge

This category holds caches, logs and temporary files that you cannot delete directly. To shrink it:

Restart the phone. This clears some temporary files.
Clear caches and offline downloads in your biggest apps, as above.
Install the latest system update, which often cleans up old files.
As a last resort, back up the phone, erase it, and restore. This usually reclaims a lot of space, but takes time.

Keep it from filling up again

Turn on Offload Unused Apps (iPhone) or let Files suggest clean-ups (Android).
Set WhatsApp and Telegram not to auto-download media in busy groups.
Review your storage screen once a month.
When you buy your next phone, choose more storage than you think you need. Phones last longer now, and photos and apps keep growing.