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Sudden iPhone Full Storage Issue, Cannot Fully Delete Files

Deeply frustrated by recent storage issues that appeared out of nowhere.


I have a phone with 256GB and subscribe to 2TB of iCloud storage. iCloud is automatically set up for Photos and Messages with automatic daily backups, and I have continued to have 50-60Gb available on my iPhone at all times. I checked to ensure that my phone has the latest software update, and its backups are current.


In just the last month, Messages on my phone have begun to take up 135GB of storage on my phone. This has never been an issue before until a few weeks ago. Photos is taking up 35 GB, but nothing else on my phone surpasses 5GB. The storage space is completely overtaken by Messages.


When I first noticed the full storage issue:

  • I went through and deleted over 20 GB of large photo and video attachments one by one, as well as about 200 old message threads which temporarily freed up about 30 GB of space. I deleted all items from the Recently Deleted album.
  • I did the same thing in Photos and removed about 4,000 items. I deleted all items from the Recently Deleted album.
  • I made sure there were no Downloads or Files on my iPhone taking up extra space.
  • I checked that any "top conversation" in Messages did not surpass 5GB total. There are only 3 group chats that are taking up multiple GBs, and I fully deleted this one from all devices.


Every morning, my storage will show up as full again. Messages and Photos does not change, even though I have deleted probably close to 90 GBs of files. My iPhone says it is completely full, and will not let me take new photos or videos, download apps, or send audio messages. I need a permanent fix; there is no reason why Messages should suddenly be taking up 135 GB of space). Can anyone recommend a solution that has worked for them?

2 replies

Unlike a computer, where you can add a hard drive for more storage, iPhones come with a fixed amount of internal storage that can't be physically expanded. This means you can't buy more storage space for the device itself.


However, there are ways to manage your iPhone storage and free up space:

  • Delete unused apps and data: Identify apps you don't use and remove them. Many apps also allow you to clear their cache or stored data.
  • Manage photos and videos: Photos and videos can be some of the biggest storage hogs. Consider deleting old or unwanted media, or use iCloud Photos to store them in the cloud and free up space on your phone.
  • Utilize iCloud storage: Apple offers iCloud storage plans that let you store your data (photos, videos, documents, etc.) in the cloud, freeing up space on your phone. You can purchase additional iCloud storage if you need more space. You can optimize iPhone Storage by using iCloud Storage in order to save space on your device
  • If you had turned on Messages in iCloud & iCloud Photos and you delete Photos, Videos, and Messages from the iPhone then it is deleted from iCloud too, and vice-versa. At the same time, it is also deleted from all the devices that use the same Apple ID.
  • And if you happen to take a backup either over iTunes or iCloud after deleting Photos, Videos & Messages all the photos and messages are deleted from the backup (iCloud/iTunes) too when you take the backup next time.
  • Alternatively, you may upload data to iCloud Drive.



Watch this Apple Video for better understanding






Settings > [your name] > iCloud Tap Photos > Choose Optimize [device] Storage --> Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support



To clear storage on your iPhone, you can follow these steps:


  1. Go to "Settings" on your iPhone and tap on "General" > "iPhone Storage." This will show you a breakdown of the storage used by different apps and data on your device.
  2. Scroll down to the list of installed apps and review which ones you don't use frequently. Tap on an app and select "Offload App." This will remove the app from your device while keeping its data intact. You can always reinstall the app later if needed.
  3. Go through the list of apps and delete the ones you no longer need. To delete an app, tap on it and select "Delete App." Additionally, you can delete other types of data such as photos, videos, messages, and unused files to free up space.
  4. If your Photos app takes up a significant amount of space, you can enable iCloud Photos to store your photos and videos in the cloud and keep optimized versions on your device. Go to "Settings" > "[Your Name]" > "iCloud" > "Photos" and enable "iCloud Photos." --> Manage your photo and video storage - Apple Support
  5. If you use Safari as your web browser, you can clear its cache to free up storage. Go to "Settings" > "Safari" > "Clear History and Website Data." Please see the pic below which is self-explanatory
  6. Messages and attachments can take up a substantial amount of storage. Open the Messages app and delete unnecessary conversations or individual messages. You can also enable the option to automatically delete messages after a certain period. Go to "Settings" > "Messages" > "Keep Messages" and select an appropriate duration. Deleting attachments to messages may also help
  7. If you have music, movies, or TV shows downloaded on your device that you no longer need offline access to, you can remove them to save space. Open the respective app (e.g., Music or TV), find the content, and delete it.
  8. Consider reviewing other apps and data that may be taking up storage space, such as documents, downloads, and podcasts. Delete unnecessary files or manage them accordingly.
  9. Review and delete Large Attachments. See the pic below
  10. After performing the above steps, it's good practice to restart


I have already tried all these steps. iCloud is enabled for Photos and Messages, I have deleted 100s of GBs of iCloud and phone storage, but everything I delete permanently reappeares as storage the next morning. At this point my phone is uninstalling apps and not letting me use it; I really need an actual solution.