“Storage almost full.” If you’ve seen that notification, you know how annoying it is. And if you’ve tried deleting a few apps and still got the same warning a week later, you know that random deleting doesn’t really solve the problem.
The key is knowing exactly what’s taking up space and tackling it systematically. Let’s start with the biggest culprits.
Step 1 — See What’s Actually Using Your Storage
Before deleting anything, find out where your storage is going. Both Android and iPhone have a built-in storage breakdown that tells you exactly what’s using how much space.
- Settings → Storage
- You’ll see a breakdown: Apps, Images, Videos, Audio, Documents, Other
- Tap each category to drill down and see specific files or apps
- Tap “Apps” to see all installed apps sorted by size
- Settings → General → iPhone Storage
- Scroll down to see every app and how much space it uses
- The bar at the top shows a color-coded breakdown
- iOS also shows “Recommendations” to free up space automatically
The Biggest App Storage Offenders
These apps consistently consume the most storage through cached media and data:
Step 2 — Clear App Cache (Without Losing Your Data)
App cache is temporary data apps store to load faster. It builds up over time and can take gigabytes of space — clearing it is completely safe and frees up storage instantly.
- Settings → Apps → Select the app
- Tap “Storage & Cache”
- Tap “Clear Cache” (NOT “Clear Data”)
- Repeat for your biggest apps: Instagram, Chrome, WhatsApp, Facebook
- iPhone doesn’t have a “clear cache” button per app
- Instead: Settings → General → iPhone Storage → tap the app → “Offload App” (keeps data) or “Delete App” then reinstall
- For browsers: Safari Settings → Clear History and Website Data
Step 3 — Manage WhatsApp Storage
WhatsApp is almost always the #1 storage drain on phones, because it silently saves every photo and video shared in every group chat. Here’s how to take control of it.
Step 4 — Handle Photos and Videos the Smart Way
Photos and videos are typically the single largest category on any phone. The solution isn’t deleting memories — it’s moving them off the device while keeping them safe.
Step 5 — Uninstall Apps You Don’t Actually Use
Go to your phone’s App settings, sort by size, and ask yourself honestly about each large app: “Did I use this in the last 30 days?” If not, uninstall it. You can always reinstall later — the app store isn’t going anywhere.
Pay special attention to games — even one big mobile game can eat 2–4GB. If you haven’t played it in a month, let it go.
📋 Quick Storage Cleanup Checklist
- Checked Storage breakdown to see what’s biggest
- Cleared cache on top 5 largest apps
- Cleaned WhatsApp media via Manage Storage
- Backed up photos to Google Photos or iCloud
- Removed duplicate photos
- Uninstalled unused apps (especially games)
- Deleted downloaded Netflix/Spotify content after watching/listening
- Emptied browser cache (Chrome, Safari)
Bottom Line
Most people can reclaim 3–8GB of space in under 20 minutes just by clearing app caches, cleaning up WhatsApp media, and backing up photos to the cloud. You don’t need a new phone — you need a cleaner one. Do this cleanup once a month and you’ll rarely see that “Storage Almost Full” warning again.