Apple makes major change to millions of iPhones that uses up a load of your storage – but there’s a way to switch it off
Apple makes major change to millions of iPhones that uses up a load of your storage – but there’s a way to switch it off
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YOUR latest iPhone update might have just eaten up 7GB worth of storage overnight. Apple's new AI-powered feature, Apple Intelligence, is switched on by default on all compatible devices in iOS 18.3. It brings a bundle of new features, like a smarter Siri, custom emoji, message summaries and image generation. But all those new features require more space on your phone - if your device is eligible. Apple Intelligence is available on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
![[a bunch of phones with one that says create a memory movie]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Apple-iPhone-16-Apple-Intelligence-240909.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Now, you can choose to disable Apple Intelligence entirely, and free up a whopping 7GB. You can do this in Settings, by going to the new Apple Intelligence & Siri section. From there, you can toggle off Apple Intelligence. Doing so will prompt a confirmation, after which the system will remove nearly all AI features. Although, some new AI tools like the Clean Up feature in the Photos app may remain available.
![[Apple makes major change to millions of iPhones that uses up a load of your storage - but there's a way to switch it off]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/newspress-collage-qsx04h55a-1738320485540.jpg?1738320561&strip=all&w=960)
It's an easy fix, that only takes a few seconds. But if you want to make use of the new AI-powered features, then you may need a few extra storage tricks up your sleeve. If you have apps that you rarely use but don’t want to delete permanently, you can offload them. This means the app is removed but the documents and data are still intact - so it takes up less storage than a fully installed app. Photos and videos can take up a significant amount of storage space.
But a nifty button in Settings can save the high-resolution versions of this media to iCloud. They're still on your device, but in a lower resolution until you click on them and load the high-res versions. To optimise storage, enable the Optimise iPhone Storage option in Settings > Photos & Camera. Over time, Safari accumulates cache - just like the internet browser on your PC or laptop does. To clear this, simply follow these steps:.
