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Free up iPhone storage by deleting large attachments

21 Dec 2025 By foxnews

If your iPhone keeps warning you about low storage, your Messages app may be part of the problem. Photos, videos and documents saved inside your text threads can stack up fast. The good news is that you can clear those big files without erasing entire conversations.

Below, you will find simple steps that work on the latest iOS 26.1. These steps help you clean up storage while keeping your messages right where you want them.

If you haven't updated to iOS 26.1, go to Settings > General > Software Update to install the latest version.

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Removing large attachments gives you quick breathing room on your iPhone. It can free up gigabytes in seconds, especially if you text lots of photos or videos. Clearing old files also keeps your message threads tidy and helps your device run more smoothly by reducing the amount of storage your system needs to manage. The best part is that you can clean up everything without losing a single conversation.

These quick steps help you clear large files from Messages while keeping every conversation intact.

To the right of Info, click on Photos or Documents; you may need to swipe over other tabs to see these. Photos will also contain videos and GIFs, while documents will contain Word documents, PDFs and other types of files.

Then confirm Delete when asked.

To clear out several attachments at once, follow these quick steps on your iPhone.

Confirm you want to delete the selected attachments by clicking Delete Photos.

These steps work almost the same way on an iPad. After you finish, you will often see an instant boost in available storage.

If you want to clear the biggest files on your device, you can check them from your iPhone's storage screen and delete them:

Then, tap the trash can icon in the upper right to delete it.

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This method gives you a quick overview of what takes up the most space and lets you delete it quickly.

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Freeing up storage doesn't have to be confusing. A few quick taps can remove bulky files and keep your conversations intact. With these simple steps, your iPhone stays organized, runs smoothly and is ready for more photos, videos and apps.

What is the one type of attachment that takes up the most space on your iPhone? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com