How to Clear "Other" Storage on iPhone and Reclaim Gigabytes - KandZ

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10-Second Summary

“Other” storage (called System Data on iOS 15 and later) is a catch-all category for caches, logs, Siri voices, and system files that you cannot delete directly . To shrink it, clear Safari cache, delete large message attachments, and offload or reinstall cache-heavy apps like streaming services . A full factory reset is the only guaranteed way to wipe it completely, but try the steps below first.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Check how much “Other” is using. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and wait for the bar graph to load. The gray segment on the far right is the “Other” or “System Data” category . Tap any app below the graph to see its Documents & Data size, which often reveals hidden cache bloat .
Clear Safari’s cache and website data. Go to Settings > Safari and tap Clear History and Website Data. Confirm when prompted . This deletes cached web content that accumulates in “Other” over time. If you use Chrome, open the app, go to Settings > Privacy > Clear Browsing Data, and select Cached images and files .
Delete large message attachments. In the iPhone Storage screen, look for Review Large Attachments under the recommendations section. Tap it to see cached photos, videos, and PDFs stored in Messages, sorted by size. Swipe left on any file to delete it individually . For a permanent fix, go to Settings > Messages > Message History > Keep Messages and change Forever to 1 Year or 30 Days .
Offload or reinstall cache-heavy apps. In iPhone Storage, tap an app that uses significant space (streaming apps like Spotify or YouTube are common culprits). If you do not need offline content, tap Offload App to remove the app while keeping its data, or Delete App to remove everything . Reinstalling a streaming app clears its accumulated cache entirely .
Trim email attachments by re-adding your account. Go to Settings > Mail > Accounts, tap your email account, and select Delete Account. Then re-add the same account. When prompted, set Mail Days to Sync to 30 Days instead of Forever. This removes locally cached attachments and older emails from your device without deleting them from the server .
Clear streaming app caches directly. Open apps like Spotify, go to Settings and privacy, and tap Clear cache . For Apple Music, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Music and swipe left on downloaded albums or tracks you no longer need .

FAQ / Quick Troubleshooting

Can I delete “Other” or “System Data” directly?
No. Apple’s official guidance states that if you see “Other” or “System Data” in the storage graph, you do not need to take action on that category itself—instead, delete apps and content you do not need and follow the storage recommendations . The category exists because iOS reserves space for system-level files that cannot be safely removed by the user.

What if the “Other” category is still huge after trying everything?
Back up your iPhone to iCloud or a computer, then perform a factory reset via Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. Restore from your backup afterward. This is the most reliable way to purge accumulated system caches, though the “Other” category will gradually grow again as you use the device .

Does updating iOS help?
Only if you are on iOS 13 or earlier. Apple confirmed a bug in iOS 13 that prevented the system from freeing storage properly, and updating to iOS 13.6.1 or later resolved it . On modern iOS versions, “Other” is a normal part of system operation and cannot be eliminated entirely.