User level: Level 1 (5 points)Thats more than half of 64 storage of my Ipad
is there any way I can delete/disable Apple intelligence? It isnt useful for me
this happened all of a sudden, just a week ago, my total storage used was 36 GB!
[Edited by Moderator]
Posted on Apr 16, 2026 12:54 PM
User level: Level 10 (334,506 points)Apr 17, 2026 3:46 AM in response to Ruthlomyst
Expanding upon and hopefully clarifying some points made by others here...
You may struggle with an iPad that has so little internal storage. The 32/64GB devices were primarily intended for use in Educational settings, or in environments where the ability to store local data on the device is not required. At this point, it is perhaps worthwhile to note that Apple no longer markets any iPad model with less than 128GB of available internal storage.
Recent versions of iPadOS include Apple Intelligence and other functionality that make significantly greater demands upon system hardware, in particular local storage. While these additional features can often be disabled, the associated software assets cannot be removed to free their associated storage requirements. Clearly, for many owners, outright replacement of a storage-constrained device may not a viable option to resolve difficulties with insufficient available local storage.
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 available storage.
If your internal storage is full, or is insufficient for the task that you need to perform, short of replacing your iPad your only option is to better manage the storage that you have - and delete unused Apps or unneeded data.
These support pages may 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:
https://store.apple.com/xc/product/MK0W2ZM/A
User level: Level 1 (14 points)Nov 10, 2026 1:26 AM in response to Ruthlomyst
The only way I have found to remove or reduce Apple Intelligence on my iPad on OS 27 is to switch to a unsupported language. I disabled Apple intelligence / Siri in all settings (settings>Siri, settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Siri: Don’t Allow (I switched everything off except for sensitive topics and explicit language)).
Then I went to settings and switched the language to one that does not support Apple Intelligence (settings > General > Language x I had to remove all support languages by clicking edit in the top right corner of the language settings screen). After a few minutes or restarting the storage used by Apple Intelligence went down from over 7 GB to 115 MB.
Here is a list of supported Languages that you should avoid if you don’t to use AI. If you don’t speak another language you can simply switch just for the update and remember the icons to the language setting (order changes from language to language so remember the icons not the position).
This is not ideal but at least it frees up enough space for updates.
User level: Level 10 (95,874 points)Apr 16, 2026 1:08 PM in response to Ruthlomyst
Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and toggle of Apple Intelligence. Some of that space may free over a few days.
User level: Level 10 (280,982 points)Apr 16, 2026 1:56 PM in response to Ruthlomyst
Your screenshot indicates you are using iPadOS 26.4. This version is no longer current.
Update your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support
User level: Level 8 (43,363 points)Apr 16, 2026 2:37 PM in response to David M Brewer
David M Brewer wrote:
You need to buy an iPad with adequate storage. These 64 gigs iPads are not ment for the general public.
You will to continue to have storage with these iPad.
What? Thats nonsense. I agree that as iOS26, more storage would provide better performance, but to state that 64gb iPads are “not for the general public” is total fiction.
User level: Level 8 (43,363 points)Apr 17, 2026 4:14 AM in response to LotusPilot
LotusPilot wrote:
The 32/64GB devices were primarily intended for use in Educational settings, or in environments where the ability to store local data on the device is not required.
Do you have anything documenting that?
User level: Level 10 (280,982 points)Apr 17, 2026 11:57 AM in response to David M Brewer
David M Brewer wrote:
The OP didn’t do his homework.
The 128 gig version was just $100 more.
You cannot possibly know this, as the OP never specified which 64GB iPad model is involved.
The iPad Air 3rd Generation, for example, which can use iPadOS 26, was sold only in 64GB and 256GB configurations.
User level: Level 6 (11,986 points)Apr 17, 2026 1:48 PM in response to stedman1
stedman1 wrote:
If such documentation is/was available, it certainly wasn’t provided when I purchased my 64 GB iPad Air 4.
Same here with my purchase of a 64GB iPad mini 5, two 64GB iPad mini 6's, and a 64GB iPad Air M1. All perform flawlessly despite this supposed "limitation".
User level: Level 6 (16,416 points)Jul 19, 2026 8:40 PM in response to SergZak
Hey Zak, this zombie thread just appeared in my iPad feed. Since the time the thread first appeared and now it appears the 32 and 64 iPads were dropped. Why, who knows?
The only reason I’m posting this is so other people won’t think it’s new and join the conversation. Here are the current iPad offerings from the Apple Store.
User level: Level 1 (8 points)Aug 12, 2026 6:03 PM in response to Ruthlomyst
Our iPad has 64 GB. It needed to be updated with the latest OS 26.6 update, but it didn’t have enough memory to do that. Apple Intelligence is using 9 GB so when I turned off Apple Intelligence and then ran the OS update it worked. Right after the update, Apple Intelligence is now using 4 1/2 GB.
User level: Level 1 (19 points)Oct 28, 2026 2:39 AM in response to Ruthlomyst
A couple weeks back, setting my Region to New Zealand (where I actually live) was enough to make all the Apple Intelligence features and bloat disappear, making my ipad usable again.
As of 27.2, not so much. Currently wondering what other regions are still unsupported...
User level: Level 6 (11,209 points)Apr 16, 2026 1:59 PM in response to Ruthlomyst
You need to buy an iPad with adequate storage. These 64 gigs iPads are not ment for the general public.
You will to continue to have storage with these iPad.
User level: Level 1 (5 points)Apr 17, 2026 12:40 AM in response to sberman
Not necessarily helps with reducing storage, most often than not, storage gets increased
User level: Level 1 (5 points)Apr 17, 2026 12:41 AM in response to muguy
Yeah I did, thanks, its reduced a bit, hopefully it will go down by a lot in few days
User level: Level 6 (11,209 points)Apr 17, 2026 3:32 AM in response to Kilgore-Trout
Apple does not sale these iPad to the general public.
User level: Level 10 (268,198 points)Apr 17, 2026 4:17 AM in response to Kilgore-Trout
If such documentation is/was available, it certainly wasn’t provided when I purchased my 64 GB iPad Air 4.
User level: Level 6 (11,209 points)Apr 17, 2026 10:37 AM in response to Kilgore-Trout
The OP didn’t do his homework.
The 128 gig version was just $100 more.
User level: Level 8 (43,363 points)Apr 17, 2026 2:50 PM in response to David M Brewer
David M Brewer wrote:
The OP didn’t do his homework.
The 128 gig version was just $100 more.
So what. You still haven’t actually answered the question.
Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256282581