Not enough storage to update iPhone? How to make room fast

Your iPhone needs the update size shown in Settings › General › Software Update, plus several GB of working room to unpack and install it. The fastest ways to make room, in order, are: empty Recently Deleted, remove or compress your biggest videos, delete screen recordings, offload apps you rarely open, and clear old message attachments. If you still cannot get there, update from a computer instead. Most of these changes are temporary and easy to undo once the update is on.

How much free space does an iOS update need?

Start by finding the real number. Open Settings › General › Software Update. The update is listed with its size, for example "3.4 GB".

That figure is only the download. Your iPhone also needs room to unpack the files and swap them into place. Apple's stated needs vary from one version to the next, so a safe rule is: the update size shown, plus several GB of working room.

Now check what you have. Open Settings › General › iPhone Storage. The bar at the top shows how much is used and how much is free. If the free amount is close to the update size, or below it, the update will not install yet.

What should I delete first to make room for the update?

Work through these in order. Each step frees space quickly, and none of them touch anything you would miss.

1. Empty Recently Deleted

When you delete photos or videos, they move to Recently Deleted and still take up space for 30 days. The space comes back only when that album is emptied.

1. Open Photos › Albums, scroll to Utilities, tap Recently Deleted (on iOS 18 and later, Utilities is on the main Photos screen or the Collections tab).
2. Unlock with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.
3. Tap Select, then Delete All (on newer iOS, tap the ⋯ button, then Delete All).

If you deleted a lot recently, this step alone can be enough. Read more in Does Recently Deleted still take up storage?

2. Delete or compress your biggest videos

Video is almost always the largest thing on an iPhone. A minute of 4K at 30 fps in Apple's default High Efficiency format is roughly 170–190 MB. A few long clips can be several GB.

1. Open Settings › General › iPhone Storage and tap Photos.
2. Look for a suggestion called Review Personal Videos. It lists your largest videos with their sizes.
3. Delete the ones you no longer need, or move the keepers to a computer or cloud storage first.

If you want to keep the videos, you can shrink them instead. See free up iPhone space without deleting your photos.

3. Delete screen recordings

Screen recordings are videos, so they are large, and most people never watch them again.

1. Open Photos › Albums › Media Types › Screen Recordings.
2. Tap Select, choose the ones you do not need, and tap the trash (bin) icon.
3. Do the same in Screenshots if you have hundreds.

4. Offload apps you rarely open

Offloading removes an app but keeps its documents and data. The icon stays on your Home Screen; tap it later and the app reinstalls with everything in place.

1. Open Settings › General › iPhone Storage. Apps are listed from largest to smallest.
2. Tap an app you have not opened in months, then tap Offload App.
3. Repeat for the biggest ones. Games and video apps often free the most.

You can also let iOS do this automatically: Settings › App Store › Offload Unused Apps (on newer iOS it is under Settings › Apps › App Store).

5. Clear old message attachments

Photos and videos sent in Messages are stored on your phone too, sometimes for years.

1. Open Settings › General › iPhone Storage › Messages.
2. Tap Review Large Attachments.
3. Tap Edit, select the ones you do not need, and delete them.

Can I update my iPhone from a computer instead?

Yes. When you update from a computer, the computer downloads the update file, so your iPhone does not need room for the download itself. It still needs some free space to install, but usually less than updating on the phone.

1. Connect your iPhone to the computer with a cable.
2. On a Mac, open Finder and click your iPhone in the sidebar. On Windows, open the Apple Devices app (or iTunes on older PCs).
3. Click Check for Update, then Download and Update.
4. Keep the phone connected until it restarts and finishes.

While you are there, make a backup to the computer first. It takes a few minutes and protects everything if anything goes wrong.

What should I not delete to make room?

• Apps you cannot get back. Some paid apps or older apps are no longer in the App Store. If you delete them, you may not be able to reinstall. Offload instead of delete when unsure.
• Apps with data that only lives on the phone. Some games and authenticator apps do not back up their data. Check before removing.
• System Data. It cannot be deleted directly by you or by any app. It usually shrinks on its own when space gets tight. See what System Data really is.
• Photos and videos you have not saved anywhere else. Copy them to a computer or cloud storage before deleting.

What should I undo after the update?

Once the update finishes, put things back the way you like them:

• Tap any offloaded app to reinstall it.
• If you turned on Offload Unused Apps just for the update, turn it off again if you prefer to manage apps yourself.
• Re-download music, podcasts or offline maps you removed.
• Keep the habit of checking Settings › General › iPhone Storage once a month, so the next update is not a scramble.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the update need more space than the download size?

The download is a compressed package. iOS has to unpack it, prepare the new system files, and keep the old ones until the switch is complete. That temporary working room is why, for example, a "3 GB" update can refuse to install with 4 GB free.

Will updating iOS delete my photos or apps?

No. A normal update keeps your photos, apps, messages and settings. The only apps that change are ones you offloaded or that iOS removed temporarily to make room, and those come back afterwards. A backup is still wise before any update.

Can I update with a computer if my phone is completely full?

Usually, yes. Because the computer holds the download, your iPhone needs far less free space. If it still refuses, empty Recently Deleted and offload one or two large apps, then try again.

The update downloaded but will not install. Should I delete it and start again?

You can. Open Settings › General › iPhone Storage, find the iOS update in the list, and tap Delete Update. Free some space, then go back to Software Update and download it again.

Bottom line. Aim for the update size shown plus several GB of working room. Empty Recently Deleted, deal with your biggest videos and screen recordings, offload apps you rarely open, and update from a computer if you cannot get there. Nothing here needs to be permanent.

TidyByte does the sorting — you make the calls.

Finds the big videos, duplicates and screenshots. Every deletion is yours to approve, and everything goes to Recently Deleted for 30 days. Free to download.

Written by the TidyByte team, the people who build the app. Steps are checked against current iOS and updated when Apple moves things. Spotted an error? Tell us.