What "Documents and Data" means, and why it fills up
Documents and Data is the storage space your apps use to store information they need to run — cached files, settings, login details, downloaded content, and temporary files that pile up over time. It is separate from the app itself. When you see "Documents and Data" taking up gigabytes on your iPhone, it usually means apps have been saving things in the background for months or years without cleaning up after themselves.
The most common culprits are messaging apps (which store old photos and videos), social media apps (which cache images and videos as you scroll), email apps (which download attachments), and streaming services (which store downloaded shows or music). Safari also keeps a cache of websites you have visited. Unlike deleting an app, clearing Documents and Data keeps the app installed and your account logged in — you just remove the junk it has accumulated.
Key Takeaways
- You can clear Documents and Data for individual apps through Settings without deleting the app itself or losing your login information.
- Offloading an app removes it temporarily but keeps your data, and reinstalling it often recovers that data automatically.
- Clearing Safari history, cache, and cookies removes cached website files that take up significant space.
- Photos and videos in the Recently Deleted album stay on your phone for 30 days before disappearing, so emptying that folder frees space immediately.
- Some apps do not let you clear their cache through Settings, so you may need to offload and reinstall them instead.
Clear Documents and Data for a single app
This method removes the cached files and temporary data an app has stored, but keeps the app installed and your account logged in. Open Settings, then tap General, then iPhone Storage. Scroll down and find the app you want to clear. Tap it, and you will see two options: Offload App and Delete App. Tap Offload App. This removes the app temporarily but saves your data. Wait a few seconds, then tap the app name again and tap Reinstall. The app will download again, usually in under a minute, and your login and settings will still be there — but the cached junk is gone.
If you want to try clearing the cache without offloading, some apps have their own cache-clearing option buried in their settings. Open the app itself, go to its settings or preferences, and look for words like "Cache", "Storage", "Clear Cache", or "Clear Data". Not all apps offer this — many force you to offload and reinstall if you want to free up space. Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram often have this option. If you find it, tap it and confirm. The app will stay open and logged in.
Clear Safari cache, history, and cookies
Safari stores copies of every website you visit, along with login cookies and temporary files. Over time this can consume several gigabytes. Open Settings, scroll down and tap Safari, then scroll to the bottom and tap Clear History and Website Data. A popup will ask how far back to clear — choose All time to remove everything. Tap Clear History and Data to confirm. This removes your browsing history, cached website files, and cookies, but does not log you out of most websites immediately (they log you out the next time you visit).
If you want to clear only the cache without losing your browsing history, there is no direct option in Settings. Your only choice is to offload Safari itself, but that is not practical since Safari is built into iOS. Instead, the nuclear option is to go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset Network Settings, which clears all network caches system-wide — but this also disconnects you from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so use it only if you have a specific reason.
Empty the Recently Deleted photo album
When you delete photos or videos from your iPhone, they do not disappear immediately — they move to the Recently Deleted album and stay there for 30 days before the phone permanently removes them. Until then, they still take up storage space. Open the Photos app, tap Albums at the bottom, scroll down, and tap Recently Deleted. Tap Select in the top right, then tap Select All, then tap Delete and confirm. This permanently removes those photos and videos and frees up the space they were using. You cannot undo this, so make sure you do not want any of them first.
If you have a lot of photos and videos taking up space, this is often the fastest way to free up several gigabytes at once. Check what is in there first by scrolling through — you may find old screenshots, blurry photos, or videos you forgot about and can safely delete permanently.
Offload unused apps to free space without losing data
If an app takes up a lot of space and you do not use it often, offloading it removes the app but keeps your data and login information. The next time you need it, you reinstall it and your settings and account are still there. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find the app, tap it, and tap Offload App. Confirm by tapping Offload. The app disappears from your home screen but your data stays on your phone. When you tap the app icon again (or search for it), iOS will reinstall it automatically.
This works well for apps you use occasionally — games, travel apps, or seasonal apps. It is also useful for apps that do not let you clear their cache manually. The downside is that reinstalling takes a minute or two, so if you use an app every day, offloading is annoying. For daily apps, try clearing the cache through the app's own settings instead, or accept that some apps just hoard space.
Check which apps are using the most space
Before you start clearing, it helps to know which apps are the worst offenders. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. The list shows every app ranked by total size — app plus Documents and Data combined. Tap any app to see a breakdown. The number under the app name is the total; if you tap the app, you will see the app size itself and the Documents and Data size separately. Focus on apps with large Documents and Data numbers — those are the ones worth clearing.
Messaging apps, social media, email, and streaming services almost always have the largest Documents and Data. Photos and videos you have downloaded into apps also count here. If an app shows a huge Documents and Data number but you do not use it, offloading it is the fastest fix. If you use it daily, try clearing its cache first, or accept that it will keep growing.
What to do if clearing does not free up much space
Sometimes you clear Documents and Data and the space does not change much. This usually means the app stores its data in a way that Settings cannot see, or the app has already been cleaned up. Try these steps: First, force-close the app by swiping up from the bottom of the screen (or swiping down from the top right on newer iPhones) and closing it manually. Then offload and reinstall it. If that does not work, the space might not be in Documents and Data at all — it might be in the app itself, which means the app is just large. In that case, your only option is to delete the app entirely if you do not need it.
If your phone is still full after clearing Documents and Data, check Settings > General > iPhone Storage and look at what else is taking space. Photos and videos are usually the biggest culprit, followed by apps themselves. You may need to delete old photos, move them to cloud storage, or remove apps you do not use regularly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing Documents and Data log me out of my apps?
Usually not. Most apps store login information separately from cached files, so clearing Documents and Data keeps you logged in. However, some apps do log you out — check after clearing. If you get logged out, just log back in. Your account data is safe on the app company's servers.
Can I recover Documents and Data after I clear it?
No. Once you clear Documents and Data, it is gone. The app will rebuild its cache the next time you use it, but any downloaded content (like offline videos or downloaded messages) will be gone. If you are worried about losing something, take a screenshot or save it elsewhere before clearing.
Does offloading an app delete my photos or messages stored in it?
Offloading keeps your data on your phone, so your messages, photos, and settings stay. When you reinstall the app, they come back. However, if you delete the app entirely (not offload), your data may be lost depending on the app. Always offload first if you want to keep your data.
Why does my Documents and Data keep growing back after I clear it?
Apps rebuild their cache as you use them. Messaging apps download photos and videos as you scroll. Social media apps cache images. Email apps download attachments. This is normal. You can clear it again whenever you need space, or offload the app if it grows too fast.
Is it safe to clear Safari history and cookies?
Yes. Clearing Safari history and cookies is safe and does not damage anything. You may have to log back into some websites, but your passwords are stored separately in Keychain and will not be deleted. You can also choose to clear only history without clearing cookies if you want to stay logged in.