iPhone 8 stuck at Settings ==> General ==> iPhone Storage

Question

Level 1

13 points

iPhone 8 stuck at Settings ==> General ==> iPhone Storage

My iPhone says 62.3GB of 64GB are full.

I've already spent several hours poking around deleting stuff, and now I'd like to get to the screen that shows how much storage is left and lists the apps from biggest to smallest, so I can make quicker progress on this project.

Here's a screenshot from the web of where I'd like to be:

Unfortunately, I can't get there. My iPhone gets stuck here:

It spins and spins and spins. I've tried shutting it down, but that hasn't helped.

Any suggestions about getting around this?

Thanks.

iPhone 8

Posted on Mar 16, 2023 4:49 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

sberman

Level 10

272,114 points

Mar 16, 2023 5:22 PM in response to sfrench

Your iPhone’s storage is more than full. You need an absolute minimum of 6½ GB of free storage, which you do not have.

You must erase the iPhone and restore it from a backup if your backup uses less storage.

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support

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Answer 2

sberman

Level 10

272,114 points

Mar 17, 2023 12:10 PM in response to sfrench

sfrench wrote:

You, I imagine, can understand my reluctance to erase and restore my iPhone

Actually, no, I don’t understand this. Assuming you have a reliable and reasonably current backup, and the backup was done at a time the iPhone was using considerably less storage, I believe this is your best course of action.

If you don’t meet these criteria, then I do understand.

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Answer 3

sfrench Author

Level 1

13 points

Mar 23, 2023 3:09 PM in response to sberman

Well, sberman, I was hesitant to try this, but after trying everything else I could think of, I took your advice.

And, by the end of a difficult and hair-raising day — it worked!

I still don't understand why it worked. Would you be willing to provide a few details about how it worked?

Thank you, again.

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Answer 4

sberman

Level 10

272,114 points

Mar 25, 2023 10:37 AM in response to sfrench

sfrench wrote:

How do I "never let that free space fall below 6½GB"?

By closely monitoring it, and taking action if the free space approaches the limit.

Here are excellent suggestions.

How to check the storage on your iPhone and iPad - Apple Support

Do these things and future erasures - restores should not be necessary.

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Answer 5

sfrench Author

Level 1

13 points

Mar 17, 2023 2:34 AM in response to sberman

I’ve freed up 10GB but still get stuck spinning when I try to go to <Settings ==> General ==> iPhone Storage>. The phone works, so I’ll just carry on for now. Perhaps I’ll try to get try to get to <Settings ==> General ==> iPhone Storage> again in a few days. But as long as the phone is working, I see no reason to erase and restore. Thank you again.

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Answer 6

sfrench Author

Level 1

13 points

Mar 17, 2023 6:16 AM in response to sfrench

Is there something I’m not fully understanding, sberman?

You, I imagine, can understand my reluctance to erase and restore my iPhone, which other than — still — not completing the <Settings ==> General ==> iPhone Storage> sequence seems to be working fine.

Any further comments?

Thank you, again.

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Answer 7

sberman

Level 10

272,114 points

Mar 23, 2023 3:20 PM in response to sfrench

Well, some caching occurred based on whatever activities you undertook since your last backup, and something caused you to run out of space somewhere. Restoring took you back to a time when things were more orderly.

To avoid this in the future, never let that free space fall below 6½GB.

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