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You want to download a new app on your iPhone, but there’s a problem: tons of storage is being taken up by “Other” or “System Data” files that you can’t directly access. In this article, we’ll show you how to delete Other storage on your iPhone, either manually or by using an automated clean-up tool to fully optimize your device.
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Other storage is a catch-all category that contains caches, updates, and other data. If you’re using iOS 15 or later, “Other” storage is labeled “System Data.” Usually, Other or System Data storage takes up between 5 and 20 GB of space.
You’ve probably noticed the Other or System Data section on your iPhone storage bar if you’ve ever tried to clear up space on your phone.
It can be frustrating to see a significant portion of your iPhone’s capacity devoted to Other or System Data storage. But it could also be why your phone is overheating, or acting as a safe haven for malicious code, preventing iPhone virus removal. And this type of storage can quickly grow out of hand as data accumulates due to:
Streaming: When you stream music or videos, your iPhone caches information to give you smooth playback.
Podcasting: If you download music or videos, the data is typically categorized as “Media.” However, podcasts sometimes end up in the Other or System Data category.
Browser Caching: While browser caches help you open web pages faster, they can take up a lot of storage space.
It’s impossible to completely clear Other or System Data storage, but you can trim it down to size by removing many types of files within this category. As well as freeing up space for new downloads, this can also help your iPhone run faster and prevent phone overheating.
Here’s how to free up Other storage space by removing System Data:
The iOS Messages app is automatically set to cache messages forever. If you’ve had your iPhone for a few years — and if you often send large files like photos or videos via Messages — that can really add up.
Here’s how to change the cache settings to delete cache messages:
Open Settings > Apps > Messages.
Scroll down to Message History and tap Keep Messages.
Select 30 Days or 1 Year to reduce your cache.
The downside of this method is all messages on your phone beyond the cutoff will be deleted. If you want to keep certain messages, back them up before adjusting your settings.
If you frequently browse the web, there’s a good chance that your Safari cache is responsible for a lot of your Other storage, and could even be slowing down your internet connection. To reduce the amount of temporary data clogging up your storage, clear your Safari cache by following these steps:
Open Settings > Apps > Safari.
Scroll down to select Clear History and Website Data.
Select the time frame you’d like to clear, and tap Clear History.
Keep in mind that along with clearing the Safari cache, this will also delete your browsing history for the selected time frame.
App caches for streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, or Podcasts can build up over time to hog a significant amount of space in your device's storage with unnecessary data. To see if that’s the case, open your streaming apps to check the cache and delete it.
Here’s how to clear your cache on Spotify — the process will be similar on other streaming apps:
Open Spotify and tap on your profile picture.
Select Settings and privacy and tap Clear cache.
Good storage hygiene will go a long way toward improving your iPhone’s capacity and performance. If you want to keep your Other or System Data storage to a minimum, practice the following steps:
Regularly delete unused apps and media
Optimize photos and videos for efficient storage
Manage app data to free up space
Disable built-in features that you don’t use
Remove large files and duplicates
Use a dedicated iPhone clean-up app
If you want a simpler way to manage your iPhone storage, install Avast Cleanup. This lightweight, easy-to-use app automatically detects media clutter, duplicate photos, and other files you might want to delete. Install it today for smoother, more responsive mobile performance.
