If you have ever been an iPhone user using a 16GB model (like me), then I am sure that you have been annoyed with the “storage not available” prompt. However, checking the storage often reveals that most of it is being hogged by “Other”. So, what is this “Other” storage and why does it take up so much of space? So buckle up and get ready to know all about the “Other” storage and how you can keep it low.
Well, the “Other” in your iOS or iPadOS devices is essentially the space taken up by all the extra data of your apps, music, videos, and other system files on your device. As we know that every app, music, or videos that we download need some extra working space. Moreover, this “Other” also includes all the files and data to make the device work properly.
However, with time, the “Other” keep on increasing and at one point, you might see that most of your storage is hogged up by this category of data. Now, it might be because of a recent “issue”, as described by Apple. So, here is how you can fix it, according to the Cupertino-based tech giant.
Update Your Device to iOS 13.6.1
Apple recently released the latest version of iOS 13, which is iOS 13.6.1. This update, as per Apple, fixes the storage issue and frees up the “Other” storage.
So, if you are running an outdated version of the software, then follow the steps below to update your device:
- Open “Settings”.
- Go to “General” and tap “Software Update”.
- Wait for a few seconds and you will see the update pop up on the screen.
- Then tap the “Download and Install” button to start the process.
- Fill in your device passcode and wait for the process to complete.
So, here’s a way to keep your “Other” storage in control. However, there are a few other ways to keep it low.
Other Ways to Clear Up the “Other” Storage
Now, apart from updating your device, you can tweak some settings to keep your storage in control. One of these ways is clearing Safari’s cache from its settings. And here’s how you can do it:
- Open “Settings”.
- Go to “Safari”.
- Scroll down a bit and tap the “Clear History and Website Data”.
Although this will clear out your Safari data as you can tell from the title of the button, it will also clear out the “Other” data in the storage.
Other than this, you can try and manage your storage by deleting pictures from your “Recently Deleted” folder often and setting the auto-delete option in your iMessage settings to 30 days. Or you can back up all your photos to “Google Photos” using our step-by-step guide. And if you are an Apple Music subscriber, you can also limit your music storage on the device.
So, this was all about the “Other” data and files in your iOS or iPadOS device. I hope this helps to keep your iPhone or iPad storage in control.
