💡 Need to know
- Empty Recently Deleted folders to permanently remove photos, videos, and files.
- Clear your app cache to remove temporary data.
- Delete offline downloads from streaming and media apps.
- Restart your phone to refresh storage calculations and clear temporary files.
If your phone still says "Storage almost full" after you've deleted photos, videos, apps, or files, you're not alone. Hidden data like cache files, system storage, recently deleted items, and offline downloads may still be taking up space.
AT&T ProTech experts have seen it all—and know how to solve it. Here's why your phone may still be full and what you can do to free up more storage.
Empty recently deleted photos, messages, and files
Modern smartphones don’t remove deleted items immediately. On iPhone® devices, files move to the Recently Deleted folder, while many Android™ devices store them in the Trash folder for 30 days. Until the files are permanently deleted, they continue to occupy storage space.
How to permanently delete files on iPhone devices
To permanently delete photos from the Recently Deleted folder on iPhone devices, follow these steps:
- Open Photos > Collections > Recently Deleted.
- Select View Album and use Face ID or Touch ID when prompted.
- Tap Select > More (…) > Delete All.
- Select Delete from All Devices or Delete Photos I Added.
To permanently delete non-image files on iPhone devices, follow these steps:
- Open the Files app > Browse > Recently Deleted.
- Tap More (…).
- Choose Select > Delete All.
To permanently delete recently deleted messages and attachments on iPhone devices, follow these steps:
- Open the Messages app.
- Select the Filter button > Recently Deleted.
- Tap Delete All and confirm the deletion.
How to empty the Trash folder on Android devices
If your Android device still shows low storage after you've deleted files, the exact steps depend on your device. On Samsung® and most Android devices, follow these steps:
- Find the Gallery app > Menu ≡ > Trash.
- Tap All.
- Select Menu (⋮) > Delete all > Delete.
To clear recently deleted non-photo or non-video files, take the following steps:
- Go to My Files or Files by Google.
- Select Menu ≡ > Trash.
- Tap Delete all.
Clear app cache and temporary data
Your browser, social media apps, navigation apps, or streaming services store temporary files called cache to load faster. Over months, this hidden data can grow into several gigabytes.
To clear the cache on Android devices:
- Go to Settings > Apps.
- Select the app you want to clear the cache for.
- Tap Storage > Clear cache.
To clear the cache on iPhone devices:
iPhone devices don't let you clear individual app caches in Settings. Instead, you can offload apps while keeping your files and app data.
Delete offline downloads and large attachments
If you download offline content from Netflix®, Spotify®, YouTube Premium™, or podcast apps, those files can accumulate and take up significant storage space.
- Netflix: Open the app > Tap your Profile icon > App Settings > Delete All Downloads.
- Spotify: Open the app > Tap your Profile icon > Settings and Privacy > Scroll down to Storage > Tap Remove all downloads.
- YouTube Premium: Open the app > Tap your Profile icon > Settings > Background & downloads > Tap Delete downloads.
Also, check and delete large message attachments.
On iPhone devices:
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
- Then scroll to Messages > Review Large Attachments.
- Tap Edit, then select attachments to delete.
On Android devices using Google Messages (including Pixel, Samsung, and Motorola):
- Open the Messages app.
- Tap your profile picture or the three-dot menu.
- Go to Messages settings > Device storage (or Manage storage on some phones).
- Look for large files, videos, images, attachments.
- Select the items you want to remove, then tap Delete.
On Samsung Galaxy phones:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Battery and device care > Storage.
- Tap Duplicate files, Large files, or Unused apps.
Reduce system data and other storage
In your storage breakdown, you'll see System Data on iOS and System or Other storage on Android.
While you can’t clear System Data entirely, a few steps help reduce it.
- Restart your device to clear temporary files
- Clear the browser history to remove the stored website data
- Update your operating system to optimize how the system manages storage
Tried these steps and still need help? AT&T ProTech experts are here to help. Call or chat today.
FAQ
Why does my phone say storage is full when I deleted everything?
Your phone may still say storage is full because deleted items often stay in recovery folders for up to 30 days.
Do deleted photos still take up storage space?
Yep. They usually stay in Recently Deleted or Trash folders until permanently removed.
How do I clear system storage on my phone?
You can’t erase system storage completely, but restarting your phone and clearing cache can shrink it.
Why is storage still full on my iPhone device after deleting apps?
App data, cached files, and other temporary data can remain on your iPhone device even after you delete an app, continuing to use storage until they're removed or the app is offloaded.
Tried these steps and still need help? AT&T ProTech experts are only a call or chat away.
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