On my iPad, Photos are taking up most of the space. It is set to only store thumbnails and keep everything in the cloud. Recently I ran a slideshow, so it looks like it downloaded thousands of photos and videos.
But it won't release the storage.
iPadOS wants to update but tells me i don't have enough free space.
How do i free up the storage ?
iPad Pro, iPadOS 18
iCloud Photos is principally a synchronisation service - that (a) keeps your Photo Library in-sync between your Apple devices, and (b) makes your Photos available from any computer using a web browser.
iCloud Photos is not an alternative storage location; copies of your Photo are also stored on your iPad (and other devices that synchronise with iCloud Photos) - although you can elect to keep low-resolution copies on your device, with a full-resolution copy being downloaded from iCloud when accessed.
It is generally recommended that you maintain 4-6GB of free space at all times - as your iPad needs some temporary space to complete many tasks - such as performing system software updates.
A system software update requires sufficient space to be downloaded, unpacked and verified prior to installation - major version updates (such as updating from iPadOS 17.x to iPadOS 18) requiring considerably more space than an incremental point-update. After the update is successfully completed, temporary files are automatically deleted - returning free space.
If your internal storage is full, or is insufficient for the task that you need to perform, your only option is to better manage the storage that you have - and delete unused Apps or unneeded data.
These support pages should prove to be helpful:
About storage on your device and in iCloud – Apple Support
What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? – Apple Support
Manage your iCloud storage – Apple Support
How to check the storage on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch – Apple Support
Clear Other storage on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support
“Offloading” Apps can be a helpful method of creating temporary space for a software update.
https://9to5mac.com/2020/01/21/how-to-offload-apps-in-ios-to-save-space-without-deleting-their-data/
Additional information about creating sufficient space for installation of a software update can be found here:
If you need more space for an update on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
If you believe that you have identified a bug, you might be well advised to seek assistance directly from Apple Support - as they may wish to record and escalate as appropriate. You can contact the Support Team using the Support link at top-right or bottom-left of this page. Alternatively, you can initiate and manage your support cases from Apple devices using the excellent Apple Support App. If not already installed, the App can be downloaded from the App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-support/id1130498044
Apple invite submission of comments and bug reports via its Product Feedback portal. For iPad and iPadOS:
If submitting a Bug Report via the portal, ensure that you include details of your iPad model and installed version of iPadOS within the body-text of your report. Don't rely upon the pick-list - as this rarely includes the current versions.
Cut and paste from what?
Removing the Photos App may not be practical - but moving (or backing-up) needed files elsewhere may be a viable option. The internal storage of your iPad is a fixed commodity - the available internal storage being chosen by you when the iPad was purchased.
You said, "When you view a photo, it downloads that photo so you can see it at full resolution. It is then supposed to release that download and revert back to the low resolution image once it is no longer needed."
Where did you ever see Apple make that second claim? At most, users have deduced that the storage for the full resolution image is marked available for reclamation ("optimization") and reuse later when a specific request for storage is made at a time when available storage is low. Apple has not documented the specific mechanisms, and they may change from time to time.
It could be useful for an iOS update to be treated as a fairly high priority need for storage. Even if it isn't a bug, you could make a suggestion that they consider it; you can do that through the same Feedback link LotusPilot provided.
Did you try by selecting “Optimize iPad Storage” function in iCloud for Photos? It is in your Settings > Profile > iCloud > Photos, and then you will see the option available for selecting. Then after some time when everything is backed up, the photos will automatically release from your iPad.
Hope that it helps ;w;
Wow, was that cut and paste ??
I would "better manage the storage that I have" if the photos app had an option to release the storage it's using that it no longer needs. It doesn't have that option however. It appears that the OS also cannot (or doesn't) ask photos to release the storage.
Your response therefore gives me one option, remove the photos app, except that it's a stock app and can't be deleted.
Any other suggestions ?
I think you're missing the issue. The photos app and its sync with iCloud is designed (and specifically has an option for) to keep low resolution images on the iPad so it doesn't consume storage. When you view a photo, it downloads that photo so you can see it at full resolution. It is then supposed to release that download and revert back to the low resolution image once it is no longer needed.
The photos app is not releasing storage, but it should.
The photos app cannot be deleted, because iPadOS does not allow that
The photos app does not have a manual option to force the reclamation of storage.
I'm pretty sure this is a bug in the new photos app, because previously, it worked as expected.
If we deem this a bug, how do I formally raise it as such ?
Thanks
This is also a problem for me. I have over a Terabyte of photos. Regardless of what Apple has or hasn’t provided information on, it is stupid to think that photos app keeps eating up space even when I need to update the OS.
the only workaround I have found is to turn off iCloud Photos and select the option to delete local copies. But even then you have to wait several minutes or hires before the space is reclaimed. Only then can you update the OS.
Yes, that has always been set. Hence I would expect it to free space from any downloaded items to allow the security updates
Can't update iPadOS because Photos won't release storage
