I totally get how alarming it feels when the dreaded iPhone Storage Full notification pops up while you’re trying to snap the perfect shot or install a new app. Not only does it block the way for new data, but it also bogs down your device’s overall performance. Should you just give in and buy more iCloud storage? Not yet. I’ll share six different ways to get more storage on your iPhone fast.
Can You Expand Physical Storage on an iPhone?
Since an iPhone doesn’t have an SD card slot like an Android smartphone, you can’t expand its physical or internal storage. Every model comes with a finite amount of built-in physical storage capacity, which cannot be modified from the user’s end. That means if you get a 128GB model, there’s no way to expand the local storage to 256GB.
Once the local storage is full, you’ll have to delete older data or back up your iPhone.
Although you cannot increase iPhone storage, there are several ways to keep all your essential data at your fingertips. We’ve discussed everything in detail below.
How to Get More Storage on iPhone
1. Offload Unused Apps
Time needed: 4 minutes
If you want to add storage on your iPhone for free, check and clear out some of the existing data. One of the easiest ways to do this is to offload unused apps or delete the ones you don’t need. Offloading an app will remove it from your device without deleting any data.
- Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see your installed apps and how much space each one uses.
- Here, enable the “Offload Apps” option.
- Here, you’ll also see a list of apps installed on your device.
- Swipe left the app you don’t use and hit Delete.
2. Make the most of your free iCloud space
Find and delete older/unwanted photos from iCloud to make space for more data.
- First, go to Settings > Apps > Photos and turn off iCloud Photos.
- Once you’ve done this, visit iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
- Go to the Photos app and click on Library to select and remove photos from your iCloud account.
You can also through your phone’s content and delete unwanted content like duplicate photos, unnecessary videos, old documents & message attachments, and more.
3. Enable Optimized iPhone Storage
The Optimized iPhone Storage feature saves full-resolution media on iCloud, while keeping smaller, optimized versions on your device to help conserve internal storage.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Photos.
- Select Optimize iPhone Storage.
4. Buy More Storage with iCloud+
When you create an Apple ID, you get 5GB of free iCloud storage space to store photos, videos, documents, and more. If you want to add more storage on your iPhone, you can upgrade to iCloud+ and select a monthly plan. Depending on your requirements, you can choose from 50GB, 200GB, 2TB, 6TB, and 12TB options.
- Go to Settings and tap [Your Name].
- On your Apple Account page, tap iCloud.
- Scroll down and tap Upgrade to iCloud+ option.
- Next, choose a plan and follow the on-screen instructions.
- If you already have an iCloud subscription, tap Manage Account Storage and select Change Storage Plan.
You can also choose from third-party cloud storage options like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, or DropBox.
5. Get a Portable Storage Device
If you don’t want to pay for a monthly iCloud+ subscription (or any other paid storage service) but still wish to keep all data at your disposal, get a portable storage disk. Newer iPhone models support external devices with HFS+, FAT32, AFPS, or exFAT file systems.
You can easily find a budget-friendly storage drive that can connect to your iPhone and store your important data. Also, there are wireless storage devices that work with a Wi-Fi network and don’t require a cable.
You can use a Mac or Windows device to back up your iPhone data. This additional backup storage will help you free up internal memory on your iOS device.
6. Trade In Your iPhone for a Model With More Storage
If you’re holding onto a years-old iPhone with low storage, maybe it’s time to treat yourself to a shiny new model with more space. Apple lets you trade in an older iPhone for a newer model. Also, you can sell your device on third-party platforms or nearby stores. It’s a good idea to explore a few options and settle on the one that offers you the best exchange value.
If you’re still short on space, you can start checking your background processes. For instance, System Data could be taking up all your iPhone storage without you knowing it.