When your iPhone 7 says it’s low on space, start with Settings > General > iPhone Storage. It shows what’s using the most room and offers one-tap recommendations like Offload Unused Apps. From there, the five most effective fixes are: offload or delete apps you don’t use, optimize or back up photos, delete old messages and attachments, remove downloaded music and videos, and clear Safari data and Recently Deleted folders.
The iPhone 7 came with 32 GB, 128 GB, or 256 GB of storage, and the 32 GB model fills up fast. Here’s how to free space safely.
Step 1: See what’s using your storage
- Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
- Wait a moment for the bar and app list to load.
- Review the Recommendations and the apps sorted by size.
Option 1: Offload or delete apps
- Offload Unused Apps: Tap Enable in Recommendations. iOS removes apps you rarely use but keeps their data. Tap an offloaded app’s icon to reinstall it.
- Offload one app: Tap the app in the list and choose Offload App.
- Delete an app: Tap the app and choose Delete App. This removes its data too.
Games, video apps, and social apps with large caches are often the biggest.
Option 2: Optimize photos and videos
- iCloud Photos: Go to Settings > your name > iCloud > Photos, turn on iCloud Photos, and choose Optimize iPhone Storage. Full-size copies stay in iCloud. You may need more iCloud storage.
- Back up to a computer and delete photos from the phone. See how to transfer photos from iPhone to PC.
- Empty Recently Deleted: In Photos, go to Albums > Recently Deleted > Select > Delete All. Deleted photos use space for 30 days otherwise.
- Record smaller videos: Settings > Camera > Record Video, choose 1080p at 30 fps instead of 4K.
Option 3: Clean up Messages
- Go to Settings > Messages > Keep Messages and choose 30 Days or 1 Year. Older messages are deleted automatically.
- In iPhone Storage > Messages, tap Review Large Attachments and delete old videos and photos.
Option 4: Remove downloaded music, podcasts, and videos
- Music: Settings > Music > Downloaded Music, then swipe left to delete songs or albums.
- Podcasts and TV: Delete downloaded episodes you’ve already watched or heard.
- Streaming apps: Remove offline downloads in apps like Netflix or Spotify.
Option 5: Clear Safari and app caches
- Safari: Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. Also remove saved offline items in Reading List.
- Other apps: Some apps have a “clear cache” option in their own settings. Otherwise, offloading and reinstalling clears the cache.
What is “System Data” (or “Other”)?
It’s caches, logs, and temporary files. It usually shrinks on its own. Restarting the iPhone can help, and updating iOS sometimes frees space too.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I still see “Storage Almost Full” after deleting things?
Empty Recently Deleted in Photos, then restart the iPhone. The storage number can take a few minutes to update.
Can I add storage to an iPhone 7?
No. iPhones don’t have memory card slots. Use iCloud, a computer, or a Lightning flash drive for extra space.
Does buying more iCloud storage free up iPhone space?
Only when combined with features like Optimize iPhone Storage for Photos. iCloud storage alone doesn’t clear space on the phone.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.