Recently, iPhone users complain that when they check how much space is left on their device via Settings > General > iPhone Storage, the section called “Other” contains quite a lot of data and there is not enough space left on their devices. So what is the Other folder in iPhone and how to clean it?
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What is the Other folder in iPhone?
The Other folder, which you can see by following the steps we mentioned above in the iPhone, is actually an area that shows cache-like data used by the system. For example, when you pair with a device via Bluetooth or connect to a Wi-Fi network or visit a website, the data there is cached.
Normally, this data should take up very little space. In fact, it is aimed to occupy only a few Megabytes in an efficient system. But if you are using an app like Netflix or Spotify, your device will try to download most of the data found there.
In fact, this feature is a method that improves the user experience. Because when you instantly write a message to someone on WhatsApp and return to the application, you can continue from where you left off instead of reopening the content. It works very efficiently, especially in browsers such as Safari, Chrome or Firefox, and well-optimized applications such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Now let’s see why it takes up so much space…
Why is the other folder taking up so much space?
Since this cached data is only kept there for a limited time, that is, it is not the kind of data that saves to your device’s memory unless you delete it, so it may not be too noticeable in daily use.
However, if you are using the kind of digital platforms we mentioned, everything that you come across instantly will be saved in the cache. In this way, even if you close the application from the background, the last page you saw will appear on your next login, even if you do not have an internet connection.
For example, browse Instagram for a bit, then log out and close the application in the background, then log back in with your internet turned off, and you will see the main page in front of you. Moreover, it will make up to the videos you watch.
Of course, this situation also has some negative aspects that have been on the agenda recently. For example, if you want to download Facebook from the App Store, you are told that this application will only take up 255.4 Megabytes of space.
But when you check the memory of the device after using it for a while, you may see that it exceeds a few GB. Moreover, if you use many similar social media platforms and digital streaming-cinema applications, you will notice that your device with 64 GB memory fills up quite quickly. So how to clean this area?
How to clear iPhone Other folder?
In such cases, the most effective solution is unfortunately the most radical choice. For this, you should back up the data on your device to a cloud system or a device such as a computer or usb, then reset your device and upload your data again.
However, in long-term use, it will be inevitable to experience a similar situation again. There are other options you can do for this. Although these applications do not ask you how much files to keep in the cache, you can get rid of this data one by one. For example, if you delete and reinstall the app that takes up the most space on your device, the cached files will also be cleared.
Similarly, you can clear the history and website data here by entering the browser settings. Then, it can be an effective step in cleaning the chats on SMS and iMessage, in direct proportion to how much you use these applications.
There is actually a simple solution to this. Go to Settings > Messages > Message History and change the option to keep messages forever by default for a shorter period of time to enable the device to auto-clean.
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