A recent survey highlights that Photos, videos, and app cache files account for 83% of smartphone storage problems, encouraging users to manage these common culprits to free up space without costly upgrades.
A survey highlighted by Tom’s Guide suggests that most smartphone storage warnings come down to two familiar culprits: photos and videos, plus app cache files. The report said these two categories account for 83% of storage problems, offering a reminder that many users can recover substantial space without deleting personal memories or upgrading to a more expensive handset. Tom’s Guide said the findings were drawn from a recent reader survey and analysed by its senior how-to writer, Casey Hall.
The split was almost even. Tom’s Guide reported that 42% of respondents blamed large camera libraries, while 41% pointed to cached data stored by apps in the background. The remaining share was made up of forgotten downloads from streaming services, at 9%, and abandoned large games, at 8%. That pattern matters because it suggests the problem is usually not one single oversized app, but a combination of accumulated media and background files that quietly expands over time.
The practical response is straightforward. On iPhone, Tom’s Guide recommends enabling Apple’s “Optimize Storage” option in Photos so full-resolution originals are kept in iCloud while smaller device copies remain locally. On Android, Google Photos includes a “Free up space” tool that removes items already backed up. Google’s own Android support pages also advise removing unused apps, closing unresponsive apps and clearing app cache or data where appropriate.
Cached data is often the quickest win. Tom’s Guide advises Android users to open storage settings, identify heavy apps such as TikTok, Instagram and Chrome, then clear the cache. For iPhone users, the publication says temporary files are generally handled through in-app controls or by clearing Safari history and website data. That distinction matters because Android exposes cache controls more directly, while iOS tends to manage them through app-specific tools and browser settings.
Offline downloads are another hidden drain. Tom’s Guide noted that films, music and podcasts saved for offline use on services such as Netflix and Spotify remain on the device until they are removed manually, although Netflix’s Smart Downloads feature can delete watched episodes automatically. The same advice applies to large games, which may each occupy between 2GB and 5GB; Tom’s Guide recommends sorting apps by last use and removing those no longer needed, while keeping progress protected in cloud accounts where supported.
Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement, conduct due diligence, or consult a qualified expert before acting on any information provided.
