How do I reclaim iPhone storage space taken up by 'Other'?

We've been getting numerous reports of users, who have attempted to sync their iPhones after the latest iTunes updates (7.4.x), finding that iTunes shows space on their iPhone occupied by something specified only as 'Other'. Often, this space may be only small amounts (a few megabytes), but we have received reports of 'Other' taking up as much as 4 gigabytes.

Unfortunately, scouring available information sources and speaking with Apple hasn't led to any type of easy resolution.

If you're experiencing this issue under any version of iTunes, you'll need to restore your iPhone to reclaim the space occupied by Other. That is the only known solution at this time.

If you've found another solution to the 'Other' issue, please let us know.

Presumably this issue will be rectified by the next iTunes update.

Newest iPhone FAQs

UPDATE: User Andrew S. said he deleted "a substantial number of text threads containing pictures and videos" to clean out half of the "Other" storage on his phone. Andrew claims he went from having zero free space to 1.88GB by using this technique.

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RMG007 replied on September 21, 2007 - 12:04pmPermalink

The "other" on my iPhone represents my calendar information synced from Outlook.

Anonymous replied on September 21, 2007 - 12:26pmPermalink

Same for me. However, for those folks that have several gigs taken up by it clearly don't have gigs of calendar data :)

kaze replied on July 26, 2012 - 12:25pmPermalink

this is the simple reason why: when you sync an app and it don't complete or was interrupted the device store the app you trying to sync or install via itunes , in a folder located in Var/Media/ApplicationArchives. so all you need to do using ifile or SSH is delete the file(s) in the folder and you get back the memory. it happen to me while installing FIFA 12

kamal ahmad replied on August 27, 2012 - 8:58amPermalink

@kaze

thank you for telling me about application archives, gun club was taking 1.13 gb and other took 1.80 gb so I had 866 mb left on my 8gb Ipod now I have near 2 gb of storage and other is only taking 078 gb.

Anonymous replied on August 30, 2012 - 12:52amPermalink

what was the step by step for you to be able to do that?

cant figure it out replied on September 22, 2012 - 2:35pmPermalink

i am trying to figure your instructions out but i cant find the files

Anonymous replied on September 23, 2012 - 9:49pmPermalink

can you please help!? i dont know how to get to the folder located "var/media/applicationarchives"

Anonymous replied on October 16, 2014 - 1:34pmPermalink

i was not able to find that particular file, but using diskaid (http://www.downloadspring.com/diskaid/indexarca.htm) i was able to play around on my phone and found many many old audio, video, and image files that could be delted. Between that and deleting my safari cookies and history I got 2 gig of memory back from "other". Hope that helps.

pissoff21 replied on August 18, 2010 - 8:01amPermalink

i need some help..what do i do when the itune on my iphone takes up all of the space?literally..'m really desperate now..

pataylor1953 replied on September 4, 2010 - 9:08pmPermalink

goto settings/ safari and clear history, cookies and cache and you will recover your space. I recovered from 7.5gb to .45gb.

Anonymous replied on September 26, 2010 - 7:22amPermalink

Thank you very much for the solution. Very simple and works perfectly.

Anonymous replied on October 7, 2010 - 11:10amPermalink

Thank you, thank you. Was bugging me as to what 'OTHER' was. Now sorted, but you must restart iphone for it to show up.

beckie replied on November 23, 2010 - 2:38amPermalink

Wow!! Thank you so much!! I almost restored my ipod!! Luckily I read your comment before it!!

Jord replied on March 15, 2011 - 8:37amPermalink

What did u do? Coz I'm stuck here with a high amount of other space

Anonymous replied on April 22, 2012 - 4:54amPermalink

i deleted the syslog found in /var/log/ and it saved 3gb!! i used ifile. trust me. it took me 2 hours to find the troublesome file. horrrraaayy!!!

Anonymous replied on June 8, 2012 - 9:04pmPermalink

where is the var/log? i deleted the cookies and cache and other is still at 3.4, no change!

Anonymous replied on September 20, 2012 - 3:34amPermalink

how do you delete the cookies and cache

Anonymous replied on May 10, 2014 - 9:52pmPermalink

Two year later after this post/comment, this still works perfectly. Went from 4.6 GB of memory to 10.8 Gb of memory after. Final stumbled upon and this and wow, Thanks and keep up the good work.

Anonymous replied on September 29, 2014 - 11:40pmPermalink

I don't suppose you could clarify HOW those files are accessed?

Anonymous replied on October 15, 2012 - 3:27pmPermalink

goto settings/ safari and clear history, cookies and cache and you will recover your space. I recovered from 7.5gb to .45gb.

This worked for me. Do a complete shutdown and bring the phone back up.. than plug it in to Itunes and it will show the space free. Thanks everyone. This worked for me.

Anonymous replied on March 3, 2013 - 12:35amPermalink

Thank you. That was a real pest but a simple solution.

Anonymous replied on March 28, 2014 - 5:07pmPermalink

I have Windows 8 and am still having the same problem with Other taking up so much space on my itunes/iphone I am new to Windows 8, can you tell me where to go step by step and what needs to be done from start to finish?

Anonymous replied on December 11, 2010 - 3:01amPermalink

FUUUUUUUUUU--- i alr restored my iPhone. -.- FML for not reading comments x.x

sj replied on December 23, 2010 - 2:36amPermalink

My 16GB 3GS was showing 1.9 GB of yellow. Clearing the cache, cookies, and history reduced it by .2 or so. However, clearing out many photos and videos (but not all) from the "camera roll" cut the number in half to .89 GB.

In earlier versions of the iPhone software, I recall that the iPhone limited the number of photos that could be in the "camera roll." Now, the number appears to be much higher. By including a large number of photos in the "camera roll," it caused the yellow/"other" bar to be large.

NOTE: the reason that I keep italicizing "camera roll" is because have nearly a thousant pictures and videos in files located in the Photos app.

Florante replied on July 26, 2012 - 4:25amPermalink

It works!! Million of thanks to you.

Anonymous replied on October 13, 2011 - 11:18amPermalink

Thanks!

Anonymous replied on October 15, 2011 - 7:42pmPermalink

I tried deleting old text messages and that took care of some of it.

RobbieC replied on October 25, 2011 - 10:48pmPermalink

goto settings/ safari and clear history, cookies and cache and you will recover your space. I recovered from 7.5gb to .45gb.
Thanks that fixed it I recovered 8GB of space that's half my 16GB Ouch!

Anonymous replied on April 29, 2012 - 12:08pmPermalink

I have 3 GB of other on my iPod touch. I tried this and restarted it but it didn't make a difference. I use Safari often, too! My iPod's really stunk lately!! No matter how much stuff I delete, it says my memory's full and I can't take pictures and such. I don't want to have to restore it, but I just need help! Thanks!

Anonymous replied on September 9, 2012 - 4:16amPermalink

What are these steps for a Mac????

How do I reclaim iPhone storage space taken up by 'Other'?

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