The system "other" is taking up 18GB on my iphone - what can I do to free up space?
How do I change how much the system "other" is using in storage?
iPhone SE, iOS 13
Hello, Expandstorage:
Welcome to Apple Support Communities.
We see this sort of issue a lot, here (probably an average of at least once a day).
The "Other" category is a "catchall" category: it's anything that doesn't fit into the other Named categories.
One behavior we see a lot is people noticing that "Other" actually increases as they attempt to delete files to make more room in their Local (device) storage. In fact, the "Other" seems to increase in practically direct proportion to how much they attempt to Delete.
At least part of this is that, just as with Macs and PCs, "deleting" doesn't, necessarily, immediately remove the file from the device: there are a couple of "Trashes".
- The most readily accessible "Trash" is the "Recently Deleted" folder in Photos, where, as the name implies, your "Recently Deleted" Photos, Movies, etc., that were deleted within Photos, go, in case you deleted them by mistake or change your mind. (They, typically, will stay there about 30 days, to give you time to "Recover" them, if you wish.)
- The other "Trash" I know of is the "Recently Deleted" folder that is viewable using the Files App (looks like a Blue Folder on a White background).
Here are a couple of helpful documents:
How to check the storage on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support
and
Use the Files app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
Other recommended by Rudegar, in https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251619610:
https://www.imore.com/how-find-and-remove-other-files-iphone-and-ipad
more
Do any of these help you, at least in answering some of your your questions?
