Phone Storage Cleanup Estimator
How to use this tool
Select the items you want to clean up from the list below. This estimator will calculate your potential storage savings based on the article's guidance.
Remember: Your actual savings may vary based on your specific device and usage patterns. The estimates are based on typical phone storage usage.
Your estimated savings:
Tip: These are estimated values based on the article's guidance. Actual savings may vary based on your phone's usage patterns.
Your phone buzzes with that annoying alert: storage full. You can’t take photos, download apps, or even update your messaging app. It’s not just annoying-it’s blocking your day. But before you start deleting everything, there’s a smarter way. You don’t need to wipe your phone clean. You just need to know what’s eating up space-and what you can safely let go of.
Cache files are the silent space thieves
Most people don’t realize how much space apps store in the background. Every time you open Instagram, TikTok, or even your web browser, it saves temporary files called cache. These help things load faster next time. But over weeks and months, that cache piles up. On an Android phone, a single app like Spotify can hoard 2GB of cache. On an iPhone, Safari alone can store over 1GB of browsing data.
You don’t need to uninstall apps to fix this. Just clear the cache. On Android, go to Settings > Storage > Other Apps, pick any app, and tap Clear Cache. On iPhone, go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. That’s it. You’ll get back 1-3GB without losing a single photo or message.
Downloaded music and videos you never listen to
Remember when you downloaded that playlist for your flight to Wellington? Or that documentary you swore you’d watch during your commute? Chances are, you haven’t opened them in months. Offline media is one of the biggest space hogs. Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Netflix all let you download content for offline use. But if you’re not actively using it, it’s just taking up room.
Go through your music and video apps. Look for downloads labeled "Offline" or "Available Offline." Delete anything you haven’t played in the last 30 days. Even if you think you’ll need it later, you can always re-download it. Storage is cheaper than regret.
Old screenshots and duplicate photos
How many screenshots do you have? Probably more than you think. Every time you take a screenshot of a text, a receipt, or a meme, it saves as a full-resolution image. Most people never organize them. They just sit there, cluttering your gallery.
Use your phone’s built-in tools. On iPhone, go to Photos > Albums > Screenshots. On Android, open Google Photos > Library > Screenshots. Delete the ones you don’t need. Also, look for duplicates. Sometimes you take the same photo twice by accident. Google Photos and Apple Photos can find these for you. Turn on "Duplicate Photos" in Google Photos’ cleanup suggestions, or use iPhone’s "Recently Deleted" album to recover what you accidentally trash.
Uninstalled apps that left behind data
Just because you deleted an app doesn’t mean it’s gone. Many apps leave behind files-settings, saved games, login tokens, even cached videos. This is especially true for games like Candy Crush or Clash of Clans. You might have deleted the app, but the game data is still sitting in your phone’s storage.
On iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. You’ll see a list of apps-even ones you’ve deleted. Tap on any that say "Offloaded" or show a large size. Tap Delete App to remove the leftover data. On Android, go to Settings > Storage > Other Apps and look for apps with names you don’t recognize. If it’s not on your home screen anymore, it’s safe to delete.
Text messages with large attachments
Text messages aren’t just words. They carry photos, videos, voice notes, and even PDFs. A single group chat with 10 people sharing memes and videos can easily take up 5GB. If you’ve been in the same group chat for years, you’re probably carrying around a digital time capsule you never asked for.
On iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Keep Messages and change it from "Forever" to "30 Days" or "1 Year." Then, open Messages > select a long chat > tap the contact’s name > Info > scroll down and tap "Show Details." You’ll see file sizes next to each attachment. Delete the big ones. On Android, use Google Messages > tap the three dots > Settings > Storage > Manage Storage. It’ll show you which conversations are using the most space.
App updates and old installers
Every time you update an app, your phone keeps the old version just in case something goes wrong. After a few months, you could have 10-20GB of outdated app installers sitting around. Apple and Google don’t tell you this. They just quietly store it.
On iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Scroll down to "Offloaded Apps" and "Downloaded Apps." Tap on any app with a large size and tap "Delete App." Then reinstall it from the App Store. You’ll get the latest version without the old baggage. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > See All Apps. Tap the three dots > Show System. Look for apps with "Update" or "Old Version" in the description. Uninstall those updates if you’re sure the app works fine.
Cloud backups you don’t need
Wait-aren’t backups supposed to save space? Not if they’re stuck on your phone. iCloud and Google Drive backups can be huge. If you’ve backed up your old iPhone to iCloud, that backup might still be sitting there-even if you switched to Android. Same with Google Drive: if you used to back up photos from your old phone, those files might still be there.
On iPhone: Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups. Delete any backups from devices you no longer use. On Android: Open Google Drive > Menu > Backups. Delete old phone backups. You can always create a new one later. This alone can free up 10-20GB.
What NOT to delete
Don’t delete system files. Don’t delete your camera roll unless you’ve backed it up. Don’t delete apps you use daily-even if they’re big. Spotify, Instagram, and WhatsApp need space to run properly. And never delete your text messages unless you’ve saved important ones elsewhere.
Focus on what’s unused, not what’s big. A 4GB video you watch every week is worth keeping. A 1GB screenshot of a pizza receipt from 2022? Not so much.
Quick cleanup checklist
- Clear app cache (1-3GB freed)
- Delete offline music and videos you haven’t played in 30 days (2-5GB freed)
- Remove old screenshots and duplicates (1-4GB freed)
- Uninstall leftover app data from deleted apps (1-5GB freed)
- Clean up large attachments in text messages (2-8GB freed)
- Delete old app updates and installers (2-6GB freed)
- Remove old cloud backups from other devices (5-20GB freed)
Do all this in one afternoon, and you could free up 20GB or more-enough for hundreds of new photos, a new game, or a week of offline music.
Prevent it from happening again
Storage fills up fast because we’re lazy about cleaning. Set a monthly reminder: every first Sunday, spend 10 minutes checking your storage. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. On Android, go to Settings > Storage. Look for anything over 1GB that you don’t recognize. Delete it. Turn on auto-delete for messages and screenshots. Use cloud storage for photos, not your phone. And if you download something, ask yourself: "Will I need this in 6 months?" If not, delete it now.
Your phone isn’t broken. It’s just full of digital junk. And junk doesn’t have to be permanent.
Should I delete my text messages to free up space?
Yes-if they have large attachments like photos, videos, or voice notes. Text messages themselves take up almost no space, but attachments do. Go into your message threads, find the big files, and delete them. You can also set your phone to automatically delete old messages after 30 days or a year.
Will clearing cache delete my photos or apps?
No. Clearing cache only removes temporary files apps use to load faster. Your photos, messages, login info, and app data stay safe. It’s like emptying the trash can in your car-it doesn’t remove your groceries, just the wrappers.
Why does my phone still say storage is full after deleting files?
Sometimes your phone needs a restart to update its storage counter. After deleting files, turn your phone off and on again. Also, check for hidden backups or app data that wasn’t removed. Go to Settings > Storage and look for "Other" or "System"-those can be hiding large files.
Is it safe to delete app updates?
Yes, but only if you reinstall the app afterward. Old updates sit in your storage as backups. Deleting them won’t break the app-you’ll just download the latest version again from the App Store or Google Play. It’s like replacing an old car key with a new one: you still get the same car, just without the extra keys taking up space.
What’s the fastest way to free up 5GB right now?
Go to Settings > Storage > Other Apps (Android) or iPhone Storage (iOS). Look for the biggest apps you don’t use often-like games, video editors, or music apps with offline downloads. Delete the app and its data. Then reinstall it if you need it later. That single step often frees up 5GB or more.
Next steps if you’re still out of space
If you’ve done all this and your phone still says storage is full, it might be time to consider upgrading. Phones with 64GB of storage are outdated in 2026. If you take photos, record videos, or use apps like TikTok or Instagram daily, you need at least 128GB. But before you buy a new phone, try this: transfer everything to a cloud service. Use Google Photos or iCloud to back up your photos and videos, then delete them from your phone. You’ll still have access to them online, and your phone will feel brand new again.
