Free up app storage

Free up Gmail storage

Gmail keeps message text in your Google account. This phone also stores synced mail, inline images, and attachments you downloaded. Clearing cache drops temporary files. Deleting a message or emptying Trash removes it from the account (after the Trash period).

See how much space Gmail is using

iPhone

1. Open the iPhone Settings app.
2. Tap General > iPhone Storage.
3. Tap Gmail.

Android

1. Open your phone Settings > Apps.
2. Tap Gmail.
3. Tap Storage or Storage and cache.

Google Account storage (Gmail + Drive + Photos) is separate. In Gmail, open the menu and look for Storage, or check your Google Account storage page.

Images (always show vs ask)

Android

1. Open Gmail and tap the menu > Settings.
2. Tap your account.
3. Under Data usage, tap Images.
4. Choose Ask before showing if you want fewer images stored and downloaded.

On a computer, this lives under Settings > See all settings > General > Images. Always show images uses more data and cache. Ask before showing keeps mail lighter until you tap Show pictures.

Offline mail and days of mail to sync

1. Open Gmail > menu > Settings > your account.
2. Tap Days of mail to sync and pick a shorter window if you do not need years of mail on the phone.

Messages outside that window stay in the account. They are not deleted. You open them when you are online. Full Gmail offline (Enable offline mail, Download attachments) is a computer Chrome setting under Settings > See all settings > General > Offline. Uncheck Download attachments there if the browser copy is huge.

Download attachments

1. On Android Gmail: Settings > your account > turn off Download attachments if you do not want attachments auto-saved on Wi-Fi.
2. Delete leftover attachment files in Files / Downloads if you saved them with Save or Download.

A downloaded attachment is a user file on the phone. Clearing Gmail cache does not remove it. Deleting the email does not always delete a copy you already saved to Downloads.

Trash and Spam

Deleted mail goes to Trash for 30 days, then it is permanently deleted. Empty Trash and Spam if you want that account storage back now. That is not a cache clear.

Clear Gmail cache on Android

1. Open your phone Settings > Apps > Gmail.
2. Tap Storage or Storage and cache.
3. Tap Clear cache.

Do not tap Clear storage / Clear data unless you mean to sign out of every account in the Gmail app. Mail in Google stays.

Reinstall the app if storage is still high

If you already cleaned media and Gmail still looks huge, a fresh install can clear leftover cache and temp files that are hard to reach by hand.

1. Mail in your Google account stays. Downloads you saved to Files are only on this phone. Finish any unsent messages in Outbox before you delete the app.
2. Delete the app from your phone.
3. Restart your phone.
4. Install Gmail again from the App Store or Google Play.
5. Sign in and restore from backup if the app offers it.

This often frees a lot of space. You may need to download some media again after restore.

What to do next

After Gmail is lighter, check your photo library for duplicates and similar shots. That is what Dedupo is for.

More app guides: Free up app storage.