Junk Files Be Gone: Reclaim Your iPhone’s Memory

Should you clean junk files on your iPhone? Absolutely. And we’re here to help you do it. In this article, we’ll explain what junk files are, why deleting them is important, and how to clean them from your iPhone.

While it’s unlikely you’ll lose important data during this process, we still recommend backing up your essential files.

Smartphone Cleaning Tips

1. Delete Caches

Some apps allow you to clear their caches via Settings. Since iOS doesn’t specify which apps have these controls, you’ll need to check each app individually.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iOS device.

Step 2: Navigate to General > Storage & iCloud Usage. Tap Manage Storage under the Storage section. You’ll see a list of installed apps, sorted by the amount of storage they use.

Step 3: Select an app to view its storage details. For instance, you might want to clear cached webpages saved by Safari’s Reading List feature.

Step 4: Swipe left on unwanted items and tap Delete, or tap Edit > Delete All to remove all data for the app.

2. Get Rid of Duplicate and Similar Photos

If you like taking photos on your iPhone, you definitely have a lot of unsuccessful duplicates and just copies of photos. If you download CleanUp from App Store, you can get rid of this problem in a matter of seconds. The advantage of the cleaning phone app is that everything happens automatically. Phone cleaner finds duplicates and similar photos, and then deletes them. Also, the cleaner phone app can compress videos and create a secure partition in the memory.

3. Remove Unnecessary Apps

These days, even simple apps can take up a lot of space, and more complex ones can easily use several gigabytes. Here’s how to identify and delete these storage-hogging apps:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Go to the General section.
3. Navigate to iPhone Storage.
4. Look for the apps that use the most storage.
5. Tap the app you want to remove, then select Delete App.
6. Confirm that you want to delete the app and its data.

4. Delete Message Attachments

To clear out junk files from your iPhone, don’t forget about message attachments. Here’s how you can easily remove them:

1. Open the Settings app and tap General.
2. Go to iPhone Storage and select the Messages app.
3. Under Recommendations, look for Review Large Attachments.
4. Tap it to see a list of large attachments.
5. Hit the Edit button at the top right and choose the attachments you want to remove.
6. Tap the Trash Can icon to delete them.

5. Clear Your Downloads Folder

Clearing out downloads on your iPhone is easy and helps free up space. Follow these simple steps:

1. Open the Files app.
2. Go to the Browse tab.
3. Navigate to iCloud Drive.
4. Tap on the Downloads folder.
5. Select and delete any files you no longer need.

6. Clear Safari History and App Data

Browsing data is one of the most common types of junk files on your iPhone, and clearing it can significantly improve your device’s performance. This data includes saved user information (like passwords) and large website assets, such as banners. While clearing this data means you may need to re-enter passwords and experience slower load times for frequently visited websites, the performance boost is well worth it.

Here’s how to clear your Safari history and app data on your iPhone:

1. Open the Settings App: Locate and tap the Settings icon on your Home screen.
2. Access Safari Settings: Scroll down and tap on Safari.
3. Clear History and Data: Scroll to the Privacy & Security section and select Clear History and Website Data.
4. Confirm Your Choice: Tap Clear History and Data to confirm and complete the process.

7. Start All Over Again

Yes, you read that right. If you can’t free up a significant amount of ‘Other’ storage, a fresh start by restoring your device will give you a clean slate and make it faster.

Step 1: Backup your iOS device fully using iTunes (with encryption enabled) or iCloud so you can restore it later if needed.

Step 2: Perform a full restore to delete everything on the device by going to Settings → General → Reset → Erase All Content and Settings.

Step 3: Set up your device as new. Reinstall the apps you need, adjust iOS and app settings, and sync your media through iTunes or other methods like Dropbox.

Avoid restoring from a backup. Starting from scratch ensures all leftover files from previous installations are removed, even though caches and temporary files aren’t backed up.

Conclusion

Managing storage space on your iPhone is essential for keeping it running smoothly. Regularly delete unnecessary files, offload unused apps, and manage app data on both your device and iCloud to free up space and enhance performance. Take advantage of the built-in iOS tools and consider using third-party apps for a more thorough clean.