Phone Full Again? A Simple Clean-Up for iPhone and Android

Nov 3

2 min read

Our phones go everywhere with us, so it's no surprise they get cluttered. If you've seen the dreaded "storage almost full" message, or your phone just feels slow, these simple steps will help. I've included iPhone and Android for each one. Android menus vary a little between makes like Samsung and Google Pixel, so if yours looks slightly different, use the search bar at the top of Settings.

1. See what's using your storage

iPhone: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. You'll see a coloured bar and a list of apps, biggest first.
Android: Go to Settings > Storage (on Samsung it's Settings > Device care > Storage, or Device maintenance on some older models).

2. Offload or remove apps you don't use

iPhone: In iPhone Storage, tap an app and choose Offload App (it removes the app but keeps your data, so you can reinstall later) or Delete App. To do this automatically, go to Settings > Apps > App Store and turn on Offload Unused Apps.
Android: Press and hold an app's icon, tap App info, then Uninstall.

3. Back up your photos and videos

Photos and videos are usually the biggest space-hogs, so make sure they're safely backed up first.

iPhone: Go to Settings, tap your name, then iCloud > Photos, and switch on Sync this iPhone. Choose Optimise iPhone Storage to keep smaller copies on your phone.
Android: Open Google Photos, tap your profile picture (top-right), then Photos settings > Backup, and make sure Backup is on. Once everything's backed up, tap your profile picture again and choose Free up space on this device to remove the copies stored on your phone.

4. Install updates

iPhone: Settings > General > Software Update.
Android: Settings > System > Software updates (on Samsung, Settings > Software update > Download and install).

Keep your apps up to date in the App Store or Google Play Store too.

5. Tidy old messages and attachments

Years of photos and videos in chats add up.

iPhone: Go to Settings > Apps > Messages (on older versions just Settings > Messages) and set Keep Messages to 1 Year. In iPhone Storage > Messages you can also review and delete large attachments.
Android: In Google Messages or your messaging app, delete old conversations you don't need. Don't forget WhatsApp: Settings > Storage and data > Manage storage shows the biggest files.

6. Restart your phone

iPhone: Press and hold the side button and either volume button, slide to power off, then turn it back on.
Android: Press and hold the power button (on Pixel 6 and later, power and volume up together) and tap Restart.

That's your phone tidied up. If you get stuck, or you're worried about losing photos, get in touch with us at Gadget Guru – we're always happy to help.