Clear Junk from iPhone X and Boost Storage

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Having an iPhone X with limited storage can be frustrating, especially when you're running out of space to store your favorite photos, videos, and apps.

Photos and videos taken on your iPhone X can quickly eat up storage space, with a single 4K video occupying over 100MB of space.

To free up space, consider deleting old photos and videos that you no longer need or want to keep.

The iPhone X also stores temporary files, such as Safari cache and cookies, which can add up to several hundred megabytes of storage space.

Identify and Remove Unwanted Data

To identify and remove unwanted data on your iPhone X, start by checking the iPhone Storage settings under General in the Settings app. This will give you a breakdown of what's taking up the most storage space on your device.

Photos and videos are often the biggest culprits, with duplicate or similar photos and videos taking up unnecessary space. You can use the built-in Duplicates feature in Photos to merge duplicate photos while keeping the highest quality versions.

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Old text messages and large message attachments can also consume a lot of space, so review and remove these through your iPhone Storage settings. Additionally, unused apps and browser cache can also be cleared to free up storage space.

Here are some common types of junk files you can remove:

  • Photos and videos you no longer need
  • App caches and data
  • Old messages and attachments
  • Unused apps
  • Browser cache
  • Downloaded files you no longer need
  • Duplicate and near-duplicate photos
  • Screenshots and screen recordings
  • Large, unused video files
  • Voice memos you no longer need

By removing these types of junk files, you can free up storage space on your iPhone X and improve its performance.

What Qualifies as

What Qualifies as Junk Files on iPhone?

App caches and data are temporary files that apps create but never clean up.

Old messages and attachments, such as forgotten texts, photos, and videos, hog storage space.

Unused apps take up space even if you don't use them.

Browser cache is website data from Safari and other browsers that becomes outdated.

Downloaded files, like PDFs, videos, music, and documents, can be safely removed if you no longer need them.

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Duplicate and near-duplicate photos clutter your library, taking up valuable space.

Screenshots and screen recordings are quick captures that often get forgotten.

Large, unused video files can take up gigabytes of storage.

Voice memos linger even after you no longer need them.

Here's a breakdown of what we've covered so far:

  • App caches and data
  • Old messages and attachments
  • Unused apps
  • Browser cache
  • Downloaded files
  • Duplicate and near-duplicate photos
  • Screenshots and screen recordings
  • Large, unused video files
  • Voice memos

6: Remove Unnecessary

Removing unnecessary apps is an easy way to free up space on your iPhone. You can delete an app by long-pressing its icon on your Home screen and then choosing Remove App and then Delete App.

Unused apps can easily be considered junk if you don't use them. To delete an app, you can also enter jiggle mode by keeping the icon pressed and then select the minus sign on the top left corner of the icon and tap Delete App.

If you later decide you want to use an app you've removed, you can restore deleted apps from the App Store or original source. This makes it easy to undo any mistakes you might make while cleaning up your iPhone.

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Here are some steps to follow when removing unnecessary apps:

* Delete apps you no longer use or need.Consider using the Offloading feature to keep your data while removing the app itself.

Removing old iMessages is also a great way to free up space on your iPhone. You can delete old iMessages in bulk by changing the period from the default (Forever) to 30 Days or 1 Year in Settings > Messages > Message History > Keep Messages.

This will help you free up space and prevent your storage from spiraling out of control again. By regularly cleaning up your iPhone, you can keep your device running smoothly and efficiently.

For more insights, see: Erasing Text Messages on Iphone

Manage Storage and Cache

Managing storage and cache on your iPhone X is crucial to maintaining its performance and keeping your data organized. You can free up space by deleting unused or irrelevant photos, messages, apps, and other files that are clogging up your storage.

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To find out which apps are taking up the most space, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. This will show you a list of all your apps, in order of how much space they consume. For example, all your Spotify playlists and podcasts can eat up a significant amount of space.

The Photos library is another area where junk files tend to accumulate. Photos collection often becomes cluttered with duplicated or near-duplicate images, unclear images, unnecessary Live photos, and unused screenshots. Regularly reviewing and cleaning out these files can help free up space.

To clear your Safari cache, go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data > Clear History and Data. This will not only free up space but also potentially improve browser performance. Remember, this will log you out of websites and remove your browsing history.

You can also clear the cache for other apps like Facebook, TikTok, Chrome, Firefox, and YouTube by checking each app's settings for a cache-clearing option. For example, to clear cache in the Google Chrome app, tap the three dots on the bottom right, select Delete Browsing Data, and choose Cached Images and Files.

To identify common junk file locations and types, check the following areas:

  • Photos library: Photos collection often becomes cluttered with duplicated or near-duplicate images, unclear images, unnecessary Live photos, and unused screenshots.
  • Download folder: Files saved in the Download folder can quietly linger, consuming space over time.
  • Browser cache: Safari and other browsers save a cache file from websites to work faster, collecting over time and filling up storage.
  • App: Apps you’ve downloaded and forgotten about or rarely use can take up unnecessary space on your device.
  • Messages and email apps: Texts, iMessages, and their attachments can take up more space than you might expect.
  • Contacts: Review your contacts for old, no longer relevant numbers and their duplicates.

Remove Old and Unused Content

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Removing old and unused content on your iPhone X is a great way to free up storage space and declutter your digital life. You can delete old photos by going to Photos > Albums > Recently Deleted, selecting all the photos, and tapping Delete from All Devices to confirm.

To remove unused apps, long-press their icons on your Home screen, and choose Remove App and then Delete App. Alternatively, you can offload apps instead of deleting them, which keeps your user data but removes the app executable and associated assets.

You can also remove unnecessary music and podcasts by going to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, selecting Music or Podcasts, and tapping Edit to remove individual songs, albums, or episodes.

Remove Old iMessages

Removing old iMessages can help free up space on your iPhone. You can do this by changing the period for keeping messages in the Messages settings.

To do this, go to Settings > Messages > Message History > Keep Messages. Here, you can change the period from the default "Forever" to 30 Days or 1 Year.

Related reading: Apps Settings on Iphone

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Changing the period to 30 Days or 1 Year will automatically delete all iMessages older than that, helping to prevent your storage from getting out of control. This is a simple yet effective way to clean up your iPhone's storage.

To take it a step further, you can also enable the Offload Unused Apps recommendation on the iPhone Storage settings screen to let iOS automatically offload apps for you based on your usage patterns.

Remove Offline Content

Old podcast episodes can still be taking up space on your device, even if you haven't listened to them in years. You can remove them by going to Settings, then General > iPhone Storage, and scrolling down to tap Music or Podcasts.

To free up space, you can remove individual songs, albums, or podcasts by tapping Edit. You can also adjust your settings to prevent your device from automatically downloading new episodes.

If you have a lot of old episodes, it's worth checking how much space they're taking up – it could be a significant chunk. To do this, go to Settings and find Podcasts.

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Here are the steps to remove old podcast episodes:

  1. Toggle on Remove Played Downloads to automatically delete episodes after you've listened to them.
  2. Or toggle off Download When Saving to prevent saved episodes from being stored locally.

By following these simple steps, you can declutter your device and free up some much-needed space.

Remove Unused Voice Memos

Removing Unused Voice Memos is a great way to free up space on your iPhone. You can access the Voice Memos app by tapping its icon on your home screen. Browse through your recordings and identify the ones you no longer need. Swipe left on a memo to reveal the delete option, then tap Delete. Confirm the deletion if prompted.

It's surprising how quickly Voice Memos can accumulate, especially if you use the app frequently. To tidy up, you'll need to open the Voice Memos app, which is located on your iPhone by default.

Here's a step-by-step guide to removing unused Voice Memos:

  1. Open the Voice Memos app on your iPhone.
  2. Browse through your recordings and identify the ones you no longer need.
  3. Swipe left on a memo to reveal the delete option, then tap Delete.
  4. Confirm the deletion if prompted.

By following these simple steps, you can quickly and easily remove unused Voice Memos and free up valuable storage space on your iPhone.

Deal with You

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Some apps, like messaging and social media platforms, offer built-in options to clear junk files and data manually.

This can help free up space on your device and erase saved files. Choose "Clear Entire Cache" to do this.

It's also a good idea to check streaming apps that let you download content for offline access, like YouTube Music, YouTube, and Spotify.

Go through these apps and remove any downloads you no longer need, whether it's videos you've already watched or music you've lost interest in.

If you no longer need an app, you can delete it, which will remove all associated data, including any junk files it has accumulated.

You can do this by pressing and holding the app icon on your home screen, then choosing "Delete App".

Alternatively, you can use the "Offload App" feature in iPhone settings, which removes the app itself but keeps its data.

Optimize Phone Performance

Phone Cleaner: Clean Storage+ is a handy tool that can manage media, contacts, and cache with one tap, and even has a one-tap Clean feature for quick cleanup.

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Clearing app and Safari cache can free up a significant amount of space on your iPhone. Remove duplicate and similar photos, videos, and contacts to declutter your device.

You can also erase contacts with missing details and back up your contacts for safekeeping. Phone Cleaner is available for free on iPhone and iPad, with paid subscriptions starting at $3.99.

If you're using the free iCloud plan, it's possible that your iCloud storage is full, which can contribute to a full iPhone storage. Check your iCloud account settings and enable iCloud storage optimization to offload files from your device.

Consider getting a larger cloud storage subscription to take even more weight off your device storage. Avast Cleanup is a dedicated cleanup and mobile utility app that can help keep your iPhone running smoothly.

You can install Avast Cleanup for free on Android, Mac, or iOS to enjoy a faster, more responsive mobile experience. Clearing system data on your iPhone can also help free up space by removing cached files from apps like Safari and temporary files from daily use.

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Here are some ways to clear system data on your iPhone:

  • Clear app and Safari cache
  • Remove duplicate and similar photos, videos, and contacts
  • Erase contacts with missing details
  • Back up contacts
  • Clear system data, including cached files and temporary files

By following these steps and using tools like Phone Cleaner and Avast Cleanup, you can optimize your phone's performance and keep your iPhone running smoothly.

Third-Party Solutions

If you're looking for a hassle-free way to clear junk from your iPhone X, consider using third-party solutions. Clever Cleaner is a top-rated app that automates cleanup, scanning your iPhone for unnecessary files, duplicates, and large media in seconds.

This app is a game-changer for iPhone users, as it efficiently finds media junk quickly and doesn't require any subscriptions or ads. In fact, Clever Cleaner is one of the few truly free iPhone cleaners available.

To use Clever Cleaner, simply search for it in the App Store, download it, and navigate to the Similars tab. Here, you can tap 'Smart Cleanup' to scan your photo library in seconds and review suggested deletions.

You might like: 4 Free Iphones T Mobile

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The app's AI automatically picks the Best shot in each group, but you can change this if needed. Once you're satisfied, tap 'Move to Trash' to delete the selected images or 'Skip All' to move to the next group.

Clever Cleaner also has three other useful tabs: Screenshots, Lives, and Heavies. The Screenshots tab quickly scans and identifies unnecessary screenshots, making it easy to delete them in bulk. The Lives tab converts Live Photos to regular images to save space.

The Heavies tab displays videos/photos sorted by size, allowing you to instantly identify and remove the biggest space-wasters. This is something iOS doesn't natively offer.

Here are some of the best iPhone cleaner apps available, including Clever Cleaner:

  • Clever Cleaner: AI iPhone Cleaner App
  • Other top-rated apps (list not exhaustive, but includes apps like those listed below)

These apps offer a robust feature set and provide options you won’t find on iOS. What I particularly like about each of them is their intuitive interface and navigation.

Cache and Data Management

You can clear cache junk on your iPhone without restarting your device by manually removing temporary files created by apps. These files are used by web browsers, social media networks, media streaming services, and cloud-based tools.

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To clear the cache for Safari, follow these steps: open the Settings app, navigate to the Apps section, select Safari, scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data, and choose All History.

For apps like Facebook, TikTok, Chrome, Firefox, YouTube, or others, you'll need to check each app's settings for a cache-clearing option.

To clear the cache in the Google Chrome app, open the Chrome app, tap the three dots on the bottom right, select Delete Browsing Data, optionally choose a Time Range, choose Cached Images and Files, and tap Clear Browsing Data.

Clearing cache junk can help free up space on your iPhone and improve performance.

You can free up space on your iPhone by deleting unused or irrelevant photos, messages, apps, and other files that are clogging up your storage.

Here are some steps to clear iPhone storage:

  • Delete unused photos and messages
  • Transfer media to another device or the cloud
  • Consider using a storage management app to help you identify and delete unnecessary files

To clear system data on your iPhone, follow these steps: go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data > Clear History and Data.

If this caught your attention, see: How to Erase Data on Samsung Galaxy A53 Phone

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By clearing system data, you can free up space on your iPhone and improve performance.

Here are some common types of system data that can be cleared:

  • Cached files from apps like Safari
  • Temporary files from daily use
  • Certain system data like logs

To clear the Safari cache, follow these steps: open the Settings app, scroll down and select Safari, tap on Clear History and Website Data, and confirm your action by tapping Clear.

Clearing the Safari cache can help free up space on your iPhone and improve browser performance.

To clear junk files on your iPhone, follow these steps: install the Clever Cleaner: AI Cleanup App, find the option named "Data and Storage", and tap it.

iCloud and Cloud Storage

If your iPhone storage is full, it's likely because you have too many photos, messages, apps, and other files taking up space. You can free up space by deleting unused or irrelevant files, or by transferring media to another device or the cloud.

To optimize your iCloud storage, you can delete old backups and unnecessary data. This is done by opening Settings, tapping on your name, and selecting iCloud to see your storage usage. From there, you can tap Manage Storage to clean up backups, documents, photos, and more.

If you're using the free iCloud plan, it might be full, so consider getting a larger cloud storage subscription.

7: Manage iCloud

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If you're running low on iCloud storage, it's time to take action. You can optimize your iCloud storage by deleting old backups and unnecessary data.

To do this, open Settings and tap on your name at the top. There, select iCloud to see your storage usage. This is a crucial step in understanding what's taking up space.

Tap Manage Storage for options to clean up backups, documents, photos, and more. This is where the magic happens, and you can free up a significant amount of space.

Consider deleting old backups or unnecessary data to free up space. If you're not using an app or storing a file, it's likely safe to delete it.

If necessary, explore options to upgrade your storage plan. This might be the case if you're consistently running out of space.

Here are some steps to follow:

  1. Open Settings and tap on your name at the top
  2. Select iCloud to see your storage usage
  3. Tap Manage Storage for options to clean up backups, documents, photos, and more
  4. Consider deleting old backups or unnecessary data to free up space
  5. Explore options to upgrade your storage plan if necessary

Where to Find on Alibaba Cloud?

Where to Find Junk Files on Alibaba Cloud?

You can find junk files on Alibaba Cloud by checking the storage usage of your apps and content.

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Photos library on Alibaba Cloud can become cluttered with duplicated or near-duplicate images, unclear images, unnecessary Live photos, and unused screenshots that quietly occupy space.

Download folder on Alibaba Cloud can collect files you've saved, like documents or PDFs, that may be consuming space over time.

Browser cache on Alibaba Cloud can collect files from websites, filling up storage over time, so regular clearing helps free space and keeps things running smoothly.

App data on Alibaba Cloud can accumulate and reduce your storage space, so it's essential to regularly audit and delete unused apps or clear their cache.

Messages and email apps on Alibaba Cloud can take up more space than you might expect, especially with attachments like photos, videos, and GIFs.

Contacts on Alibaba Cloud can accumulate old, no longer relevant numbers and their duplicates, taking up space and slowing down your device.

To pinpoint which junk files take up the most space, you can check under Settings > General > Storage on Alibaba Cloud, which shows you which apps and content types are consuming the most storage.

Here are the common junk file locations and types to check on Alibaba Cloud:

  • Photos library
  • Download folder
  • Browser cache
  • App data
  • Messages and email apps
  • Contacts

Music and Photos

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Clever Cleaner is a free app that can help you remove junk photos from your iPhone, including duplicates, similar shots, and unnecessary screenshots. It's a more comprehensive solution than the Duplicates feature in the Photos app.

To use Clever Cleaner, download it from the App Store, launch the app, and allow it to access your photos. Tap the Smart Cleanup button and confirm your decision to let Clever Cleaner intelligently delete duplicates from your device.

The app can also convert Live Photos to still images while removing the originals, and it can identify and delete large videos. Clever Cleaner is a no-strings-attached option, with no subscriptions, no locked features, and no ads.

You can also remove old photos by permanently wiping those you’ve already deleted, but are stuck in the “Recently Deleted” album. To do this, go to Photos > Albums > Recently Deleted, select all the photos, and then delete them from your device.

Here are some key features of Clever Cleaner:

  1. Removes duplicates, similar shots, and unnecessary screenshots
  2. Converts Live Photos to still images
  3. Identifies and deletes large videos
  4. No subscriptions, no locked features, and no ads

Manage Photos

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Managing your iPhone's photos can be a daunting task, but there are ways to make it more manageable. One of the easiest ways to start is by using the Photos app's built-in feature to find and merge duplicate photos.

To do this, open the Photos app and scroll down to the Utilities area, where you'll find the Duplicates feature. Tap on it and review the sets of duplicates for those you want to merge.

Clever Cleaner is another app that can help you manage your photos. It's a free app that uses AI to detect and delete duplicates, similar photos, and screenshots. It also converts Live Photos to still images while removing the originals.

To use Clever Cleaner, download it from the App Store and grant it access to your photo library. Then, tap the Smart Cleanup button and review the suggested deletions. If you want to keep a specific photo, tap Restore.

Here are some ways Clever Cleaner can help you manage your photos:

  • Detects and deletes duplicates
  • Finds and deletes similar photos
  • Converts Live Photos to still images
  • Identifies and deletes large videos

By using these features, you can free up space on your iPhone and make your photo library more manageable.

Delete Downloaded Music

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To delete downloaded music on your iPhone, you can follow these simple steps. Go to Settings > Music, scroll down to Downloaded Music, and tap Edit in the top right corner.

You can delete all downloaded music at once by tapping the red minus (-) button next to All Songs, or you can delete music from specific artists by tapping next to individual artists. To confirm, tap Delete.

Alternatively, you can also remove offline music and podcasts by going to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, scrolling down and tapping Music or Podcasts to see how much space they use, and then tapping Edit and removing a song, album, or podcast individually.

If you want to prevent your iPhone from automatically downloading new episodes, you can toggle off Download When Saving in the Podcasts settings.

For more insights, see: New Apple Phone Release

General Tips and Guides

To clear junk from your iPhone X, it's essential to understand that every iPhone is different, and the junk that clutters them varies too.

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You may not need every method, so work your way down the list and see what works best for your device.

Start by removing unused apps, as they can take up a significant amount of space on your iPhone X.

Removing junk files is a process that requires patience, but the quickest and easiest methods can be found in the list of top 10 methods to clean junk files on your iPhone.

Margarita Champlin

Writer

Margarita Champlin is a seasoned writer with a passion for crafting informative and engaging content. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for simplifying complex topics, she has established herself as a go-to expert in the field of technology. Her writing has been featured in various publications, covering a range of topics, including Azure Monitoring.

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