If you’re trying to clear up space on your iPhone and want to learn how to empty trash on your iPhone, then you might have noticed that there’s no centralized trash folder like on your computer. Instead, each app on your iPhone has its folder for deleted files, and you need to empty them individually to increase the amount of usable storage space. Luckily, we are here to show you how to empty all the trash on your phone.
Empty Photos Trash on iPhone
Did you know that when you delete photos and videos from your iPhone, they aren’t gone right away? Instead, the Photos app cleverly tucks them away in an album fittingly named Recently Deleted. This is like a temporary holding area where your deleted items stay for 30 days, giving you a chance to recover them if needed. But if you’re certain that you won’t ever need them again, you can delete them to free up storage space.
To empty the Recently Deleted folder in Photos, you need to open the Photos app. Then, head to the Albums tab at the bottom. Scroll down and find the Recently Deleted folder.
Tap Select and choose all photos and videos you want to delete. Tap the More button in the bottom-right corner and select Delete All. A confirmation pop-up will appear, asking you to confirm the deletion of ‘X’ photos (where X is the number of photos). Tap on Delete X Photos to permanently remove them.
Empty Apple Mail Trash
Keeping your inbox tidy also means dealing with the trash in Apple Mail. Just like in the Photos app, emails you delete aren’t gone immediately. They move to the Trash folder, where they sit until you decide to clear them out for good. Emails with attachments can take up a large amount of storage space, so you should empty the Trash folder regularly.
To get started, open the Mail app. Navigate to the Trash folder. Tap the Edit button and then tap Select All. With all of your messages selected, you can tap the Delete button and confirm your decision to get rid of them.
Tip: There are many excellent Apple Mail alternatives for macOS and iOS.
Empty Recently Deleted Notes
Notes you’ve previously deleted are placed in the Recently Deleted folder. If you’re sure you won’t need these notes again, then you can safely delete them right away.
Launch the Notes app on your iPhone. Navigate to the Recently Deleted folder. Inside the Recently Deleted folder, you’ll see all your deleted notes.
If you’re ready to let them go, tap on the Edit option at the top right. After that, you’ll see the Delete All button in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Tap on it, confirm, and all those old notes will be gone for good.
Clear Recently Deleted Files
Just like photos and notes, any files you delete using the Files app aren’t immediately gone. They’re moved to yet another Recently Deleted folder. To access and empty it, you need to open the Files app.
Once you’re in, tap on the Browse tab at the bottom. This tab shows you different locations and folders on your device. In this list, you’ll find the Recently Deleted folder. Now, to clear them out, tap on the three-dots icon located at the top right. This brings up a context menu with several options. Choose Select. You can now tap the Delete All button at the bottom and confirm.
Clear Cache in iPhone Apps
In addition to Recently Deleted folders, many iPhone apps store their own caches, which are like memory banks where they keep information to load faster. Over time, these caches can take up a lot of space. Clearing them can free up space and sometimes even improve your iPhone’s performance.
One of the most important caches to clear out is the one in Safari, Apple’s web browser. The Safari cache stores elements of websites you visit, like images and web pages, so they load faster the next time you visit.
To empty the Safari cache, you need to open the Settings app. Scroll down until you find Safari and tap on it. Inside Safari’s settings, look for the option that says Clear History and Website Data. Tapping this will remove the cache along with your browsing history and cookies. A pop-up will ask you to confirm this action.
Keep in that websites may load noticeably slower the first time you visit them after clearing the Safari cache. This is because Safari needs to redownload those elements it previously stored.
Note: if Safari is not working after clearing the cache, we have the fixes here.
How to Offload Apps on iPhone
Looking for more ways to free up space on your iPhone? Offloading apps is a smart move, especially for apps you don’t use often. This process is a bit different from just deleting an app. It removes the app but keeps all its important data safe. When you reinstall the app, your data pops right back in place.
First, open the Settings app and then navigate to General -> iPhone Storage. Scroll through the list and pick an app you want to offload. Maybe it’s a game you haven’t played in months or an app you rarely open.
Once you’ve made your choice, tap on the app and look for the Offload App option. After tapping Offload App, a confirmation prompt will pop up. Go ahead and confirm.
We hope these methods have helped you successfully free up storage space on your iPhone. Clearing out the trash from various apps, offloading unused apps, and managing the cache are effective ways to keep your iPhone running smoothly. If you find that your device still needs more space, you might want to consider a factory reset as a last resort. This step can give your iPhone a fresh start, but remember, it will erase all your data, so make sure to back up important files first.
All images and screenshots by David Morelo and Mehvish Mushtaq.
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