iPhone owners are just realizing little-known ‘optimize’ button instantly fixes ‘full storage’ – it takes 5 taps to find
YOU can quickly free up some iPhone storage with a simple tap of a button.
Apple has built a storage-optimization feature into your iPhone settings.
It's easy to miss if you never explore your Settings app.
But it's a great way to clear up some storage if you're running low.
It's perfect if you've got loads of photos and videos – or if you've bought an iPhone with a low base storage.
The feature works using iCloud Photos, which is a way of storing your media in the cloud.
This means they're kept on Apple servers, primarily as a back-up.
But by using the optimization feature, you can free up the space that full-size photos were taking up on your iPhone.
Apple explains: "By default, your photos and videos are stored on your device in their original, high-resolution version.
"This means that they use a lot of space on your iPhone and iPad.
"With iCloud Photos, you can make more space available on your device and still have access to your entire full-resolution collection wherever you go."
Setting this up is extremely simple.
Just go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos.
Now tap Sync This iPhone, and make sure to tap to turn on iCloud Photos if you're using iOS 15 or earlier.
Then choose Optimize iPhone Storage, which will save space on your iPhone.
"When Optimize Storage is turned on, full-resolution photos and videos are stored in iCloud," Apple said.
"And, when needed, space-saving copies are stored on your device.
"And as long as you have enough space in iCloud, you can store as many photos and videos as you want."
Other trick to save storage
Another option that you can try is Offload Unused Apps.
Apps can take up huge amounts of space – in some cases, even gigabytes.
That's why Apple has built a feature called Offload Unused apps.
This removes apps from your phone that you don't use regularly.
And it'll back up the personal contents of those apps on the cloud.
So while the apps are "deleted", you won't lose any of your settings or files in the app.
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Then the apps will be redownloaded when you want to use them again.
Just go into Settings > General > iPhone Storage and tap Enable for Offload Unused Apps.