Apple devices are known for their exceptional user experience and high-quality features. However, one of the most common issues that Apple device users face is limited storage space. While Apple devices come with ample storage, the increasing number of apps and data can quickly eat up the available storage space.
These devices have limited storage space, and certain apps can take up more of that space than others. Knowing which app types are the worst offenders for using up your device’s storage can help you decide which ones to delete to free up space quickly and easily.
Large Video Apps
Video apps can take up an enormous amount of space on an Apple device, and often you won’t notice it until you go to check your storage space and find that it has been drained. Apps such as Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and other streaming apps may be using up a significant portion of the device’s storage. To determine whether or not this is the case, navigate to the Settings app > General > iPhone/iPad Storage to see which apps are taking up the most space. If any video apps are at the top of the list, uninstall them if you don’t think you’re going to use them.
Photos Apps
The Photos app is one of the most popular apps on Apple devices. It allows users to store, view, and edit photos and videos on their devices. However, as users take more photos and videos, the storage space required by the Photos app increases significantly.
The Photos app also has features that automatically back up photos and videos to iCloud. While this is a useful feature, it can quickly consume storage space, especially if users have a large number of photos and videos.
To manage storage space used by the Photos app, users can delete unnecessary photos and videos or transfer them to other storage devices. Additionally, users can opt to store photos and videos on iCloud, which provides additional storage space for a nominal fee.
Gaming Apps
The Games app is another app that can take up a considerable amount of storage space on Apple devices. As game developers strive to provide high-quality gaming experiences, the size of game files has increased significantly. For instance, some popular games like PUBG and Fortnite require more than 2GB of storage space.
To manage storage space used by the Games app, users can delete unnecessary games or transfer them to other storage devices. Additionally, users can opt to play games online, which allows them to enjoy gaming experiences without taking up storage space.
Music Apps
The Music app is another popular app on Apple devices that can consume a considerable amount of storage space. Users can use the Music app to store music files on their devices, create playlists, and stream music online.
However, as users download more music files, the storage space required by the Music app increases. Moreover, if users download music files in high quality, they require even more storage space.
To manage storage space used by the Music app, users can delete unnecessary music files or transfer them to other storage devices. Additionally, users can opt to use streaming services like Apple Music, which allows them to listen to music online without taking up storage space.
Hidden System Memory Hoggers
Another source of wasted storage space is hidden system applications. Apple products often come with additional software that users may not be aware of, such as Activity Monitor, Diagnostics, and CrashReporter which are used to analyze device performance. These types of apps won’t show up in your list of apps, as they run quietly in the background. If you want to remove any built-in Apple programs and free up any possible storage space, Settings > General > iPhone Storage shows all of these applications under ‘System’.
Browsers That Gobble Up Space
Web browsers are another space-hogging type of app. Safari and Google Chrome can both accumulate junk data that takes up unnecessary storage on your device. Deleting the app and re-installing it will remove any obsolete content, such as auto-fill details, cache memory files, and history pages. Alternatively, accessing Settings > Safari or Settings > Chrome can delete this visible data separately. Switching to a limited browser like Opera Mini is an easy way to reduce data usage and save space on both Apple tablets and phones.
Identify and Remove Unneeded Apps
Unused apps can pile up quickly, especially as premium apps become more affordable. Getting rid of these unused apps is an easy way to free up space and get your device performance back on track. To delete an app, simply press and hold its icon until it starts shaking, then tap the ‘x’ in its top-left corner. This will delete the app from your device but keep a record in iTunes. Once you’ve removed everything you don’t need, restarting your device will ensure any data is completely cleared from memory.
Investigate Storage Solutions for Larger Files
It’s possible that you can free up more space on your device by relocating larger files or streaming them via the cloud. For music, movies, and photos, consider backing up your files to an external hard drive or storing them in the cloud with services like Google Drive or iCloud. This way, you will not be taking up unnecessary storage on your device and you can access these large files whenever you need them. As a plus, other devices will have access as well!
In conclusion, storage space is a critical resource on Apple devices, and it is essential to manage it effectively to optimize the device’s performance. By managing the storage space used by the Photos app, Music app, and Games app, users can ensure that they have ample storage space for other critical applications and data.
