iPhone and Android users alike know how frustrating it can be to get a ‘full storage’ notification.
Few things are more irritating than seeing that dreaded ‘Storage Almost Full’ notification pop up on your phone. When space is running low, it can be tempting to panic and start deleting photos, videos, or other important files you actually want to keep. Before you start clearing out your camera roll, though, take a look at your apps. You may be able to free up a surprising amount of space simply by getting rid of apps you no longer use. Read more about three of them below.
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1. Unused Social Media Apps
If you have several social media apps sitting on your phone that you rarely open, it may be time to clean house. Apps like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X can take up storage, especially as they accumulate cached data over time. If you haven't used an app in months, deleting it could be an easy way to reclaim some valuable space.
"Social media apps can become storage hogs. Apps like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok can accumulate a surprising amount of cached data from all the photos and videos you scroll through," notes tech and smartphone repair expert James Waterston. "If you barely use one of them anymore, delete it — there's no reason to let an abandoned app eat into valuable storage."
2. Excess Streaming Apps
Streaming apps can also be worth clearing out if you're trying to make room on your phone. While the apps themselves may not always be huge, downloaded movies, TV episodes, podcasts, and other 'offline' content can quickly eat into your available storage. If you only use a streaming service occasionally, deleting the app and reinstalling it when you need it can be a simple way to free up space.
"Apps like Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube may store downloaded shows, music, and cached files," adds tech expert Calvin Brown. "I'd start by removing old downloads, then delete any streaming apps you're no longer using."
3. Forgotten Utility Apps
Utility apps, including VPNs, weather apps, scanners, and other tools, are easy to download for a specific purpose and then completely forget about. If you no longer need an app or haven't opened it in months, there's little reason to let it continue taking up space on your phone. Check your app library for forgotten tools and delete the ones you don't actually use.
"Photo editors, video editors, VPNs, keyboards and other utility apps have a habit of staying on an iPhone long after you've stopped using them," explains Waterston. "One forgotten app might not matter, but ten of them certainly add up. For iPhone users, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage — you'll probably find apps in there you'd completely forgotten you installed."
