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How to free up iPhone/iPad space to install new iOS without losing data

Oct 22, 2015 3:12 pm / Posted by Nelson Peter to Mobile Guides CategoryFollow @MacDVD_Studio

The new mobile iOS 9 is released a few days ago, Apple added a ton of new features to iOS 9 to make it much larger. If you are Excited to update your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to the latest iOS, you may find they’re unable to do so because there’s not enough storage on your device. For example, the iOS 8 requires up to 5.7 GB of free space to install! This is really annoy for the small storage user like 8 GB or 16 GB. And here is a guide will show you three solutions to free up space for the latest iOS upgrade.

Latest iOS

Solution 1. Backup your iPhone/iPad/iPod files to computer

There are many memory photos or videos on your iPhone, I'm sure you don't want to delete them. So it's a great idea to transfer the files from your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to computer for backup. Normally, iTunes can help you do that easily. But for the non-purchased songs, downloaded photos/videos or free apps/games, iTunes is not work, you need a 3rd party software to transfer them to computer by manually. I'd recommend this TunesGo to you. It's available on Windows and Mac.

Download TunesGo for Mac Download TunesGo for Win

Step 1. Download and install TunesGo, and then launch it.

Step 2. Connect your iPhone/iPad/iPod to computer. The software will detect your device automatically. And you can see all the files on your device by category.

Backup Files to Computer

Step 3. Step3. Select the files you want to transfer to computer and click "Export to", and then select a folder to save your files, done.


Solution 2. Update to the latest iOS with iTunes

This method is works for both Windows and Mac user, it's easy to handle. But you have to backup your iPhone/iPad/iPod before update to the latest iOS. And there is a few opptiunte to stuck your device in the 'Connect to iTunes' (stuck in recovery mode). If this problem happen to you, here is a guide to get iPhone/iPad/iPod out of recovery mode.

Step 1. Update iTunes to the latest version. You can download iTunes from apple.com for free.

Step 2. Launch iTunes, connect your iPhone/iPad/iPod to computer with a USB cable.

Step 3. After iTunes detect your device, go to the summary tab and click “Update”. Select “Download & Install” to begin the updating process. Now you can go away to take a coffee, iTunes will update your device to the latest iOS automatically.

update iOS with iTunes


Solution 3. Delete files off your devices

You can uninstall Apps or delete pictures/videos/songs/movies/podcast/ to free space for the new iOS update. Honestly, this is not a way to go unless you absolutely have to do it.