To automate cleanup on Windows, turn on Storage Sense at Settings > System > Storage > Storage Sense and set it to run on a schedule. On iPhone, enable Settings > Photos > Optimize iPhone Storage and Settings > App Store > Offload Unused Apps. Both let the OS reclaim space in the background without you doing anything.
TL;DR
- Windows Storage Sense auto-deletes temp files and empties the Recycle Bin on a schedule you choose.
- Find it at Settings > System > Storage > Storage Sense and toggle it on.
- On iPhone, Optimize Storage keeps full-res photos in iCloud and lighter copies on the phone.
- Offload Unused Apps removes app code you haven't used while keeping its data and icon.
- These features run quietly but are conservative; they won't clear caches or large media for you.
How do I set up Storage Sense on Windows?
Open Settings > System > Storage and turn on the Storage Sense toggle, then click it to open the options. Configure these:
- Run Storage Sense: choose Every day, Every week, Every month, or During low free disk space.
- Delete temporary files my apps aren't using: leave this on.
- Delete files in my Recycle Bin if they've been there for over: set to 30 days (or your preference).
- Delete files in my Downloads folder if they've been there for over: set this carefully; Never is safest if you keep things in Downloads.
Click Run Storage Sense now to trigger an immediate cleanup. From then on it runs automatically on the schedule you picked.
How do I automate cleanup on iPhone?
iOS has no single Storage Sense switch, but two settings together do most of the work.
- Optimize iPhone Storage: go to Settings > Photos and turn on Optimize iPhone Storage. Your full-resolution photos and videos stay in iCloud while the phone keeps smaller versions, freeing space automatically as it fills.
- Offload Unused Apps: go to Settings > App Store and turn on Offload Unused Apps. iOS removes apps you rarely open while keeping their documents and data, so reinstalling restores everything. You can also offload one app manually under Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
Together these two reclaim the biggest space hogs, photos and idle apps, with no manual effort.
What the OS does natively, and where it stops
Natively, Storage Sense clears Windows temp files, old Recycle Bin contents, and optionally stale Downloads. iOS offloads unused apps and shifts photos to iCloud. Both keep working in the background once enabled.
Where it stops: these tools are deliberately cautious. Storage Sense ignores most app caches, large media, and leftover installers. iOS won't clear app caches, message attachments, or the Files app's recently deleted items at all. The OS handles the safe, obvious cases and leaves the bulk of reclaimable junk untouched.
What this cannot do, and what to leave alone
Auto-cleanup won't dig into per-app caches, browser data, or large downloads, so it rarely recovers as much as a manual pass. On iPhone, it also won't clear the recently deleted folder in the Files app; you have to do that yourself, as covered in how to empty the iPhone Files recently deleted folder.
Leave the Downloads auto-delete option off if you keep important files there, since Storage Sense will quietly remove them on schedule. And don't rely on these features as your only cleanup; treat them as a baseline that keeps things from getting worse, not a deep clean.
FAQ
Does Storage Sense delete my personal files?
Not your documents or photos by default. It targets temporary files and the Recycle Bin. It only touches Downloads if you explicitly set a deletion window for that folder, so leave that option on Never if Downloads holds files you want to keep.
Will Offload Unused Apps lose my data?
No. Offloading removes only the app's program files; your documents, settings, and login state stay on the phone. The icon remains with a small cloud badge, and tapping it reinstalls the app with everything intact, provided it's still on the App Store.
Is Optimize iPhone Storage safe for my photos?
Yes, as long as iCloud Photos is on. Full-resolution originals live in iCloud while your phone keeps space-saving versions, and tapping a photo downloads the original when needed. The risk is only if you disable iCloud Photos without first downloading originals.
For everything iOS auto-cleanup leaves behind, app caches, attachments, and hidden leftovers, Cleanor for iPhone does the deeper sweep automatic settings skip.