My iPhone storage is always full

My phones storage is constantly full. I’ve deleted tons of photos, videos, unused apps, emails, etc, whatever I don’t want or need but nothing works. I freed up two GB of memory a couple weeks ago, and have barely taken any photos or anything in that time, yet somehow I’m once again getting notifications that my phones storage is full, and I don’t know why. This has been a problem for months and I’m at the end of my rope. My phone doesn’t function right when it’s like this, I can’t text people, can’t take photos, can’t open email, Idk how my phone is using up its memory, but I’ve had enough. Does absolutely anyone have a solution?



[Edited by Moderator]

iPhone SE, iOS 16

Posted on Jan 9, 2025 09:07 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 9, 2025 09:13 AM

Open the Settings App. Tap General. Tap iPhone Storage. What is taking up the most space?


When you deleted photos, did you remove them from the recently deleted folder in the Photos app? If no, they will remain on your phone for 30 days, unless you delete them there.

5 replies

Jan 9, 2025 11:23 AM in response to lobsterghost1

I have. But the problem is that it changes what it says is taking up space on a very consistent basis. Like, it said a week or so ago that photos used 29 GB. Now it’s saying they are taking up 51 GB of memory, even though I’ve taken maybe 15 photos in that time frame. It’s never consistent so I really have no solid basis of what’s really taking up the memory

Jan 9, 2025 12:44 PM in response to lobsterghost1

Yea I have deleted them from the recently deleted items folder. And often, when the says the storage is full, there will be periods of time where it won’t even delete them at all. Like, I will hit “delete” in either the main page or the deleted items folder, and it will disappear for a second or two then suddenly show back up. Usually it will take either several tries or resetting the whole app several times in order for it to actually delete the photos.

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My iPhone storage is always full

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