How to Delete 'Other' Data on iPhone Storage
The "Other" category in iPhone storage is now labeled System Data in modern iOS, and you cannot delete it as a single block; instead you shrink it by clearing app and Safari caches, removing old Messages attachments, and restarting the phone so iOS purges temporary files, all starting from Settings > General > iPhone Storage. This guide is for anyone who saw a big gray "Other" or "System Data" slice eating their storage and wants to bring it down without erasing the phone.
TL;DR
- "Other" was renamed System Data on current iOS; it is caches, logs, and temporary files iOS manages itself.
- There is no "delete Other" button; check the size at the bottom of Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
- Clear Safari and app caches, delete large Messages attachments, and remove downloaded media to free real space.
- Restart the iPhone; a reboot is the single step that most reliably drops the number by several GB.
- A backup-and-restore is the only way to force a deep reset, and a cleaner like Cleanor handles the photos underneath.
What is the 'Other' category on iPhone storage?
On older iOS versions the storage bar chart had a gray slice labeled Other. Apple renamed it System Data in recent releases, but it means the same thing: the catch-all bucket for files that do not fit the named categories like Photos, Apps, or Media.
Inside it live Safari and app caches, system logs, Siri voices, fonts, downloaded streaming buffers, message attachments queued for cleanup, and the temporary files apps write while running. iOS is supposed to manage this automatically, deleting cached files when storage runs low, but it often lags behind, so "Other" can swell to tens of GB before the system catches up.
A few GB is normal and healthy. Anything above roughly 15-20 GB usually means caches have piled up faster than iOS cleared them. For the full breakdown of what counts and what is genuinely deletable, see what is System Data on iPhone and Android.
How do I check 'Other' or System Data on my iPhone?
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap iPhone Storage.
- Wait for the bar chart to finish loading, then look at the bottom.
- Tap System Data (labeled Other on older iOS) to see the total.
Apple keeps this number opaque, so you will not get a file list. It also fluctuates: streaming a movie or running a heavy app pushes it up temporarily, then it drops. Take a reading, do the steps below, then re-check after a restart to see the real change.
How do I actually shrink 'Other' data step by step?
Work through these in order, safest first, and re-check the storage screen after each one.
- Clear the Safari cache. Go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. This wipes cached pages and cookies that sit inside the Other bucket.
- Clear cache inside individual apps. Many apps have their own Settings > Storage or Clear cache option in-app. iOS has no universal cache button, so you do this app by app.
- Offload heavy apps. In Settings > General > iPhone Storage, tap a large app and choose Offload App. This removes the binary but keeps your data, and it clears the app's accumulated temporary files.
- Delete old Messages attachments. Tap Messages in the storage list, then review Photos, Videos, and GIFs and Stickers and delete the large ones. Set Settings > Apps > Messages > Keep Messages to 1 Year or 30 Days so old threads auto-purge.
- Remove downloaded media. Delete offline movies, podcasts, and songs you have finished with; streaming buffers are a common hidden contributor.
- Restart the iPhone. Power it fully off, wait ten seconds, then turn it back on. A reboot triggers iOS to flush temporary files and is the step that most reliably drops the number.
Which steps free the most space?
| Action | Typical space freed | Effort | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restart the iPhone | A few GB of temp files | Very low | None |
| Clear Safari history and data | Up to a few GB | Low | Logs you out of sites |
| Offload heavy apps | Varies widely | Low | App must re-download |
| Delete Messages attachments | Often several GB | Medium | Lost old media if no backup |
| Backup and restore | Largest, full reset | High | Hours of downtime |
If you only do one thing, restart the phone. If "Other" is genuinely huge and refuses to budge, the backup-and-restore at the bottom of the table is the nuclear option that always works.
Is it safe to delete 'Other' data on an iPhone, and what can't you do?
Every step above is safe. You are clearing caches, logs, and temporary files that iOS rebuilds on demand, plus optional media you choose to remove. Nothing here touches your photos, contacts, or app logins unless you explicitly delete an attachment.
What iOS does natively: it caps and purges caches automatically when storage runs critically low, and a reboot speeds up that purge. What it will not do is give you a manual "empty Other" button or show you what is inside the bucket.
What a cleaner app like Cleanor adds: it cannot reach into the iOS System Data sandbox either, because no third-party app can; Apple does not permit it. What Cleanor does instead is shrink the storage around Other, finding duplicate and similar photos, oversized videos, and screenshots so you reclaim real, persistent space. That often matters more than the Other slice, because a bloated photo library is usually the bigger problem. Be skeptical of any app claiming it can "delete" iPhone Other or System Data directly; that is not technically possible. For the honest version, read the truth about cleaner apps.
The one true reset is back up to iCloud or your computer, erase the iPhone, then restore from that backup. The restore rebuilds the Other bucket from scratch, often cutting it from tens of GB to a few. It takes time, but it is the only guaranteed deep clean.
FAQ
Why does my iPhone show 'System Data' instead of 'Other' now?
Apple renamed the gray "Other" category to "System Data" in recent iOS versions. It is the same catch-all bucket of caches, logs, and temporary files; only the label changed. The cleanup steps are identical regardless of which name your iOS shows.
Can I delete 'Other' data without restoring my iPhone?
You cannot delete it as one block, but you can shrink it by clearing Safari and app caches, offloading apps, removing Messages attachments, and restarting. These reclaim most of the recoverable space without a full restore, which is only needed when nothing else moves the number.
How much 'Other' data is normal on an iPhone?
A few GB up to around 10-15 GB is typical for an actively used phone, scaling with how much you browse and stream. Much higher usually signals caches iOS has not yet purged, which a restart often fixes.
Does deleting 'Other' data make my iPhone faster?
Freeing space mainly helps when the drive is nearly full, since iOS needs headroom to run smoothly. Clearing Other on a phone with plenty of free space will not noticeably speed it up. See does freeing up space make your phone faster.
Where to start
Begin with the free wins: check the size in Settings > General > iPhone Storage, clear your Safari and app caches, then restart and re-read the number. That alone usually trims several GB.
For a lasting fix, attack the storage the Other bucket sits next to. Cleaning up duplicate photos, giant videos, and old downloads tends to free far more than Other ever will. Our clean up phone storage guide walks through the whole process, and Cleanor for iOS finds the duplicates and bloated media automatically. Not sure where the space went? Start with storage full: what should I delete first.