How to check the storage on your iPhone and iPad

iOS and iPadOS monitor device storage, showing how much space each app uses. You can check storage in Settings, the Finder, the Apple Devices app, or iTunes.

Optimize iOS and iPadOS storage

When your device is low on storage, it frees up space by removing items that you can redownload or aren't needed, like unused apps and temporary files.

Use your device to check its storage

  1. Go to Settings > General > [Device] Storage, where you'll see recommendations and a list of apps with their storage usage.

    Offload Unused Apps recommendation in iPhone Storage settings.

  2. Tap an app's name for more information about its storage. Cached data and temporary data might not count as usage.

In the detailed view you can:

  • Offload the app, which frees up storage used by the app, but keeps its documents and data.

  • Delete the app, which removes the app and its related data.

  • Depending on the app, you might be able to delete some of its documents and data.

If your device shows a "Storage Almost Full" alert, check the storage recommendations or remove some content, such as videos and apps.

Categorize content

Here's a list of the types of content on your device, and what each type includes:

  • Apps: Installed apps and their content, and content stored in "On My iPhone/iPad/iPod touch" directory in the Files app, and Safari downloads.

  • Photos: Photos and videos stored in the Photos app.

  • Media: Music, videos, podcasts, ringtones, artwork, and Voice Memos.

  • Mail: Emails and their attachments.

  • Apple Books: Books and PDFs in the Books app.

  • Messages: Messages and their attachments.

  • iCloud Drive: iCloud Drive content that you downloaded locally to your device.1

  • Other: Non-removable mobile assets, like Siri voices, fonts, dictionaries, non-removable logs and caches, Spotlight index, and system data, such as Keychain and CloudKit Database.2

  • System: Space taken by the operating system. This can vary based on your device and model.

If your storage is full, use recommendations to optimize storage

In the Storage section of Settings, your device might offer recommendations for optimizing your storage. To optimize your storage:

  1. Tap Show All to see the recommendations for your device.

  2. Read the description of each recommendation, then tap Enable to turn it on or tap the recommendation to review the contents that you can delete.

Use the Finder, the Apple Devices app, or iTunes to check the storage on your iOS device

  1. Switch to the Finder on your Mac, or open the Apple Devices app on your PC. If your PC doesn't have the Apple Devices app, or your Mac is using macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes instead. Find out which macOS your Mac is using.

  2. Connect your device to your computer.

  3. Select your device in the sidebar of the Finder window or Apple Devices app. If using iTunes, select your device in the upper-left corner of the iTunes window. You'll see a bar that shows how much storage your content uses, divided by content type.

  4. Move your mouse over the bar to see how much storage each content type is using.

    Cursor hovering over a storage category in the Finder.

Categorize content

Here's a list of the types of content on your device, and what each type includes:

  • Audio: Songs, audio podcasts, audiobooks, voice memos, and ringtones.

  • Video: Movies, music videos, and TV shows.

  • Photos: Content in your Photo Library, Camera Roll, and Photo Stream.

  • Apps: Installed apps. Documents & Data lists the content of the apps.

  • Books: iBooks books, audio books, and PDF files.

  • Documents & Data: Safari Offline Reading List, files stored within installed apps, and app content like contacts, calendars, messages, and emails (and their attachments).

  • Other: Settings, Siri voices, system data, and cached files.

  • Synced content: Media content that you synchronize from your computer when you click Sync in the Finder window.3

About cached files in Other

The Finder, Apple Devices app, and iTunes show cached music, videos, and photos as "Other" storage. The system creates these files when you stream or view content, allowing for faster access the next time you want to enjoy content. Your device removes these files when your device needs more space.

If storage on your device differs from what you see in the Finder, Apple Devices app, or iTunes

Since the Finder, Apple Devices app, and iTunes categorize cached files as Other, reported usage for Music or Videos might differ. To view usage on your device, go to Settings > General > [Device] Storage.

If you want to delete the cached files from your device

To free up space, your device removes cached and temporary files, so you don't have to.

1. You can't delete iCloud content automatically.

2. The system can't delete cached files.

3. You can't remove data in Synced content using your iPhone. To remove this data, switch to the Finder, or open the Apple Devices app or iTunes, deselect the data, and click Sync.

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