Making room for the good stuff

Of all the issues I hear about the iPhone, running out of storage space tops the list. Whether it’s no room for more photos, can’t download movies, or can’t update the software, sooner or later almost everyone I know has wrestled with the challenge of too much stuff on their iPhone. Some people even claim it’s just planned obsolescence on Apple’s part; that they want us to buy larger, more expensive iPhones. Never mind that we now take more photos daily than we once took in weeks of picture taking back in the film days. Truth is, most of us, sooner or later, simply fill the space available and then some.

Fortunately, Apple ditched the old entry-level 16GB storage standard on the newest iPhones - iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8Plus. The only 2 sizes offered are 64GB and 256GB; making the choices much more obvious and photo friendly. On top of that, the new iOS 11 file formats promise up to two times smaller image files and more efficient storage of data overall. Perhaps Apple is finally at the top of the curve where data storage can keep ahead of the data we generate and accommodate everything we create like Captain Kangaroo’s pockets.

But there are still plenty of older iPhones out there with years of photos and digital clutter to deal with.

So here are 8 choice ways to help clean up your iPhone and avoid those “out of space” conundrums.

1. Offload unused music, movies, and tv shows

2. Delete large attachments

3. Offload or delete Apps

4. Review and delete videos in Photos

5. Review and edit burst photos

6. Review and edit screenshots

7. Delete extra selfies

8. Delete old photos and memos in Apps

None of these tasks will take very long if done once a week. They are simple to do, can give you a sense of control for what’s on your iPhone, and will help you avoid those “out of space” errors when you really want to take that extra photo but don’t have the room.

If you want more detail about these tasks you can download my free “iPhone Space Saver Cheat Sheet” online here.