Reset All Settings didn’t work to reduce System Data in iPadOS 26

I have an iPad 8th generation with 32GB of storage. At iPadOS 18, Reset All Settings worked to Reduce System Data. But at iPadOS 26, Reset All Settings didn’t work to reduce System Data. Please help! Also I already cleared history and website data in safari, force restarted my iPad and restarted my iPad, delete some photos(also deleting them in Recently Deleted) Also used a tool to get rid of megabytes then deleted tool. Offloaded apps i don't need, and tried Reset All Settings.

Some more info: around 7GB of system data, worked on iPadOS 18.7, didn't work on iPadOS 26.0 Using iCloud, haven’t try doing a factory reset(full backup + erase + restore)

Edit: System Data = “Other”

Thank you.


iPad

Posted on Sep 19, 2025 04:58 AM

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4 replies

Sep 19, 2025 05:24 AM in response to Appleuser872

Regrettably you are always going to struggle with an iPad that has so little internal storage. The 32/64GB devices are primarily intended for use in Educational settings, or in environments where the ability to store local data on the device is not required.


System storage includes a lot of cached data. Reported System Data can be expected to fluctuate as you use your iPad, the iPad automatically and optimally managing its available system resources to improve overall performance.


The only element of system storage that you can directly influence is perhaps your browser caches - which you can manually clear if you wish to do so.


For Safari:

Settings > Safari > Clear History & Website Data


For other browsers, you’ll need to find the relevant section of the App settings - which may be within the App itself.


Otherwise, transient system caches can be significantly reduced by performing a forced-restart of your iPad - although caches, by their nature, will again accumulate and be automatically managed by the operating system.



It is generally recommended that you maintain at least 4-6GB of free space at all times - as your iPad needs some temporary space to complete many tasks. When performing system software updates, you may temporarily require more.


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


External storage options can often help with managing limited internal storage. Depending upon your iPad model, the iPad will either have a Lightning or USB-C port - and may therefore require either an Adapter or USB hub to connect the USB Storage device. If your iPad has a Lightning port, you’ll need an Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter:


  • Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter

https://store.apple.com/uk/xc/product/MK0W2ZM/A



Reset All Settings didn’t work to reduce System Data in iPadOS 26

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