How to free up iPhone storage for an iOS update

1. See how much space the update needs

Open Settings → General → Software Update. If space is short, iOS tells you how much the update needs. A major iOS update usually needs several gigabytes free: room for the download plus room to install it.

Shortcut: update from a computer instead. With a Mac (Finder) or a Windows PC (Apple Devices app), the update is downloaded on the computer, so your iPhone needs much less free space.

2. Find out what is using your storage

Open Settings → General → iPhone Storage. The bar at the top shows the big categories; the list below sorts apps by size. For most people, Photos is at or near the top, and videos are the biggest part of it: one minute of 4K video can take several hundred megabytes.

The same screen shows recommendations such as Offload Unused Apps (removes the app but keeps its data) and Review Large Attachments in Messages.

3. Clear photos and videos, biggest first

1. Large videos. In Photos, open Media Types → Videos. Old screen recordings and long clips you never rewatch free the most space per tap.
2. Duplicates. Photos → Utilities → Duplicates (iOS 16 and later) finds exact copies and lets you merge them.
3. Screenshots. Photos → Media Types → Screenshots. Most were useful for a day.
4. Similar shots and bursts. Keep the best of five near-identical photos, delete the rest.

4. Empty Recently Deleted

This is the step most people miss. Deleted photos and videos go to Photos → Utilities → Recently Deleted and stay there for 30 days, still using space. Once you are sure, tap Select → Delete All. Only then does the space come back.

5. Quick wins outside Photos

• Messages: Settings → Apps → Messages → Keep Messages → 1 Year (on older iOS: Settings → Messages). Also review large attachments.
• Safari: Settings → Apps → Safari → Clear History and Website Data.
• Downloaded media: offline music, podcasts and streaming downloads add up fast. Remove what you have already watched or heard.
• iCloud Photos users: Settings → your name → iCloud → Photos → Optimize iPhone Storage keeps full-size originals in iCloud and smaller versions on the phone (needs enough iCloud space).

What not to do

• Don't delete photos you haven't backed up. If a photo exists only on your iPhone, deleting it and emptying Recently Deleted removes it for good.
• Don't assume deleting from iPhone keeps the iCloud copy. With iCloud Photos on, a deletion on one device removes the photo from all your devices and from iCloud.
• Don't forget Recently Deleted. Deleting 5 GB of videos frees nothing until that album is emptied or 30 days pass.
• Don't trust "cache" or "RAM" cleaners. iOS doesn't let apps clear other apps' data or memory. A cleaner app on iPhone can only help with your photos, videos and contacts, so pay for that and nothing more.
• Don't delete in a hurry the night before. Rushed bulk deleting is how birthday videos disappear. Review first, confirm second.

Where Lumaroll helps

Step 3 is the slow part: scrolling thousands of photos and deciding one by one. Lumaroll shows your library one photo at a time. Swipe right to keep, left to delete. You can start with a category: large videos, duplicates, similar and blurry photos, or screenshots.

• Nothing is deleted until you review the list and confirm; any decision can be undone.
• Deleted items go to Recently Deleted, so step 4 still applies and you have 30 days to change your mind.
• Everything happens on your device. No account, no uploads.
• The first 500 decisions are free; Lifetime is a one-time purchase, not a subscription.