Table of contents:
- Clear Safari history
- Optimize the image space
- Delete apps you don't use
- Delete the data of the apps you use the least
- Do not keep the HDR photo or the normal one, you choose
- Lower the resolution of the videos
- Use a cloud service like iCloud
One of the most frequent problems that iPhone users face is that they end up running out of storage over time. The company's devices do not allow you to expand their capacity through memory cards, so you have to settle for the gigs we have, or hiring a cloud storage service such as iCloud. However, there are some things to keep in mind when space starts to run low, which is very normal if your iPhone or iPad only has 16 or 64 GB. Keep reading if you are interested in knowing them.
Clear Safari history
Believe it or not, everything we consult in Safari is saved in the history, in a way that reduces the space available on the device. A smart way not to consume a lot of space with this is to delete the websites that we have visited in the last days or weeks (even months if you have never done this). To do this, you just have to enter the Settings section, Safari and click on Clear history and website data.
Please note that your history, cookies and other browsing data will be deleted. Likewise, the history of the devices connected to your iCloud account will be erased.
Optimize the image space
If you are one of those who take non-stop photos or record videos and keep them all in the memory of the device, it is not surprising that you quickly run out of space. iOS includes an option for them to only be stored in the cloud. In this way, in the terminal you will only see a thumbnail that takes up little space. Whenever you want, you can download the original photo to show it to someone or send it via WhatsApp or social networks. To activate this option follow the steps below.
- Click on Settings and scroll down to the Photos section.
- Once inside, activate the Optimize storage option.
- When you have little space left, iOS will delete some photos, but they will continue to appear at a lower resolution and, as we say, you can download them at their original size from iCloud whenever you want.
Delete apps you don't use
It is obvious that if you install applications without control, and do not maintain a certain cleanliness on your iPhone or iPad, it will negatively affect storage. Therefore, we encourage you to take a look at the apps that you have installed and to delete the ones that you no longer use. Keep in mind that not only does the installation take up space as such, but also all the data that is stored in them.
A very curious way to order iOS to do this automatically for you is by activating the Remove unused apps option. You can find it in Settings, General, iPhone or iPad Storage. This option will delete applications that you do not use without you noticing when you have little space left, although, yes, you will continue to see the app icon. This means that you can download them again whenever you want without losing data.
Delete the data of the apps you use the least
There is also the opposite method. In iOS it is possible to delete the data of the apps you use less. Thus, you can continue to have the app available when you need it, but without it taking up a lot of space. In Settings, General, iPhone (or iPad) Storage you can see all the applications that you have installed and the amount of storage that is being stolen. Here you can see how much data the app itself is using, and how much additional space it is saving.
For example, on my iPhone the Snapchat app occupies 163.6 MB and only in documents and data there are 50.2 MB. Therefore, freeing up all the space of less-used apps can come in handy to gain extra capacity just when you need it.
Do not keep the HDR photo or the normal one, you choose
HDR photography (or High Dynamic Range Imaging) is a technique that involves processing images to cover the widest range of exposure levels from all angles. This is accomplished by mixing multiple photos of the same location with different exposures. The result is a more elaborate and higher quality image than the original. Although iOS gives the option to keep the two photos, the normal one and the photo with HDR, you can save a lot of space if you choose not to keep both. That is, opt for one or the other depending on what you like the most.
Disable this option by going into Settings, Camera and deactivating Smart HDR or keep normal photo.
Lower the resolution of the videos
Also, very important to enjoy more space on your iPhone or iPad is to lower the resolution of the videos you record. Keep in mind that the latest iPhone models already allow video to be recorded at 4k and 60 frames per second. The quality is incredible, but the storage takes a terrible toll. For some professional video this is fine, but it is not necessary to maintain this quality in all our videos. And it is that by downloading it it is possible to save up to 360 MB per minute of recording.
Go back to Settings and Camera and click on the Record video section. Here you have several options to choose from. If you have a current iPhone model it will allow you to record in 720p HD at 30fps, 1080p HD at 30fps, 1080p HD at 60fps and then in 4K at 24, 30 or 60 fps. Avoid 4K at all times to avoid damaging the available space.
Use a cloud service like iCloud
As we said at the beginning, both iPhone and iPad do not allow to expand the space through memory cards, as for example with the popular microSD. In this way, there is no other option than to resort to cloud storage services such as iCloud.
iCloud offers 5 GB of storage totally free, although you can expand it as much as you want for a monthly amount. The most popular is to hire 50 GB for only 1 euro per month. You also have two other options: 200 GB or 2 TB for 3 or 10 euros per month, respectively.
