How To Empty The TRASH on iPhone !, by iReviews on YouTube. 8 min 38 s.
- Video length
- 8 min 38 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Open the Files app and tap Browse. Tap Recently Deleted under Locations, tap Select, tick the files you want gone and tap Delete.
To delete a single file in Files, swipe left on it and tap the red Delete button. It moves to Recently Deleted, where it still uses space.
Open Photos, go to Albums and scroll to Recently Deleted. Tap Select, then Delete All to remove photos and videos for good.
In Mail, tap Mailboxes and open Trash or Bin. Tap Edit, then Delete All, and do the same in the Junk folder.
Open Notes, choose the folder, then tap Recently Deleted. Tap Delete All to clear notes you no longer need.
Go to Settings, General, iPhone Storage. Tap an app and choose Delete App to remove it, or Offload App to keep its data.
Open Settings, Safari, then Clear History and Website Data. Confirm to wipe the cache, cookies and browsing history.
Clear app caches one by one. Open the app's own settings, look for a cache or storage option, or reinstall the app to start fresh.
Tips and common mistakes
Items in Recently Deleted still count against your storage for up to 30 days, so empty those folders too.
Deleting an app removes its saved data, so back up anything important to iCloud first.
Check Settings, General, iPhone Storage to see which apps take the most space before you start deleting.
Empty your trash folders every few weeks so the space does not quietly fill up again.
Questions
Does the iPhone have a trash bin like a computer?
No. Each app keeps its own deleted items folder, such as Recently Deleted in Files and Photos or Trash in Mail. You have to empty each one separately.
Where do deleted files go on an iPhone?
They usually sit in a Recently Deleted or Trash folder inside the same app. They stay there for a set period, often 30 days, before the phone removes them automatically.
Will emptying the trash free up storage straight away?
Yes, once you confirm the permanent delete, the space is released. Check Settings, General, iPhone Storage before and after to see the difference.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
