Free up app storage

Free up iCloud Photos storage

iCloud Photos is the photo library that syncs through iCloud. Full-resolution originals can live in iCloud while this iPhone keeps smaller versions. That is different from deleting a photo. Turning iCloud Photos off without downloading originals can leave you with only the optimized copies on the device.

See how much space Photos and iCloud are using

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

That is space on this iPhone. iCloud quota is separate: Settings > [your name] > iCloud (some versions say iCloud > Manage Account Storage).

Turn on Optimize iPhone Storage

1. Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
2. Tap iCloud > Photos.
3. Confirm iCloud Photos is on.
4. Tap Optimize iPhone Storage (not Download and Keep Originals).

iPhone keeps lightweight versions and downloads the original when you open or export a shot. Your library stays in iCloud. This is the main way to shrink Photos on the phone without deleting pictures.

If you pick Download and Keep Originals, every full file stays on this device and Photos will grow again.

Empty Recently Deleted

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Tap Albums.
3. Open Recently Deleted (under Utilities on many iOS versions).
4. Tap Select, then Delete All, or delete items one by one.

Deleted photos stay here for 30 days and still use space. Emptying Recently Deleted is permanent. If iCloud storage is already full, Apple may skip the 30-day window, so recover anything you need first.

Delete photos you do not need in the library

1. Open Photos and select the items.
2. Tap the trash icon.
3. Confirm.

With iCloud Photos on, this deletes the item from every device signed into that Apple ID, not just a cache. Screenshots, screen recordings, and burst extras are usually the safest large targets.

Shared Library and Shared Albums

Items in a Shared Library still count in Photos storage. Removing them from this iPhone can remove them for everyone in that Shared Library. Shared Albums are smaller copies and are a different setting under Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos > Shared Albums.

Do not turn iCloud Photos off to free space

Turning iCloud Photos off asks whether to keep originals on this iPhone. If there is not enough room, you can be left with optimized files only. Leave iCloud Photos on and use Optimize iPhone Storage instead.

Reinstall the app if storage is still high

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

1. Do not delete Photos. iCloud Photos already holds the library if iCloud Photos is on and finished syncing. If any albums live only On My iPhone, export those first. Reinstalling iOS Photos is not a normal step; offload unused apps instead.
2. Delete the app from your phone.
3. Restart your phone.
4. Install Photos 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 iCloud Photos is lighter, check your photo library for duplicates and similar shots. That is what Dedupo is for.

More app guides: Free up app storage.