How to Clear Out System Data on Your iPhone: 9 Methods & Tips

Have you noticed that your iPhone or iPad is running out of space? If you check your device storage in the Settings app, you may have seen that a lot of storage space is taken up by "system data," but there's no clear indication of what "system data" really is. According to Apple, system data includes data that doesn't fall into any other category—including logs, caches, Siri voices, keychain data, and more. In this article, we'll go over nine methods to remove some of that system data from your phone or tablet.

Things You Should Know

Restarting your phone can help clear out some temporary files, but leave it off for a few minutes before turning it back on.
Clearing app caches, offline content, and browsing history are other ways to clear up some system data.
If all else fails, restoring your phone from a backup will get rid of most of your system data, leaving that space open for you to use.

Method 1

Method 1 of 9:

Clear App Cache

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1
Open up any of your apps. Many apps store data in a cache to help them run more smoothly, but sometimes these caches can get large and take up too much space. Some apps that let you clear the cache are Spotify and TikTok.
- Clearing the cache won't delete your app data and can actually increase app performance as it reduces the risk of the cache files becoming corrupt and causing issues with your apps.
2
Navigate to the app settings. Every app will be laid out differently, but if there is an option to clear the app cache, it will be somewhere in the settings or one of the settings submenus.
- You may need to go into a specific submenu, such as Storage or similar, to find the option to clear the app cache.
- Not every app will have the option to clear the cache.

Method 2

Method 2 of 9:

Use the Date Trick

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A Reddit user on the iPhone subreddit detailed a method to clear out system data. The user states that this works best when your system data is 25GB or higher.^{[1]XResearch source}
2
Set your text messages to stay forever. You can skip this step if you don't mind losing your text messages.
- Navigate to Settings > Messages, then scroll down to Message History and tap on Keep Messages. Select the Forever setting.
You can do this most easily by swiping down from the upper-right corner to expand the control center. Simply tap the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth buttons in the upper-left corner to turn them off, then tap the airplane button to turn on airplane mode.
If this is not toggled on, you can skip this step.
You should notice your system data being much lower. If not, close the Settings app before checking your storage again.
10
Change the date to 3 months in the future from today's date. This is nine months in the past from the date you just set.
- For example, if you were attempting this on July 18th, 2023, you would first change the date to July 18th, 2024, and then to October 18th, 2023.
System data should be the same as a moment ago or slightly lower.

Method 3

Method 3 of 9:

Restart Your Phone

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This will bring you to your iPhone's shut-down screen. Restarting your phone can clear out some temporary resources and give back some space from system data.
This will turn your phone off. Wait for a few minutes before turning it back on.
You should see the Apple logo as your phone powers on.

Method 4

Method 4 of 9:

Delete and Reinstall Discord and Instagram

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Reddit users have found that Discord and Instagram both store a lot of data that is considered system data, and deleting and reinstalling these apps has been found to help reduce system data.
A menu will pop up.
If the app is not on your home screen, you will instead want to select Delete App.
4
Select Delete App. If you select Remove from Home Screen the app won't be deleted, it just won't be visible on your home screen anymore.
- If the app isn't on your home screen, select Delete on the pop-up.
You'll need to sign back into your account after deleting these apps, but you should notice your system data is much lower after reinstalling.

Method 5

Method 5 of 9:

Clear Browsing History

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1
Open Settings. Clearing your mobile browsing history can help reduce system data, especially if you haven't cleared your browsing history in a long time or ever.
- Safari is the default web browser for your iPhone, and if you're using an alternative browser the setting to clear browsing history may have to be cleared via the app.
3
Scroll down and select Clear History and Website Data. Tap Clear History and Data in the pop-up to finish clearing out your browsing data.^{[2]XResearch source}
- This will also delete browser cookies, which will sign you out of any sites you've been signed in to and remove saved usernames and passwords.

Method 6

Method 6 of 9:

Delete Large Message Attachments

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Removing large message attachments no longer needed can help free up some of your system data.
All of your message attachments will appear in this menu, sorted from largest to smallest.
This will allow you to select the attachments you want to delete.
This will delete the selected attachments to free up some space on your phone.

Method 7

Method 7 of 9:

Delete Offline Content

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Some examples are Spotify and Netflix, which let you download content to use when you're offline.
How to do this varies per app, but you should be able to find the correct setting within the app's settings menu. It may be under a submenu such as Storage.

Method 8

Method 8 of 9:

Update Your Phone

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1
Open Settings. Some users have noticed that updating your phone can help reduce system data. If your phone is due for an update, try updating it to see if that fixes the issue.
- If you don't have enough space on your phone to install the update, this method will not work for you.
2
Select General.
3
Tap Software Update. If there is a software update, it will appear here.
4
Select Download and Install. Allow your phone to download and install the update, which may take some time. Your phone will restart once the update is complete.^{[3]XResearch source}

Method 9

Method 9 of 9:

Restore Your Phone

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1
Open Settings. If nothing else works, restoring your iPhone is a surefire way to clear out your old system data, but it is a drastic step.
- Before restoring your phone, ensure you have created a backup.
2
Tap General.
3
Select Transfer or Reset iPhone. It's at the bottom of the screen, so you'll have to scroll to see the option.
4
Select Erase All Content and Settings. You will be prompted to enter your passcode or your Apple ID password.^{[4]XResearch source}
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Brandon Phipps
Technology Specialist
Brandon Phipps is a Technology Specialist based in Bakersfield, CA. He is the owner of Second Star Technologies and specializes in Managed IT Services for small and mid-sized businesses in Bakersfield, CA. With over 23 years of experience, he offers expert cloud computing, cybersecurity, and network management solutions. Brandon is a committed community member and coach who leads and innovates in tech and sports coaching. His dedication to local businesses and communities is evident in his hands-on, tailored approach to IT solutions.
Brandon Phipps
Technology Specialist
To clear the system data on your iPhone, you need to provide your Apple ID login credentials and additional security information. Apple has strict security protocols for this process, so have all the necessary information ready before you try to reset your device.
5
Allow the phone to reset. This will take some time.
6
Set up your phone once it has been reset. You can restore your phone from a backup during the initial setup process.

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Tips

Offloading apps and deleting old conversations can help clear up space, but it won't necessarily remove system data. Though system data may also decrease, you would most likely notice a decrease in Apps or Messages data. You can complete both tasks by going to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and selecting Offload Unused Apps and Auto Delete Old Conversations.
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