Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
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ZDNET's key takeaways
iPhone storage always fills up faster than most people expect.
You can reclaim space without deleting everything you love.
Buying more iCloud+ storage is optional, but not necessary.
If you've ever seen the dreaded "iPhone Storage Full" warning, you're not alone. Storage can fill up fast thanks to the photos and videos we capture, the apps we download, and the browser cache and system data that we let quietly pile up over time.
Also: I changed 10+ settings on my iPhone to significantly extend its battery life (iOS 26 and older)
And while Apple would love for you to solve the problem by upgrading your iCloud+ plan, that's not your only option. There are plenty of built-in iOS 26 tools that can help reclaim storage, and most of them are completely free to use. Here are the ones I often try first.
1. Check your system data
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